Internet-based educational framework for the correlation of lessons, resources and assessments to state standards

• US 9,373,264 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2015
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: EdGate Correlation Services, LLC
• Original Assignee: EdGate Correlation Services, LLC
• Inventors: Schugren, Sandra, Mitrovich, Mark, Beasley, Benjamin, Nangle, Richard E.
• Primary Examiner(s): DEODHAR, OMKAR A
• Application Number:
  US14/809,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20150332598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 330 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student

Abstract

An apparatus assists educators in selecting achievement tools to meet an applicable one of a plurality of sets of educational standards. A first table holds a plurality of educational standards and a plurality of linked keywords. A second table holds a plurality of achievement tools, such as lesson plans, assessments and resources, and a plurality of linked keywords. A table manipulator program permits an educator to select an educational standard and shows achievement tools applicable to the selected educational standard by having a matching of keywords linked to the achievement tools to keywords linked to the educational standards.

Claims

1. An apparatus for assisting user-selection of achievement tools that meet educational standards, the apparatus comprising:

a server computer comprising memory, wherein the memory centrally stores;

a plurality of keywords;

a plurality of educational standards;

a plurality of achievement tools;

keyword-to-educational-standard assignments, wherein each of the educational standards has assigned thereto at least selected ones of the keywords; and

keyword-to-achievement-tool assignments, wherein each of the achievement tools has assigned thereto at least selected ones of the keywords;

wherein the server computer is operable to;

publish, over a computer network, a user interface that enables educational-standard selection, wherein the user interface is configured to enable user log-in via a unique identifier;

receive, over the computer network and via the user interface, a selection of a particular educational standard of the plurality of educational standards in relation to a submitted achievement tool; and

in the memory, automatically assign to the submitted achievement tool the at least selected ones of the keywords assigned to the particular educational standard.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein achievement tools are selected from the group consisting of lesson plans, assessments and resources.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the educational standards are defined by discrete jurisdictions to apply to educational processes within those jurisdictions.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the educational standards of one jurisdiction have similarities to the educational standards of a different jurisdiction and the keywords assigned to such similar educational standards are the same.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein some of the achievement tools are generated by users in diverse jurisdictions having differing educational standards.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the server computer is operable to revise the keywords automatically assigned to the submitted achievement tool.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the server computer is operable to:

permit a user of the apparatus to input a rating for achievement tools; and

store the input rating for display in association with the rated achievement tool.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the user interface comprises a website user interface provided over the Internet.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the server computer is operable to filter the educational standards so that a user is provided only educational standards pertinent to that user.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

the educational standards are defined by discrete jurisdictions to apply to educational processes within those jurisdictions; and

the server computer is configured to filter so that a user is provided only educational standards pertinent to that jurisdiction.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an administrative system which allows addition and modification of local learning standards to the educational standards.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a lesson plan builder that contains data entry fields, the ability to add active links to web sites and data files, searching features for appropriate standards, and an electronic rubric creator.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a search facility permitting searching by grade, subject, by selecting from a predefined list of keywords or by typing in a word or phrase to be searched.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the keywords include grade level indicators.

15. A method of assisting user-selection of achievement tools that meet educational standards, the method comprising, by a server computer:

publishing, over a computer network, a user interface that enables educational-standard selection, wherein the user interface is configured to enable user log-in via a unique identifier;

wherein the server computer centrally stores a plurality of keywords, a plurality of educational standards, and a plurality of achievement tools;

wherein the server computer centrally stores keyword-to-educational-standard assignments, wherein each of the educational standards has assigned thereto at least selected ones of the keywords;

wherein the server computer centrally stores keyword-to-achievement-tool assignments, wherein each of the achievement tools has assigned thereto at least selected ones of the keywords;

receiving, over the computer network and via the user interface, a selection of a particular educational standard of the plurality of educational standards in relation to a submitted achievement tool; and

automatically assigning to the submitted achievement tool the at least selected ones of the keywords assigned to the particular educational standard.

16. A computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein, the computer-readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method of assisting user-selection of achievement tools that meet educational standards, the method comprising:

publishing, by a server computer over a computer network, a user interface that enables educational-standard selection, wherein the user interface is configured to enable user log-in via a unique identifier;

wherein the server computer centrally stores a plurality of keywords, a plurality of educational standards, and a plurality of achievement tools;

wherein the server computer centrally stores keyword-to-educational-standard assignments, wherein each of the educational standards has assigned thereto at least selected ones of the keywords;

wherein the server computer centrally stores keyword-to-achievement-tool assignments, wherein each of the achievement tools has assigned thereto at least selected ones of the keywords;

receiving, over the computer network and via the user interface, a selection of a particular educational standard of the plurality of educational standards in relation to a submitted achievement tool; and

automatically assigning to the submitted achievement tool the at least selected ones of the keywords assigned to the particular educational standard.