Child testing apparatus, information system and method of use

• US 7,857,624 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2006
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tina Marie Davis
• Original Assignee: Tina Marie Davis
• Inventors: McDonald, Robert Duncan, Davis, Tina Marie
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai; Xuan M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hu; Kang
• Application Number:
  US11/598,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20080113319A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,506 Days
• Field of Search: 434/128, 434/136, 434/339, 434/259, 434/258, 273/236, 273/238, 273/241, 273/156, 446/1
• US Class Current: 434/128
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 1/02 and having a support carrying or adapted to carry the elements
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F

Abstract

An apparatus for testing aspects of how a child learns includes a toy-like base having upstanding pegs. The child is encouraged to place donut shaped hand pieces onto the pegs. The hand pieces test the ability of the child to discriminate between different colors, and separately between different textures and different shapes and also tests the child'"'"'s abilities in perception and creativity. The base also is able to test the child'"'"'s ability to discern and copy tones and rhythms. Information of the child'"'"'s performance is automatically collected within the apparatus and then compared with a normative baseline. Remediation focuses on activities related to the learning channels where the child is least astute and periodic retesting measures the ability of the child to improve in those channels to enable improvement of remediation approaches.

Claims

1. A learning system apparatus comprising:

a) a base having an interior compartment;

b) a plurality of upright peg receivers secured to the base, each of the receivers providing a proximity sensor having a unique sensor identity;

c) a plurality of mutually distinguishable hand pieces, each of the hand pieces having an aperture therethrough of such size as to receive any one of the upright peg receivers thereby securing the hand piece on the upright peg receiver, and each of said hand pieces further providing a unique hand piece identity feature within said aperture, said identity feature capable of being sensed by any one of the proximity sensors when the hand piece is engaged with the respective receiver;

d) an information processor within the compartment; and

e) a memory device within the compartment;

the sensors, processor and memory device mutually engaged as a data processing circuit, enabled for storing a data defining relations between the hand pieces and the receivers.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the circuit further comprises a tone generator and a touch sensor, the tone generator enabled for generating a first tone upon receiving a touch on the touch sensor, followed by a second tone upon receiving a further touch on the touch sensor;

the apparatus enabled for storing relationship data respective of the first and second tones.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the circuit further comprises a tone generator and a touch sensor, the tone generator enabled for generating a first tone rhythm upon receiving a touch on the touch sensor, followed by a second tone rhythm upon receiving a further touch on the touch sensor, the apparatus enabled for storing relationship data respective of the first and second tone rhythms.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the proximity sensor is a bar code reader, and the hand piece identity feature is a bar code indicia.

5. A method for identifying learning channel preferences and proficiencies of a child, the method comprising the steps, for each of the learning channels, of:

a) providing a plurality of mutually distinguishable hand pieces wherein each said hand piece has an aperture therein and within said apeture a unique hand piece identity feature; and

further providing a test station having mutually distinguishable upright peg receivers capable of engaging the apertures of the hand pieces;

b) facilitating the placement of the hand pieces on the receivers of the test station by the child;

c) detecting the identity feature of each of the hand pieces by proximity sensors of the receivers as the hand pieced are engaged with the receivers;

d) forming a data set corresponding to the positions of the hand pieces the data set including hand piece identity on each of said receivers, and hand piece order on each one of the receivers;

e) evaluating the data set to establish a level of proficiency of the child separately in each of the learning channels; and

f) defining remediation for improving the level of proficiency of the child in the learning channels.