Online course support method and system
First Claim
1. A course support system for providing an on-line course support service to a plurality of users, the users having a computer with a browser and an electronic reader program for viewing an electronic reader file, comprising:
- (a) a course support server having a course support program for providing an on-line course book to the users, wherein the server provides to the users one or more electronic reader files having course book content to be displayed by the electronic reader program, the course book content corresponding to a requested portion of the course book; and
(b) a database server operably coupled to the course support server for providing it with the one or more electronic reader files, wherein at least one of the electronic reader files include one or more executable instructions for verifying that the user is connected to the course support server in order for the one or more files to be displayed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Th+e present invention generally provides a course support system that among other things includes a course support server for providing to users an on-line course book. The course book content is provided in electronic reader files that allow the course book pages to be displayed to users substantially as they appear in a corresponding printed version of the course book. In addition, however, the on-line course book can have (1) links that allow a user to conveniently retrieve additional materials related to a currently displayed page, (2) a homework tool that presents the user with a writeable workspace for receiving the user'"'"'s responses to homework exercises in the course book and automatically sending the completed homework to an instructor user without the student user otherwise having access to the instructor user, and (3) testing tools for presenting a student user with both practice and real tests that can be automatically scored and archived. The course support server can also implement various security measures to inhibit a user'"'"'s ability to (1) surf the web when the course book is delivered through the Internet, and (2) copy or otherwise access course book content unless the user is actively logged onto the course support server.
100 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A course support system for providing an on-line course support service to a plurality of users, the users having a computer with a browser and an electronic reader program for viewing an electronic reader file, comprising:
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(a) a course support server having a course support program for providing an on-line course book to the users, wherein the server provides to the users one or more electronic reader files having course book content to be displayed by the electronic reader program, the course book content corresponding to a requested portion of the course book; and
(b) a database server operably coupled to the course support server for providing it with the one or more electronic reader files, wherein at least one of the electronic reader files include one or more executable instructions for verifying that the user is connected to the course support server in order for the one or more files to be displayed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A course support system for providing an on-line course support service to a plurality of student users having a computer with an electronic reader program for viewing an electronic reader file, comprising:
- a course support server having a course support program for providing an on-line course book to the users, the course support program including;
(i) a books engine for providing to the users one or more electronic reader files having course book content corresponding to pages in a printed classroom course book, the one or more electronic reader files to be opened by the electronic reader program for displaying the course book pages to the student users; and
(ii) a homework engine for (1) presenting, in response to a request from a student user, a homework exercise associated with the pages displayed to the user, (2) providing to the user a writeable workspace for completing the exercise, and (3) receiving from the user the completed exercise. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19)
- a course support server having a course support program for providing an on-line course book to the users, the course support program including;
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12. A course support system for providing an on-line course support service to a plurality of student users having a computer with an electronic reader program for viewing an electronic reader file, comprising:
- a course support server having a course support program for providing an on-line course book to the users, the on-line course book corresponding to a printed classroom course book, the course support program having executable instructions that when executed by the server;
(i) receive a login request from a user;
(ii) transmit to the user an access key if the user is valid;
(iii) receive a request from the user to view a selected one or more pages from the online course book;
(iv). determine whether the user has the valid access key; and
(v). provide to the user one or more electronic reader files having course book content corresponding to the one or more requested pages if the user has the valid access key.
- a course support server having a course support program for providing an on-line course book to the users, the on-line course book corresponding to a printed classroom course book, the course support program having executable instructions that when executed by the server;
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16. A course support system for providing an on-line course book to a plurality of student users having a computer with an electronic reader program for viewing an electronic reader file, comprising:
- a course support server having a course support program for providing the on-line course book, the course support program including;
(i) a books engine for providing to the users one or more electronic reader files having course book content corresponding to pages in a printed classroom course book, the one or more electronic reader files to be opened by the electronic reader program for displaying the course book pages to the student users; and
(ii) a test engine for (1) presenting to a student user a test associated with the pages displayed to the user, (2) receiving from the user responsive test answers, and (3) scoring the test and automatically providing the score to an instructor user.
- a course support server having a course support program for providing the on-line course book, the course support program including;
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20. A method for providing an on-line course book, comprising:
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(a) responsive to an Internet request from a user, providing a web page for logging onto a course support server;
(b) validating the user upon receiving its login request;
(c) providing to the user one or more electronic reader files for display in an electronic reader program, the files having course book content corresponding to one or more course book pages requested by the user, the course book pages when displayed on the reader program substantially appearing as pages from a corresponding printed course book; and
(d) embedding within at least one of the electronic reader files executable instructions that will cause the displayed pages to have a link that allows the user to view additional materials related to the content of the displayed at least one page.
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Specification