Process for the automatic creation and monitoring of a progress plan for a training course by a computer

• US 6,790,044 B1
• Filed: 11/16/1999
• Issued: 09/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Hagebarth, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Fernstrom, Kurt
• Application Number:
  US09/440,690
• Time in Patent Office: 1,764 Days
• Field of Search: 434/323, 434/327, 434/335, 434/336, 434/351, 434/352, 434/353, 434/322, 434/350, 434/362
• US Class Current: 434/322
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/065 Combinations of audio and video presentations, e.g. videotapes, videodiscs, television systems
• 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

The invention relates to a process (1) for the automatic creation and monitoring of a progress plan for a training course comprising at least one training unit by a computer. To increase the efficiency of the training course in a process (1), the invention proposes a process (1) which is characterised by the following steps:

definition of first time units by the computer (2),

definition of second time units by the computer (4),

creation of a progress plan by the computer for the execution of the training course in dependence upon the first time units and the second time units (5), where for each training unit the progress plan specifies a time by which it is to be completed and

monitoring by the computer as to whether the corresponding training unit has been completed by the time specified in the progress plan (7).

Claims

1. A process for the automatic creation and monitoring of a progress plan for a training course including at least one training unit by a computer, comprising:

requesting a trainee to specify a length of time within which the trainee selects to complete the training course;

requesting the trainee to specify first time units that represent increments of time which the trainee selects to spend on the training course within said length of time;

defining second time units that differ from the first time units and represent increments of time required by the trainee to actually execute the training units of the training course;

wherein, in response to said requested first time units and said defined second time units, the computer automatically;

creates a progress plan for the execution of the training course in dependence upon the first time units and the second time units, wherein for each training unit the progress plan specifies a time by which the trainee is to have completed the corresponding training unit; and

monitors as to whether the corresponding training unit has been completed by the time specified in the progress plan.

2. A process for the automatic creation and monitoring of a progress plan for a training course according to claim 1, wherein the computer automatically notifies the trainee when the corresponding training unit has not been completed by the time specified in the progress plan.

3. A process for the automatic creation and monitoring of a progress plan for a training course according to claim 1, wherein the computer automatically stores a monitoring result.

4. A process for the automatic creation and monitoring of a progress plan for a training course according to claim 1, wherein the computer automatically recreates the progress plan when the training unit has not been completed by the time specified in the progress plan.

5. A process for the automatic creation and monitoring of a progress plan for a training course according to claim 4, wherein the computer automatically terminates the training course when, more than once, the corresponding training unit has not been completed by the time specified in the progress plan.

6. A process for the automatic creation and monitoring of a progress plan for a training course according to claim 5, wherein the computer automatically notifies the trainee of a termination of the training course.

7. A process for the automatic creation and monitoring of a progress plan for a training course according to claim 1, wherein the computer automatically sends the progress plan to the trainee after its creation.

8. A process for the automatic creation and monitoring of a progress plan for a training course according to claim 7, wherein in said sending comprises, making the training units available to the trainee via a computer network.

9. A process for the automatic creation and monitoring of a progress plan for a training course according to claim 8, wherein in said sending comprises, making the training units available to the trainee via at least one of an in-house computer network, a global computer network, an Intranet, or the Internet.

10. A process for the automatic creation and monitoring of a progress plan for a training course according to claim 9, further comprising notifying the trainee via electronic mail when the corresponding training unit has not been completed by the time specified in the progress plan or that the training course has been terminated.

11. A process for the automatic creation and monitoring of a progress plan for a training course according to claim 9, further comprising sending the progress plan to the trainee via electronic mail.

12. A process for the automatic creation and monitoring of a progress plan for a training course according to claim 9, further comprising making available the progress plan on a web page to which the trainee has access.

13. A process for the automatic creation and monitoring of a progress plan for a training course according to claim 1, wherein said training course includes a plurality of training units.

14. A process for the automatic creation and monitoring of a progress plan for a training course according to claim 1, wherein said first time units comprise a number of hours each day the trainee selects to spend on the training course, and wherein the process further comprises:

requesting the trainee to specify whether the trainee is available to study at weekends or on holidays,

wherein when the computer automatically creates said progress plan in dependence upon the first time units and the second time units, the progress plan is in further dependence upon whether the trainee is available to study at weekends or on holidays.

15. A program product for enabling a computer to perform the automatic creation and monitoring of a progress plan for a training course comprising:

a computer readable medium, and instructions on said computer readable medium for executing the following steps;

requesting a trainee to specify a length of time within which the trainee selects to complete the training course;

requesting the trainee to specify first time units that represent increments of time which the trainee to selects to spend on the training course within said length of time;

defining second time units that differ from the first time units and represent increments of time required by the trainee to actually execute the training units of the training course;

wherein, in response to said requested first time units and said defined second time units, the computer automatically;

creates a progress plan for the execution of the training course in dependence upon the first time units and the second time units, wherein for each training unit the progress plan specifies a time by which the trainee is to have completed the corresponding training unit; and

monitors as to whether the corresponding training unit has been completed by the time specified in the progress plan.

16. A program product for enabling a computer to perform the automatic creation and monitoring of a progress plan for a training course according to claim 15, wherein the program product is a compact disc or floppy disc.

17. A computer for the automatic creation and monitoring of a progress plan for a training course comprising at least one unit, characterized in that the computer comprises:

means for defining first time units that represent time periods which a trainee specifies to spend on a training course;

means for defining second time units that represent time periods required to execute training units of the training course;

means for creating a progress plan for the execution of the training course in dependence upon the first time units and the second time units, wherein for each training unit the progress plan specifies a time by which the trainee is to have completed the corresponding training unit; and

means for monitoring as to whether the corresponding training unit has been completed by the time specified in the progress plan.

18. A computer for the automatic creation and monitoring of a progress plan for a training course according to claim 17, further comprising a means for notifying the trainee when the corresponding training unit has not been completed by the time specified in the progress plan.

19. A computer for the automatic creation and monitoring of a progress plan for a training course according to claim 17, further comprising a means for storing a monitoring result.

20. A computer for the automatic creation and monitoring of a progress plan for a training course according to claim 17, further comprising a means for sending the progress plan to the trainee after its creation.

21. A computer for the automatic creation and monitoring of a progress plan for a training course according to claim 17, wherein the computer is connected to a computer.

22. A computer for the automatic creation and monitoring of a progress plan for a training course according to claim 21, wherein the computer is connected to at least one of an in-house computer network and a global computer network.

23. A process for the automatic creation and monitoring of a progress plan for a training course including a plurality of training units by a computer, comprising:

requesting a trainee to specify a length of time within which the trainee selects to complete the training course;

presenting a trainee a plurality of categories for selection by the trainee, each category being associated with specific learning behavior patterns;

defining, based upon the category selected by the trainee, first time units that represent increments of time for the trainee to spend on the training course within the said length of time;

defining second time units that differ from the first time units and represent increments of time required by the trainee to actually execute the training units of the training course;

wherein, in response to said defined first time units and said defined second time units, the computer automatically;

creates a progress plan for the execution of the training course in dependence upon the first time units and the second time units, wherein for each training unit the progress plan specifies a time by which the trainee is to have completed the corresponding training unit; and

monitors as to whether the corresponding training unit has been completed by the time specified in the progress plan.

24. A process for the automatic creation and monitoring of a progress plan for a training course according to claim 23, further comprising the computer automatically:

implementing measures to motivate the trainee if the corresponding training unit has not been completed by the time specified in the progress plan, said measures selected from the group consisting of drawing attention of the trainee to the time delay, presenting the trainee with additional units to be studied as a penalty, extending a duration of the training course, excluding the trainee from the training course, and a combination thereof.