Agent based instruction system and method

• US 6,606,479 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2002
• Issued: 08/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Concentrix CVG Customer Management Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Finali Corp. (Convergys Corporation)
• Inventors: Lukas, George, Lukas, Andrew V., Padwa, David J., Cook, Donald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hughes, S. Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): ADAMS, CHANDA L
• Application Number:
  US10/075,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20020168621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 434/118, 434/350, 434/362, 434/335, 434/336, 434/322, 434/323, 706/927
• US Class Current: 434/350
• 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: Y10S 706/927 Education or instruction

Abstract

This invention relates to a system and method for interactive, adaptive, and individualized computer assisted instruction. This invention includes an agent (108) for each student (101) which adapts to its student, and provides individualized guidance to the student and controls to the augmented computer assisted instructional materials. The instructional materials of this invention are augmented to communicate the student'"'"'s performance and the material'"'"'s pedagogical characteristics to the agent, and to receive control from the agent. In a preferred embodiment, the agent maintains data reflecting the student'"'"'s pedagogic or cognitive characteristics in a protected and portable media in the personal control of the student. Preferably, the content of the communication between the agent and the materials conforms to specified interface standards, so that the agent acts independently of the content of the particular materials. Also preferably, the agent can project using various I/O modalities integrated engaging, lifelike display personna(e).

Claims

1. A system for providing instructional information to a user wherein the user is operating a first of a plurality of material segments, the system comprising:

a materials storage device configured to store the first of the plurality of material segments;

a user data storage device connected to the materials storage device, the user data storage device configured to store user data corresponding to the user;

an instruction storage device configured to store a plurality of instructions for instructing the user;

an agent system connected to the instruction storage device and the materials storage device, the agent system configured to retrieve a first of the plurality of instructions; and

a personae storage device connected to the agent system, the personae storage device configured to store a plurality of personae usable by the agent system;

wherein the first of the plurality of instructions corresponds to the first of the plurality of material segments and responsive to the user data stored in the user data storage device.

2. A system for providing instructional information to a user wherein the user is operating a first of a plurality of material segments, the system comprising:

a materials storage device configured to store the plurality of material segments;

an instruction storage device configured to store a plurality of instructions for instructing the user;

an agent system connected to the instruction storage device and the materials storage device, the agent system configured to retrieve a first of the plurality of instructions; and

a personae storage device connected to the agent system, the personae storage device configured to store a plurality of personae usable by the agent system;

wherein the first of the plurality of instructions corresponds to the first of the plurality of material segments.

3. A method for providing instructional information to a user, the method comprising:

retrieving a user characteristic corresponding to the user;

identifying a material segment being operated by the user;

identifying a first of a plurality of personae, wherein the first of the plurality of personae corresponds to the retrieved user characteristic;

identifying an instructional response, wherein the instructional response is associated with the material segment and associated with the retrieved user characteristic; and

providing the instructional response to the user.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein providing the instructional response comprises:

providing guiding information to the user;

wherein the guiding information is configured to guide the user through the material segment.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a user input corresponding to the material segment;

wherein the instructional response is associated with the user input.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

recording at least an indication of the user input in a user characteristic database.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a notation corresponding to the material segment;

wherein the instructional response is associated with the notation.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the received notation comprises:

augmented definitions.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the received notation comprises:

a reference to executable code.

10. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving an incorrect user input corresponding to the material segment;

wherein the instructional response is responsive to the incorrect user input.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein the instructional response comprises an instruction set configured to assist the user.

12. The method of claim 3, wherein providing the instructional response to the user comprises:

providing the instructional response according to the identified first personae.

13. The method of claim 3, wherein providing the instructional response to the user comprises:

providing tutorial instruction to the user.

14. The method of claim 3, wherein providing the instructional response to the user comprises:

providing an error indicator to the user; and

providing a correction instruction to the user, the correction instruction indicating a correction for an error associated with the error indicator.

15. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining a lapsed time for a required input;

wherein identifying the instructional response is initiated in response to the lapsed time exceeding a threshold.

16. The method of claim 3, wherein the user is a student.

17. The method of claim 3, wherein the user characteristic comprises:

historical data regarding a prior instructional response provided to the user.

18. A system for providing instructional information to a user wherein the user is operating a first of a plurality of material segments, the system comprising:

a materials storage device configured to store the first of the plurality of material segments;

a user data storage device connected to the materials storage device, the user data storage device configured to store user data corresponding to the user;

an instruction storage device configured to store a plurality of instructions for instructing the user;

an agent system connected to the instruction storage device and the materials storage device, the agent system configured to retrieve a first of the plurality of instructions; and

a personae storage device connected to the agent system, the personae storage device configured to store at least one personae usable by the agent system;

wherein the first of the plurality of instructions corresponds to the first of the plurality of material segments and responsive to the user data stored in the user data storage device.

19. A system for providing instructional information to a user wherein the user is operating a first of a plurality of material segments, the system comprising:

a materials storage device configured to store the plurality of material segments;

an instruction storage device configured to store a plurality of instructions for instructing the user;

an agent system connected to the instruction storage device and the materials storage device, the agent system configured to retrieve a first of the plurality of instructions; and

a personae storage device connected to the agent system, the personae storage device configured to store at least one personae usable by the agent system;

wherein the first of the plurality of instructions corresponds to the first of the plurality of material segments.