Intelligent education and simulation system and method

• US 5,306,154 A
• Filed: 03/05/1992
• Issued: 04/26/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kato, Kanji, Kurakake, Toshiya,, Tanikawa, Nasho, Yokota, Takeshi, Shida, Toichi, Ujita, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Application Number:
  US07/846,786
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 434/218, 434/219, 434/223, 434/234, 434/307, 434/308, 434/322, 434/323, 434/350, 434/362, 434/365, 434/366, 434/369, 364/419, 364/492, 364/578, 364/184, 364/188, 364/189, 395/77, 395/915, 395/927, 376/215-217
• US Class Current: 434/218
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/04 characterised by modifying the teaching programme in response to a wrong answer, e.g. repeating the question, supplying a further explanation
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/00 Simulators for teaching or training purposes for the use of weapons F41; computing aspects G06; protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality H04L67/131
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 706/915 Power plant

Abstract

An intelligent education and simulation system which is capable of executing an optimized follow-up reeducation to the learner reflecting his/her idiosyncrasy toward understanding in learning. The intelligent education and simulation system has an execution instruction to execute a curriculum comprising a plurality of instruction courses regarding the subject teaching of an educational object and its simulation-based instruction. According to this execution instruction, intelligent computer assisted instruction of the subject teaching and the simulation-based instruction are implemented. The degree of understanding of these instructions by the learner is evaluated, and according to the degree of understanding thus comprehended, a pertinent follow-up instruction course(s) is chosen for reeducation. In this way, a pertinent reeducation instruction course(s) optimized for each learner is capable of being selected, and the time required for reeducation of the learner is minimized.

Claims

1. An intelligent education and simulation system comprising:

text teaching means for teaching procedure and physical process of subject domain knowledge to a learner;

simulation means for providing an actual physical process situation experience and response using proper procedure to said learner;

comprehension means for determining an understanding level of said learner by integrating results from said text teaching means with results from said simulation means; and

educational execution means for selectively reactuating at least one of said text teaching means and said simulation means in response to said understanding level being below a predetermined value.

2. An intelligent education and simulation system according to claim 1, wherein said simulation means comprises an output unit, an input unit into which operations are input by said learner in response to a simulation situation, education instruction means for executing a curriculum containing a plurality of education subjects based on said simulation situations, a simulator for performing said simulation situations complying with a procedural instruction and evaluation means for evaluating an understanding level of said learner through answers and operations said learner has inputted from said input unit.

3. An intelligent education and simulation system according to claim 2, wherein said evaluation means comprises error checking means for determining the existence of errors in said answers and operations.

4. An intelligent education and simulation system according to claim 2, wherein said error checking means comprises means for outputting at least one result on said output unit.

5. An intelligent education and simulation system according to claim 3, wherein said error checking means comprises means for inferring causes of said errors.

6. An intelligent education and simulation system according to claim 1, wherein said comprehension means comprises a functional hierarchical model.

7. An intelligent education and simulation system according to claim 1, wherein said text teaching means comprises output means, input means, educational instruction means for executing a curriculum containing a plurality of educational subjects related to said subject domain knowledge using a text teaching method, text teaching execution mean for outputting on said output means information corresponding to said text teaching method according to said curriculum and evaluating means for evaluating an understanding level of said learner through answers and operations said learner has input to said first input unit.

8. An intelligent education and simulation system according to claim 1, wherein said education execution means comprise means for obtaining error statistical data of said learner, means for providing collected data on a plurality of learners, means for obtaining an average of error statistical data from said plurality of learners, and means for modifying education strategy of said learner based on said error statistical data and said average of error statistical data.

9. An intelligent education and simulation system according to claim 1, wherein said educational execution means comprises means for obtaining understanding of said learner from another educational system.

10. A method for teaching system operation using an intelligent education and simulation system having a computer, said method comprising the steps of:

obtaining understanding of a learner of procedure and physical process of subject domain knowledge which has been previously taught to said learner by a text teaching means;

obtaining understanding of said learner of an actual physical process simulation situation experience and response using proper procedure which has been previously presented to said learner by a simulation means;

comprehending an understanding level of said learner by integrating said understanding of subject domain knowledge and said understanding of simulation situation experience and response from a comprehension means; and

selectively structuring a reeducational curriculum of at least one of said subject domain knowledge and said simulation situation experience and response for said learner in response to said understanding level being below a predetermined value from an educational execution means.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said step of structuring includes classifying causes of errors into carelessness, lack of knowledge, miscomprehension of concept and miscomprehension in the connection relationship of functions.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said subject domain knowledge and said simulation situation experience and response are related to the same subject matter.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein said subject domain knowledge comprises basic concept which assists said learner in comprehending basic concepts, and procedure education which assists said learner in comprehending of said system operation.

14. A method according to claim 10, wherein said step of obtaining said understanding of subject domain knowledge comprises outputting on display means subject information corresponding to said subject domain knowledge, obtaining answers from said learner in response to said subject information and evaluating said answers to said subject information, and wherein said step of obtaining said understanding of simulation situation experience and response comprises outputting on said display mans simulation information corresponding to said simulation situation experience and response, obtaining a response to said simulation information and evaluating said response to said simulation information.

15. A method according to claim 10, wherein said step of structuring includes classifying causes of errors into lack of basic knowledge, insufficient memory and insufficient understanding of physical behaviors, and structuring said re-educational curriculum to emphasize said subject domain knowledge in response to said causes of errors being deemed to be one of said lack of basic knowledge and insufficient memory, and structuring said re-educational curriculum to emphasize said simulation situation experience and response in response to said causes of errors being deemed to be insufficient understanding of physical behaviors.

16. An intelligent education and simulation system comprising:

a display unit;

an input unit;

educational instruction means for issuing an execution instruction to execute a curriculum containing contents regarding education based on the text teaching and simulation of an educational object;

text teaching execution means for outputting on said display unit information corresponding to said text teaching complying with said execution instruction;

a simulator which performs a simulation relating to said text teaching information complying with said execution instruction and outputs information obtained through the simulation on said display unit;

comprehension means for comprehending the learner'"'"'s understanding of said curriculm with respect to each of the text teaching and the simulation through appraisal of information the learner has provided to said input unit; and

re-educational means for choosing at least a part of said text teaching and said simulation to be repeated according to the degree of understanding of the learner.

17. An intelligent education and simulation system comprising:

a display unit;

an input unit;

a memory unit for storing information regarding text teaching and simulation of an education object;

educational instruction mean for issuing an execution instruction to execute a curriculum to provide education through said text teaching and simulation;

text teaching execution means for retrieving information corresponding to the text teaching according to an execution instruction from the memory unit, and displaying the information on the display unit;

the simulator for providing a simulation based on said execution instruction, and outputting the information obtained through the simulation onto said display unit;

comprehension means for evaluating a degree of understanding of a learner by integrating results from said text teaching means with results from said simulator; and

re-education means for optionally choosing at least a part of said text teaching and said simulation to be repeated according to the degree of the understanding.