Learning activity platform and method for teaching a foreign language over a network

• US 6,741,833 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2001
• Issued: 05/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Englishtown Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Englishtown Incorporated
• Inventors: Rule, Scott, Fisher, William, McCormick, Christopher, Davis, Lincoln
• Primary Examiner(s): Hughes, S. Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): ADAMS, CHANDA L
• Application Number:
  US09/909,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20020182571A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 434/156, 434/157, 434/350, 434/362, 434/336, 434/85, 434/307.R, 345/751, 709/204
• US Class Current: 434/350
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/06 Foreign languages with audible presentation of material to be studied G09B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student

Abstract

Described are a system and method for encouraging communication over a network between participants engaged in a learning activity. A communication channel is opened over the network between participants. An objective shared by the participants is presented. Cooperative interaction between the participants is required to complete the objective. Content related to the objective is displayed to each participant of the learning activity. Messages are exchanged in real-time between the participants over the communication channel to allow the participants to progress cooperatively towards completing the objective. Input from one of the participants of the learning activity is received. The input represents an action taken in response to the exchanged messages. The content displayed to the participants is dynamically updated based on the action taken by one of the participants during the learning activity, to depict progress towards the objective.

Claims

1. A method for encouraging communication over a network between participants engaged in a learning activity, comprising the steps of:

opening a communication channel over a network between the participants;

displaying content related to an objective to each participant of the learning activity, wherein the content displayed to one participant differs from the content displayed to another participant;

presenting the objective shared by the participants that requires cooperative interaction between the participants to complete the objective, wherein the objective is for the participants to exchange messages that induces at least one of the participants to take an action that reduces a difference in the content displayed to the participants;

exchanging messages in real-time between the participants over the communication channel to allow the participants to progress cooperatively towards completing the objective;

receiving input from one of the participants of the learning activity representing an action taken in response to the messages exchanged over the communication channel; and

dynamically updating the content displayed to the participants based on the action taken by one of the participants during the learning activity to depict progress towards the objective.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of grouping participants in the learning activity.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of displaying multimedia information related to the learning activity to at least one of the participants while that participant awaits to be grouped in the learning activity.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of providing the participants with information and material sufficient to accomplish the objective.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein messages exchanged over the communication channel guide the receiving participant to take actions that lead toward completing the objective.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the participants exchange messages that discuss the content displayed to each participant.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of facilitating interaction between the participants by providing at least one of guiding instructions, hints, clues, and feedback that assist in completing the objective.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of providing activity-specific support in a dedicated portion of a display presented to each participant.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the activity-specific support is a vocabulary list of words related to the learning activity.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the learning activity is to practice using a particular language.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the particular language is English.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of obtaining profiles of each participant including information related to at least one of areas of interest, ability level, and topic subject matter.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of gearing the objective and displayed content to the profiles of participants.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of controlling a sequence of the learning activity such that the participants are induced to interact with each other to complete the objective.

15. A method for encouraging communication over a network between participants engaged in a learning activity, comprising the steps of:

opening a communication channel over a network between the participants;

displaying content related to an objective to each participant of the learning activity;

presenting the objective shared by the participants that requires cooperative interaction between the participants to complete the objective, wherein the objective is to discuss the displayed content between participants to determine if the displayed content is the same for all participants;

exchanging messages in real-time between the participants over the communication channel to allow the participants to progress cooperatively towards completing the objective;

receiving input from one of the participants of the learning activity representing an action taken in response to the messages exchanged over the communication channel; and

dynamically updating the content displayed to the participants based on the action taken by one of the participants during the learning activity to depict progress towards the objective.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of grouping participants in the learning activity.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of displaying multimedia information related to the learning activity to at least one of the participants while that participant awaits to be grouped in the learning activity.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of providing the participants with information and material sufficient to accomplish the objective.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein messages exchanged over the communication channel guide the receiving participant to take actions that lead toward completing the objective.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the participants exchange messages that discuss the content displayed to each participant.

21. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of facilitating interaction between the participants by providing at least one of guiding instructions, hints, clues, and feedback that assist in completing the objective.

22. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of providing activity-specific support in a dedicated portion of a display presented to each participant.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the activity-specific support is a vocabulary list of words related to the learning activity.

24. The method of claim 15 wherein the learning activity is to practice using a particular language.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the particular language is English.

26. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of obtaining profiles of each participant including information related to at least one of areas of interest, ability level, and topic subject matter.

27. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of gearing the objective and displayed content to the profiles of participants.

28. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of controlling a sequence of the learning activity such that the participants are induced to interact with each other to complete the objective.

32. The method of claim 28 further comprising the step of providing the participants with information and material sufficient to accomplish the objective.

29. A method for encouraging communication over a network between participants engaged in a learning activity, comprising the steps of:

opening a communication channel over a network between the participants;

displaying content related to an objective to each participant of the learning activity;

presenting the objective shared by the participants that requires cooperative interaction between the participants to complete the objective, wherein the objective is for one participant to exchange messages with another participant that guide that other participant towards creating displayed content that is substantially similar to the content displayed to the guiding participant;

exchanging messages in real-time between the participants over the communication channel to allow the participants to progress cooperatively towards completing the objective;

receiving input from one of the participants of the learning activity representing an action taken in response to the messages exchanged over the communication channel; and

dynamically updating the content displayed to the participants based on the action taken by one of the participants during the learning activity to depict progress towards the objective.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising the step of grouping participants in the learning activity.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising the step of displaying multimedia information related to the learning activity to at least one of the participants while that participant awaits to be grouped in the learning activity.

33. The method of claim 29 wherein messages exchanged over the communication channel guide the receiving participant to take actions that lead toward completing the objective.

34. The method of claim 29 wherein the participants exchange messages that discuss the content displayed to each participant.

35. The method of claim 29 further comprising the step of facilitating interaction between the participants by providing at least one of guiding instructions, hints, clues, and feedback that assist in completing the objective.

36. The method of claim 29 further comprising the step of providing activity-specific support in a dedicated portion of a display presented to each participant.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the activity-specific support is a vocabulary list of words related to the learning activity.

38. The method of claim 29 wherein the learning activity is to practice using a particular language.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the particular language is English.

40. The method of claim 29 further comprising the step of obtaining profiles of each participant including information related to at least one of areas of interest, ability level, and topic subject matter.

41. The method of claim 29 further comprising the step of gearing the objective and displayed content to the profiles of participants.

42. The method of claim 29 further comprising the step of controlling a sequence of the learning activity such that the participants are induced to interact with each other to complete the objective.

43. A system for encouraging communication over a network between participants engaged in a learning activity, comprising:

a plurality of client systems in communication with each other client system over the network using a communication channel; and

a server system, in communication with the plurality of client systems, presenting the users of the client systems with an objective that requires cooperative interaction between the users to complete the objective and displaying content related to the objective to each client system user, wherein the objective is selected from the group consisting of;

exchanging messages that induces at least one of the users to take an action that reduces a difference in displayed content to the users;

discussing the displayed content between users to determine if the displayed content is the same for all users; and

, exchanging messages with another user that guide that other user towards creating displayed content that is substantially similar to the content displayed to the guiding user;

wherein the client systems exchange messages in real-time over the communication channel to enable the client system users to progress cooperatively towards completing the objective, and wherein the server system dynamically updates the content displayed to the client system users based on an action taken by one of the client system users during the learning activity to depict progress towards the objective.

44. An article of manufacture having computer-readable program means embodied thereon for encouraging communication over a network between participants engaged in a learning activity, the article of manufacture comprising:

computer-readable program means for opening a communication channel over a network between the participants;

computer-readable program means for presenting an objective shared by the participants that requires cooperative interaction between the participants to complete the objective, wherein the objective is selected from the group consisting of;

exchanging messages that induces at least one of the participants to take an action that reduces a difference in displayed content to the participants;

discussing the displayed content between participants to determine if the displayed content is the same for all participants; and

, exchanging messages with another participant that guide that other participant towards creating displayed content that is substantially similar to the content displayed to the guiding participant

computer-readable program means for displaying content related to the objective to each participant of the learning activity;

computer-readable program means for exchanging messages in real-time between the participants over the communication channel to allow the participants to progress cooperatively towards completing the objective;

computer-readable program means for receiving input from one of the participants of the learning activity representing an action taken in response to the messages exchanged over the communication channel; and

computer-readable program means for dynamically updating the content displayed to the participants based on the action taken by one of the participants during the learning activity to depict progress towards the objective.