Systems and methods for producing, delivering and managing educational material

• US 8,768,240 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2009
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stride, Inc.
• Original Assignee: K12 Incorporated
• Inventors: Packard, Ronald Jay, Graff, Benjamin Patrick, Paul, Adam, Saxberg, Bror Valdemar Haug
• Primary Examiner(s): Utama, Robert J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zaman, Sadaruz
• Application Number:
  US12/541,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20110039248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,782 Days
• Field of Search: 434/322, 434/323, 434350-365
• US Class Current: 434/362
• 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 7/06 of the multiple-choice answer-type, i.e. where a given question is provided with a series of answers and a choice has to be made from the answers
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/08 characterised by modifying the teaching programme in response to a wrong answer, e.g. repeating the question, supplying further information

Abstract

A method includes arranging a plurality of learning objectives to define a learning objective sequence of an educational material. Each learning objective from the plurality of learning objectives is associated with a content including at least one of a learning object, an assessment or a teaching strategy item. A temporal content is inserted into the learning objective sequence at a position within the learning objective sequence based on a time associated with the presentation of the temporal content to a user. The time can include, for example, a date of a holiday, a number of times the user has logged in, or the like. An educational material including the content associated with each learning objective from the plurality of learning objectives and the temporal content is produced. The content and the temporal content are arranged to define at least one learning path within the learning objective sequence.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

arranging, at a scope and sequence engine implemented in at least one of a memory or a processing device, a plurality of learning objectives to define a learning objective sequence of an educational material, each learning objective from the plurality of learning objectives being associated with a content including at least one of a learning object, an assessment or a teaching strategy item;

inserting a temporal content associated with a temporal event into the learning objective sequence at a position within the learning objective sequence based on a time associated with a presentation of the temporal content to a user; and

producing the educational material including the content associated with each learning objective from the plurality of learning objectives and the temporal content, the content and the temporal content arranged to define at least one learning path within the learning objective sequence.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the content associated with at least one learning objective from the plurality of learning objectives includes a plurality of learning objects and a plurality of assessments; and

the producing is performed such that the plurality of learning objects and the plurality of assessments are arranged to define a plurality of learning paths within the learning objective sequence, the temporal content included within each learning path from the plurality of learning paths.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the temporal content includes at least one of a learning object associated with a date, a learning object associated with a historical event or an assessment associated with a time period.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the educational material is a first educational material associated with a first user, the at least one learning path includes the temporal content at a first position, the method further comprising:

producing a second educational material associated with a second user, the second educational material including the content associated with each learning objective from the plurality of learning objectives and the temporal content, the content and the temporal content arranged to define at least one learning path within the learning objective sequence, the at least one learning path of the second educational material including the temporal content at a second position different from the first position.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the arranging is performed automatically based on an association of each learning objective from the plurality of learning objectives with at least one other learning objective from the plurality of learning objectives; and

the inserting is performed automatically based on a schedule for delivery of the educational material to the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the producing is performed over a period of time beginning before a start time corresponding to a delivery of a first portion of the educational material to the user and ending after the start time,

at least one of a portion of the content included within a second portion of the educational material or a portion of the temporal content included within the second portion of the educational material being undefined at the start time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the learning object, the assessment or the temporal content is associated with a physical learning activity.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the learning object, the assessment or the temporal content includes a visual depiction of a physical item.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

formatting a portion of the temporal content of the educational material to include a skin associated with the presentation of the temporal content.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the position within the learning objective sequence is based on at least one of a demographic characteristic of the user or a geographical location of the user.

11. A computer system for developing an educational material, the computer system comprising:

a memory; and

a plurality of modules configured to develop the educational material for delivery to a user via a delivery system operatively coupled to the computer system, the plurality of modules including;

a scope and sequence engine implemented in at least one of the memory or a processing device, the scope and sequence engine configured to arrange a plurality of learning objectives to define a learning objective sequence, each learning objective from the plurality of learning objectives being associated with a content; and

a temporal events manager configured to insert a temporal content associated with a temporal event at a position within the learning objective sequence based on a time associated with a presentation of the temporal content to a user; and

a publication engine configured to produce the educational material including the content associated with each learning objective from the plurality of learning objectives and the temporal content, the content and the temporal content arranged to define at least one learning path within the learning objective sequence.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein:

the content associated with at least one learning objective from the plurality of learning objectives includes a plurality of learning objects and a plurality of assessments; and

the publication engine is configured to arrange the plurality of learning objects and the plurality of assessments to define a plurality of learning paths within the learning objective sequence, the temporal content being included within each learning path from the plurality of learning paths.

13. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the temporal content includes at least one of a learning object associated with a date, a learning object associated with a historical event or an assessment associated with a time period.

14. The computer system of claim 11, wherein:

the educational material is a first educational material associated with a first user;

the at least one learning path includes the temporal content at a first position; and

the publication engine is configured to produce a second educational material associated with a second user, the second educational material including the content associated with each learning objective from the plurality of learning objectives and the temporal content, the content and the temporal content arranged to define at least one learning path within the learning objective sequence, the at least one learning path of the second educational material including the temporal content at a second position different from the first position.

15. The computer system of claim 11, wherein:

the publication engine is configured to produce the educational material over a period of time beginning before a start time corresponding to a delivery of a first portion of the educational material to the user and ending after the start time,

at least one of a portion of the content included within a second portion of the educational material or a portion of the temporal content included within the second portion of the educational material being undefined at the start time.

16. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the publication engine is configured to format a portion of the temporal content of the educational material to include a skin associated with the presentation of the temporal content.

17. One or more non-transitory processor-readable media storing code representing instructions to cause one or more processors to:

arrange a plurality of learning objectives to define a learning objective sequence, each learning objective from the plurality of learning objectives being associated with a content including at least one of a learning object, an assessment or a teaching strategy item;

insert a temporal content associated with a temporal event into the learning objective sequence at a position within the learning objective sequence based on a time associated with a presentation of the temporal content to a user; and

produce an educational material including the content associated with each learning objective from the plurality of learning objectives and the temporal content, the content and the temporal content arranged to define at least one learning path within the learning objective sequence.

18. The one or more non-transitory processor-readable media of claim 17, wherein:

the content associated with at least one learning objective from the plurality of learning objectives includes a plurality of learning objects and a plurality of assessments; and

the code representing instructions to cause the one or more processors to produce the educational material includes code to arrange the plurality of learning objects and the plurality of assessments to define a plurality of learning paths within the learning objective sequence, the temporal content included within each learning path from the plurality of learning paths.

19. The one or more non-transitory processor-readable media of claim 17, wherein:

the educational material is a first educational material associated with a first user, the at least one learning path includes the temporal content at a first position; and

the code representing instructions to cause the one or more processors to produce the educational material includes code to produce a second educational material associated with a second user, the second educational material including the content associated with each learning objective from the plurality of learning objectives and the temporal content, the content and the temporal content arranged to define at least one learning path within the learning objective sequence, the at least one learning path of the second educational material including the temporal content at a second position different from the first position.

20. The one or more non-transitory processor-readable media of claim 17, wherein the code representing instructions to cause the one or more processors to produce the educational material includes code to produce the educational material over a period of time beginning before a start time corresponding to a delivery of a first portion of the educational material to the user and ending after the start time,

at least one of a portion of the content included within a second portion of the educational material or a portion of the temporal content included within the second portion of the educational material being undefined at the start time.

21. The one or more non-transitory processor-readable media of claim 17, further comprising code representing instructions to cause the one or more processors to:

format a portion of the temporal content of the educational material to include a skin associated with the presentation of the temporal content.