System and method for real-time observation assessment

• US 8,667,400 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2009
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Amplify Education Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Amplify Education Incorporated
• Inventors: Berger, Lawrence Jason, Gunn, Gregory M., Stewart, John D., Gunn, Kenneth M., Lynn, Elizabeth, Adams, Nicole M., Markovits, Anouk, Boyd, Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Theriault, Steven B
• Application Number:
  US12/488,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20090263778A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,716 Days
• Field of Search: 715/863, 715/702, 715/709, 715/751, 715/776, 434/167, 434/178, 434/362
• US Class Current: 715/750
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/02 with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip
• 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

Techniques for real-time observation assessment are provided. The techniques, which are designed for educators, take advantage of handheld computers, desktop/laptop computers and Internet access in order to reduce the paperwork associated with conventional educational assessments. An array of instructional assessment applications are designed to run on handheld computers. The instructional assessment applications may be based on existing and widely used paper methodologies. A common Web-based platform for assessment application distribution, selection, download, data management and reporting is also provided. Users can then periodically synchronize instructional data (assessments, diagnostic results, notes and/or schedules) to the Web site. At the Web site, browser-based reports and analysis can be viewed, administered and shared via electronic mail.

Claims

1. A method for performing a real-time observation assessment of a student by an assessor, the method comprising:

displaying a text area on a device, the text area being configured to display at least a portion of an assessment text and to receive a selection of a portion of the assessment text;

receiving, from the assessor, a selection of a portion of the assessment text displayed in the text area, the selected portion being associated with at least one behavior of a student, the at least one behavior being observed by the assessor while assessing the student'"'"'s reading of the selected portion of the assessment text, wherein the assessor is a person;

providing an annotation area on the device, the annotation area configured to receive annotation text from the assessor;

receiving, from the assessor, annotation text through the annotation area, the annotation text being related to the at least one behavior observed by the assessor while assessing the student'"'"'s reading of the selected portion of the assessment text;

associating the annotation text with the selected portion of the assessment text;

displaying, on the device, the selected portion of the assessment text together with the annotation text; and

displaying, on the device, multiple buttons that correspond to behaviors and that are configured such that at least one of the buttons may be selected and button information is associated with the selected portion of the assessment text, the behaviors including the at least one behavior.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the device is a mobile computing device.

3. The method as in claim 1 further comprising calculating a score based on the selected portion of the assessment text.

4. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

displaying the text area and the annotation area on a first screen of the device; and

displaying the selected portion of the assessment text together with the annotation text on a second screen of the device, wherein the second screen is separate from the first screen.

5. The method as in claim 1, the method further comprising storing assessment data in a memory module that associates the selected portion of the assessment text, the annotation text, and the button information.

6. The method as in claim 5 wherein displaying the selected portion of the assessment text together with the annotation text includes displaying the selected portion of the assessment text together with the annotation text and the button information.

7. The method as in claim 5 further comprising:

receiving, on a second device, the assessment data; and

displaying the assessment text on the second device such that the annotation text and the button information are displayed with the selected portion of the assessment text.

8. A machine-accessible medium that when accessed, results in a machine performing operations that enable an assessor to perform a real-time observation assessment, comprising:

displaying a text area on a device, the text area being configured to display at least a portion of an assessment text and to receive a selection of a portion of the assessment text;

receiving, from the assessor, a selection of a portion of the assessment text displayed in the text area, the selected portion being associated with at least one behavior of a student, the at least one behavior being observed by the assessor while assessing the student'"'"'s reading of the selected portion of the assessment text, wherein the assessor is a person;

providing an annotation area on the device, the annotation area configured to receive annotation text from the assessor;

receiving, from the assessor, annotation text through the annotation area, the annotation text being related to the at least one behavior observed by the assessor while assessing the student'"'"'s reading of the selected portion of the assessment text;

associating the annotation text with the selected portion of the assessment text;

displaying, on the device, the selected portion of the assessment text together with the annotation text; and

displaying, on the device, multiple buttons that correspond to behaviors and that are configured such that at least one of the buttons may be selected and button information is associated with the selected portion of the assessment text, the behaviors including the at least one behavior.

9. The machine-accessible medium of claim 8, wherein the device is a mobile computing device.

10. The machine-accessible medium of claim 8, the operations further comprising calculating a score based on the selected portion of the assessment text.

11. The machine-accessible medium of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

displaying the text area and the annotation area on a first screen of the device; and

displaying the selected portion of the assessment text together with the annotation text on a second screen of the device, wherein the second screen is separate from the first screen.

12. The machine-accessible medium of claim 8, the operation further comprising storing assessment data in a memory module that associates the selected portion of the assessment text, the annotation text, and the button information.

13. The machine-accessible medium of claim 12 wherein displaying the selected portion of the assessment text together with the annotation text includes displaying the selected portion of the assessment text together with the annotation text and the button information.

14. The machine-accessible medium of claim 12, the operations further comprising:

receiving, on a second device, the assessment data; and

displaying the assessment text on the second device such that the annotation text and the button information are displayed with the selected portion of the assessment text.

15. A real-time observation assessment system, comprising:

a mobile computing device storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the mobile computing device, to cause the mobile computing device to perform operations comprising;

displaying a text area that is configured to display at least a portion of an assessment text and to receive a selection of a portion of the assessment text;

receiving, from an assessor, a selection of a portion of the assessment text displayed in the text area, the selected portion being associated with at least one behavior of a student, the at least one behavior being observed by the assessor while assessing the student'"'"'s reading of the selected portion of the assessment text, wherein the assessor is a person;

providing an annotation area configured to receive annotation text from the assessor;

receiving, from the assessor, annotation text through the annotation area, the annotation text being related to the at least one behavior observed by the assessor while assessing the student'"'"'s reading of the selected portion of the assessment text;

associating the annotation text with the selected portion of the assessment text;

displaying the selected portion of the assessment text together with the annotation text; and

displaying, on the device, multiple buttons that correspond to behaviors and that are configured such that at least one of the buttons may be selected and button information is associated with the selected portion of the assessment text, the behaviors including the at least one behavior.

16. The system of claim 15, the operations further comprising calculating a score based on the selected portion of the assessment text.

17. The system of claim 15, the operations further comprising:

displaying the text area and the annotation area on a first screen of the mobile computing device; and

displaying the selected portion of the assessment text together with the annotation text on a second screen of the mobile computing device, wherein the second screen is separate from the first screen.

18. The system of claim 15, the operations further comprising storing assessment data in a memory module that associates the selected portion of the assessment text, the annotation text, and the button information.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein displaying the selected portion of the assessment text together with the annotation text includes displaying the selected portion of the assessment text together with the annotation text and the button information.

20. The system of claim 18 further comprising:

a second computing device storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the second computing device, to cause the second computing device to perform operations comprising;

receiving the assessment data; and

displaying the assessment text such that the annotation text and the button information are displayed with the selected portion of the assessment text.

21. A method for performing a real-time observation assessment of a student by an assessor that is a person, the method comprising:

displaying a text area on a device, the text area being configured to display at least a portion of an assessment text and to receive a selection of a portion of the assessment text;

receiving, from the assessor, a selection of a portion of the assessment text displayed in the text area, the selected portion being associated with at least one behavior of a student, the at least one behavior being observed by the assessor while assessing the student'"'"'s reading of the selected portion of the assessment text;

displaying, on the device, multiple selectable buttons that correspond to different behaviors, the behaviors including the at least one behavior;

providing an annotation area on the device, the annotation area configured to receive annotation text from the assessor;

receiving, from the assessor, annotation text through the annotation area, the annotation text being related to the at least one behavior observed by the assessor while assessing the student'"'"'s reading of the selected portion of the assessment text;

receiving, from the assessor, a selection of at least one of the multiple selectable buttons, the selected button corresponding to the at least one behavior;

associating both the annotation text and the at least one behavior with the selected portion of the assessment text; and

displaying, on the device, the selected portion of the assessment text together with the annotation text and an indication of the at least one behavior.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

calculating a score based on the selected portion of the assessment text.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

displaying the text area and the annotation area on a first screen of the device; and

displaying the selected portion of the assessment text together with the annotation text on a second screen of the device, wherein the second screen is separate from the first screen.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

storing assessment data in a memory module that associates the selected portion of the assessment text, the annotation text, and the at least one behavior.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving, on a second device, the assessment data; and

displaying the assessment text on the second device such that the annotation text and an indication of the at least one behavior are displayed on the second device with the selected portion of the assessment text.

26. A non-transitory machine-accessible medium that when accessed, results in a machine performing operations that enable an assessor to perform a real-time observation assessment, comprising:

displaying a text area on a device, the text area being configured to display at least a portion of an assessment text and to receive a selection of a portion of the assessment text;

receiving, from the assessor, a selection of a portion of the assessment text displayed in the text area, the selected portion being associated with at least one behavior of a student, the at least one behavior being observed by the assessor while assessing the student'"'"'s reading of the selected portion of the assessment text;

displaying, on the device, multiple selectable buttons that correspond to different behaviors, the behaviors including the at least one behavior;

providing an annotation area on the device, the annotation area configured to receive annotation text from the assessor;

receiving, from the assessor, annotation text through the annotation area, the annotation text being related to the at least one behavior observed by the assessor while assessing the student'"'"'s reading of the selected portion of the assessment text;

receiving, from the assessor, a selection of at least one of the multiple selectable buttons, the selected button corresponding to the at least one behavior;

associating both the annotation text and the at least one behavior with the selected portion of the assessment text; and

displaying, on the device, the selected portion of the assessment text together with the annotation text and an indication of the at least one behavior.

27. The medium of claim 26, the operations further comprising:

calculating a score based on the selected portion of the assessment text.

28. The medium of claim 26, the operations further comprising:

displaying the text area and the annotation area on a first screen of the device; and

displaying the selected portion of the assessment text together with the annotation text on a second screen of the device, wherein the second screen is separate from the first screen.

29. The medium of claim 26, the operations further comprising:

storing assessment data in a memory module that associates the selected portion of the assessment text, the annotation text, and the at least one behavior.

30. The medium of claim 29, the operations further comprising:

receiving, on a second device, the assessment data; and

displaying the assessment text on the second device such that the annotation text and an indication of the at least one behavior are displayed on the second device with the selected portion of the assessment text.

31. A real-time observation assessment system, comprising:

a mobile computing device storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the mobile computing device, to cause the mobile computing device to perform operations comprising;

displaying a text area on a device, the text area being configured to display at least a portion of an assessment text and to receive a selection of a portion of the assessment text;

receiving, from the assessor, a selection of a portion of the assessment text displayed in the text area, the selected portion being associated with at least one behavior of a student, the at least one behavior being observed by the assessor while assessing the student'"'"'s reading of the selected portion of the assessment text;

displaying, on the device, multiple selectable buttons that correspond to different behaviors, the behaviors including the at least one behavior;

providing an annotation area on the device, the annotation area configured to receive annotation text from the assessor;

receiving, from the assessor, annotation text through the annotation area, the annotation text being related to the at least one behavior observed by the assessor while assessing the student'"'"'s reading of the selected portion of the assessment text;

receiving, from the assessor, a selection of at least one of the multiple selectable buttons, the selected button corresponding to the at least one behavior;

associating both the annotation text and the at least one behavior with the selected portion of the assessment text; and

displaying, on the device, the selected portion of the assessment text together with the annotation text and an indication of the at least one behavior.

32. The system of claim 31, the operations further comprising:

calculating a score based on the selected portion of the assessment text.

33. The system of claim 31, the operations further comprising:

displaying the text area and the annotation area on a first screen of the device; and

displaying the selected portion of the assessment text together with the annotation text on a second screen of the device, wherein the second screen is separate from the first screen.

34. The system of claim 31, the operations further comprising:

storing assessment data in a memory module that associates the selected portion of the assessment text, the annotation text, and the at least one behavior.

35. The system of claim 34, further comprising:

a second computing device storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the second computing device, to cause the second computing device to perform operations comprising;

receiving, on a second device, the assessment data; and

displaying the assessment text on the second device such that the annotation text and an indication of the at least one behavior are displayed on the second device with the selected portion of the assessment text.