Pre-availability of a lecture to promote interactivity

• US 6,996,604 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2001
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dutta, Rabindranath, Banerjee, Dwip N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Follansbee, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dustin
• Application Number:
  US09/965,151
• Publication Number:
  US 20040205130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,594 Days
• Field of Search: 434/350, 434/335, 709/204, 709/205
• US Class Current: 709/204
• 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: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A method, computer program, and data processing system for promoting an interactive discussion of lecture notes prior to an actual lecture using those notes is disclosed. An first client uploads lecture notes for perusal by students. If a student has a question regarding a particular section of the lecture notes, the student can post a question directed to that particular section of the notes. The first client is alerted that a question has been posted and may respond by modifying or augmenting the lecture notes as appropriate.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of making lecture notes available prior to a lecture, the method comprising:

prior to a time when a lecture or series of lectures is to be given, receiving a set of lecture notes from a first user and saving the set of lecture notes to a database as an original set of lecture notes, wherein authorized users can access the original set of lecture notes, wherein the set of lecture notes includes a plurality of sections;

receiving, from a second user, a request to access the original set of lecture notes;

if it is determined that the second user is one of the authorized users, displaying the original set of lecture notes to the second user, wherein a display of a first section of the plurality of sections of the set of original lecture notes contains a respective first link for receiving questions regarding the content of the first section;

subsequent to displaying the original set of lecture notes to the second user, receiving, from the second user, a first question relating to the first section, the first question being submitted using the first link;

when the first question is received, alerting the first user electronically and providing the first user with a copy of the original set of lecture notes having the first question shown in association with the first section;

receiving, from the first user, modifications to the copy of the original set of lecture notes to form a modified set of lecture notes; and

saving the modified set of lecture notes to the database such that the modified set of lecture notes replaces the original set of lecture notes.