METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CREATING AN INTEGRATED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WITH A PATTERN-GENERATOR AND COURSE-OUTLINING TOOL FOR CONTENT AUTHORING, AN INTERACTIVE LEARNING TOOL, AND RELATED ADMINISTRATIVE TOOLS

• US 6,527,556 B1
• Filed: 05/15/2000
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: iNtellishare LLC
• Original Assignee: iNtellishare LLC
• Inventors: Koskinen, Robin S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rovnak, John Edmund
• Application Number:
  US09/570,627
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 434/118, 434/156, 434/157, 434/167, 434/178, 434/179, 434/219, 434/308, 434/322, 434/323, 434/335, 434/362
• US Class Current: 434/219
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/18 Book-keeping or economics

Abstract

A method of and system of creating, delivering, and administering training materials, The system permits rapid development of large amounts of interactive content without requiring authoring experts. The content is deliverable via a client-server or Application Service Provider environment, such as the Internet. Content teaches skills necessary to perform a job. The system provides administrative management of the lerning process.

In one embodiment, the invention teaches a set of skills by exposing candidates to enough realistic examples for them to begin recognizing the patterns involved, and by allowing them to participate in simulations of the environment. Embodiments of the invention employ a conversational technique for teaching particular skills, simulating an apprentice-mentor relationship. Some embodiments allow for evaluating the learner'"'"'s proficiency or understanding of the content. Some embodiments permit administrators to monitor performance as a function of training received, and to incorporate resources provided by other entities into the measurement.

Claims

1. A method of creating interactive learning content for a learner, the method comprising:

providing a graphical authoring tool for adding content to a knowledge base and having a graphical mechanism to define functional roles of speakers;

accepting content into the knowledge base through the graphical authoring tool;

defining at least one learning unit based on the content in the knowledge base;

defining a plurality of conversation paths for the at least one learning unit;

defining at least one function box for each conversation path; and

adding sentences to each function box of the conversation paths.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising segmenting the interactive learning content into a public part and a private part.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising establishing an authorization level to access the private part of the interactive learning content.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising analyzing a user authorization to access the private part of the interactive learning content, and denying access to the private part of the interactive learning content if the authorization does not match the authorization level.

5. A method as in claim 1, further comprising recording, saving, and reproducing a plurality of sound files for at least some of the sentences within the interactive learning content.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising maintaining a database of a plurality of actors that provide voices for the sound files, the database including contact information for the actors.

7. A method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising the step of providing a list of some of the plurality of sound files that need to be recorded.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising creating a plurality of virtual players for the at least one learning unit.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising assigning personality characteristics to at least one of the plurality of players with the graphical authoring tool.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising proving a plurality of learning unit and categorizing the plurality of learning unit by at least one characteristic relating to a subset of the entire interactive learning content.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising providing correct answers and distracter answers for each sentence.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising providing a multiplier for the learning content.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising adding manually entered information to the multiplier.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising adding real-time information to the multiplier.

15. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising providing a sentence-editing tool.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising providing a sentence inclusion tool to selectively include or remove sentences in and from the interactive learning content.

17. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising providing a plurality of learning unit and establishing a level of performance required-for a learner to achieve a proficiency rating in each of the plurality of learning unit.

18. A method as claimed in claimed in claim 1, further comprising determining a proficiency rating for a user based on at least one the following:

a ratio based on correct to incorrect answers given;

a number of hints given; and

a length of time to respond.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising determining a relative weight of the ratio of correct to incorrect answers given, the number of hints given, and the length of time to respond.

20. A method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising establishing a predetermined number of questions to be answered.

21. A method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising generating a visual depiction of whether the learner has reached the proficiency rating.

22. A method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising setting an initial proficiency rating.

23. A method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising providing a graphical representation of proficiency for each learner for each of the plurality of the learning unit.

24. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a graphical representation of proficiency for each class, client and content category for each and every of the plurality of the learning unit.

25. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising broadcasting to the learner at least one of the following:

training classes which a client will pay for;

a training class which is recommended; and

a user-rating of a specific training class.

26. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising providing a means for a training administrator to view all of the plurality of sentences available in a function box of the learning unit.

27. A method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising providing a means for a training administrator to view any of the plurality of conversation path within a conversation module of the learning unit.

28. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising providing a means for the learner to choose an autopilot mode and a participation mode.

29. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising providing a means for the learner to specify a particular speed at which the learning content will be delivered.

30. A method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising the step of providing a means for the learner to compare the proficiency rating of the learner to a proficiency rating of other learners without revealing the specific identities of those other learners.

31. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of leading the learner to specific courses based on a collaborative filtering capability that takes into account the individual learning style of the learner and relates that to learning styles and preferences of previous learners.

32. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a means for the learner to have the opportunity to re-answer questions answered incorrectly.

33. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising providing a bookmark tool to mark areas of the interactive learning content.

34. A method of creating an interactive learning content for a learner, the method comprising:

providing an interface for adding content to a knowledge base;

accepting content into the knowledge base through the interface;

defining at least one learning exercise based on the content in the knowledge base;

defining a plurality of conversation trees for the at least one learning exercise;

adding sentences to each of the conversation trees; and

providing a means for the learner to choose one of a loop method and a standard method for receiving the interactive learning content, whereby the loop method keeps providing the learner with one of the plurality of the conversation trees from the conversation module and the standard method provides the learner with one of the plurality of the conversation trees from a sequentially related conversation module.

35. A method of creating an interactive learning content for a learner, the method comprising:

providing an interface for adding content to a knowledge base;

accepting content into the knowledge base through the interface;

defining at least one learning exercise based on the content in the knowledge base;

defining a plurality of conversation trees for the at least one learning exercise;

adding sentences to each of the conversation trees; and

providing a means for the learner to interactively suggest new sentences for any function box of any learning unit.

36. A method of creating an interactive learning content for a learner, the method comprising:

providing an interface for adding content to a knowledge base;

accepting content into the knowledge base through the interface;

defining at least one learning exercise based on the content in the knowledge base;

defining a plurality of conversation trees for the at least one learning exercise;

adding sentences to each of the conversation trees; and

providing a means for the learner to interactively suggest new paths for any conversation tree within a conversation module of any learning unit.