System and method for interactive distance learning and examination training

• US 6,470,170 B1
• Filed: 05/16/2001
• Issued: 10/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Changsha Dilife Digital Technology Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hai Xing Chen, Qiang Li
• Inventors: Li, Qiang, Chen, Hai Xing
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Hieu T.
• Application Number:
  US09/858,620
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 434/350, 434/352, 434/362, 434/322, 434/323, 434/327, 434/307.R, 434/308
• US Class Current: 434/350
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/14 with provision for individual teacher-student communication
• 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

Abstract

A system for learning and examination training is disclosed. A student can log on the system through a website to review training history, to access a menu of levels of practice examinations of interest to him, and to select training exams on the website. During the examination, the student is able to indicate whether or not help is required at any given point or question. Without regard to whether or not the student believes help is required, all students are subject to a dynamic/interactive evaluation of responses in which a teacher who is on-line with the same website at the time of the student is able to intervene during an examination to invoke help options for the student. In the first instance, the teacher can intervene to change the exam level to either a lower or to a higher one. Among the help options available to a student during an examination within a given level are “auto coach” in which the student is provided with hints and examples; an adaptive question selection in which variations of the same questions are drawn from a database; real time talk support in which the on-line teacher can communicate with the student at the time that this option is invoked; and a multi-solution select option in which a database presents multiple means of problem to accommodate or discover the learning style of the student. The student can be scored, timed and graded in a variety of modes both during and after the examination.

Claims

1. A system of interactive distance learning and examination training comprising:

(a) a website having a graphical user interface;

(b) an archival training database accessible from said website, said training database containing a menu of levels of practice examinations accessible through said graphical user interface;

(c) a module interface means which notifies a teacher or artificial intelligence module that a student has logged onto said website;

(d) a means for selection by said student of one of said examinations from said practice examination;

(e) a means to enable a student to provide an answer to said examination through said graphical user interface;

(f) a means for providing selectable on line student help options available to a student after an examination has commenced;

(g) a means for evaluation of student answers; and

(h) a means for generating performance displays of said student the examination selected by said student and a database for storing information associated with each examination taken by said student.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for providing selectable student help options comprises options for self-help, adaptive question selection, on-line interaction with said teacher, and review. of multiple possible solutions.

3. The system of claim 2, which further comprises a means for appointment management of a specific teacher for use in association with on-line interaction with said specific teacher.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for evaluation of student responses comprises changing the difficulty level of questions contained in said examination while the student is taking the examination.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said a means for evaluation of student responses comprises real-time observation of evaluation of student responses.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said means to enable a student to provide an answer to said examination through said graphical user interface comprises a keystroke, audio response, graphic display, web TV interface, graphical user interface pointer or touch screen means, and mouse.

7. The system of claim 1, which further comprises a means for system administration.

8. A system of interactive distance learning and examination training, the system comprising:

(a) a dedicated web site having a graphical user interface (GUI);

(b) an archival training database accessible therefrom;

(c) means for notification of a teacher, or AI surrogate, that a student has logged onto said system, said notification means including an on-line teacher interface;

(d) a menu of levels of practice examinations accessible through said GUI;

(e) mean for selection of one of said examinations of said menu of practice examination;

(f) selectable on-line student help options, available to a student after an exam has commenced, said options including options for self-help, adaptive question selection, on-line interaction with said teacher, and review of multiple possible solutions;

(g) means for dynamic evaluation of student responses including means for incrementing and decrementing the level of examination difficulty; and

(h) means for generation of time and performance displays of each practice examination taken by a student and databases for storing information associated therewith.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising selectable means for answer input to said graphical user interface, said means including keystrokes, audio response, graphic display, web TV interface, GUI pointer or touch screen, and mouse.

10. The system of claim 9 in which said dynamic evaluation means comprises one or more of artificial intelligence software means and real-time observation of student performance.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising means for system administration.

12. The system of claim 8 further comprising a means for teacher appointment and appointment management for use in association with said on-line student-teacher interaction of said selectable on-line student help option 8 (f) above.

13. A method of interactive distance learning and examination training comprising:

(a) providing a website having a graphical user interface;

(b) providing an archival training database accessible from said web site, said training database containing a menu of levels of practice examinations accessible through said graphical user interface;

(c) providing a module interface means which notifies a teacher or artificial intelligence module that a student has logged onto said website;

(d) selecting by said student of one of said examinations from said practice examination;

(e) enabling a student to provide an answer to said examination through said graphical user interface;

(f) providing selectable on line student help options available to a student after an examination has commenced;

(g) evaluating of the student answers; and

(h) generating performance displays of said student the examination selected by said student and a database for storing information associated with each examination taken by said student.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein providing selectable student help options comprises options for self-help, adaptive question selection, on-line interaction with said teacher, and review of multiple possible solutions.

15. The method of claim 14, which further comprises a appointing of a specific teacher for use in association with on-line interaction with said specific teacher.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the evaluating of student answers comprises changing the difficulty level of questions contained in said examination while the student is taking the examination.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said enabling a student to provide an answer to said examination through said graphical user interface comprises a keystroke, audio response, graphic display, web TV interface, graphical user interface pointer or touch screen means, and mouse.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein said evaluating of student responses comprises real-time observation of evaluation of student responses.

19. The method of claim 13, which further comprises providing for a system administration which monitors teacher and system performance.

20. A method of interactive distance learning and examination training, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a dedicated web site having a graphical user interface (GUI);

(b) providing an archival training database accessible therefrom;

(c) providing notification of a teacher, or AI surrogate therefor, that a student has logged onto said system, said notification including provision of an on-line teacher interface to the student and GUI;

(d) providing a menu of levels of practice examination successful through said GUI;

(e) providing means for selection of one examination of said levels of practice examination;

(f) providing to the student selectable on-line help options, available after a practice exam has begun, said options including options for self-help, adaptive question selection, on-line interaction with said teacher, and review of multiple possible solutions;

(g) providing dynamic evaluation of student responses, said evaluation including, means for selectable incrementing and decrementing the level of examination difficulty; and

(h) generation of time and performance displays of each practice exam taken by a student and providing databases for the storing of data associated therewith.

21. The method of claim 20 further including the step of providing selectable means for answer input to said GUI, said means including keystroke, audio response, graphic display, web TV, GUI pointing or touch screen means, and mouse.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of providing system administration.

23. The method of claim 20 in which said dynamic evaluation step further includes the step of providing one or more of AI software means and real-time teacher observation of student performance.

24. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of providing teaching appointment and appointment management means usable with said on-line student teacher interaction of said selectable on-line student help options of Step(f).