Education and demonstration – Question or problem eliciting response – Cathode ray screen display included in examining means
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-15
2001-04-03
Cheng, Joe H. (Department: 3713)
Education and demonstration
Question or problem eliciting response
Cathode ray screen display included in examining means
C434S118000, C434S238000, C434S362000, C463S009000, C706S927000, C345S211000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06210170
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. The Field of the Invention
The field of the present invention includes teaching methods, particularly those using computers to teach concepts primarily using visual and aural interaction with the user. More particularly, the invention relates to computer-based learning systems where the learning portion or learning frame is presented onto the display while the user is working with other computer applications or the operating system itself. Another field of the present invention includes those areas where “teaching” is automatically incorporated with some other task thereby requiring less user effort or focus to initiate learning.
2. Present State of the Art
The area of teaching methods and devices is broad and diverse encompassing many different ways of teaching a variety of different concepts, principles, and other commonly learned information. Throughout this application, in order to simplify the approach used by the present invention, the exemplary information taught will be the meaning, pronunciation, spelling, and usage of vocabulary words. Because the present invention may be applied to many other types of learning, the example of increasing vocabulary is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the ensuing claims because virtually any item of learning or learning frame is capable of being taught or reinforced by the present invention.
For teaching vocabulary, books and audio tapes comprise the traditional approach that an individual would use. There are a number of problems with each of these two varieties of media that some students may find troublesome. These include dedicated student learning time, student initiation of each individual learning sequence or learning frame, lack of pronunciation information in some instances, lack of flexibility in choosing desired vocabulary words (or other unit of learning), etc.
In order to use a book or audio tape, a student must spend an allotted time studying a book or listening to an audio tape. This “dedicated time” may be difficult to schedule for a busy and overburdened student, and it is likely that those students interested in improving their vocabulary or learning some other form of information will be precisely the type of person that has little time to dedicate to such a task. The net result is, that while the books and tapes may be purchased with the best of intentions in mind, their actual use by the student and hence student learning may be severely limited due to the learning format.
Books and other forms of printed media, in particular, have the added inability to present to the student the actual pronunciation of a word as it would sound alone or as used in a sample sentence. Though phonetic descriptions of the word may exist, they do not replace actually hearing the word as it would be spoken. Furthermore, the process of learning from a book is tedious and requires focused concentration as well as the dedicated time for studying. The lack of verbal pronunciation may make some students hesitant to use the new words learned for fear of embarrassment due to incorrect pronunciation.
While audio tapes are helpful because the student can actually hear the words as pronounced and used, the student is forced to learn the words as they are presented in the tape. A student may be compelled to listen through an entire taped presentation in order to learn the few words that are most relevant and important to the student. There is no way to pick and choose the particular units of learning (e.g., individual vocabulary words) or the ordering of the learning frames (e.g., individual vocabulary words). Furthermore, this causes poor word reinforcement and may make it difficult for the student to remember and use the words as they were discussed in the audio tape presentation. Again, the student must dedicate a block of time in order to learn the words. The same problems mentioned in connection with learning a new vocabulary word also exist when learning with other forms of information.
Computer hardware/software systems provide many options for dealing with the deficiencies found in the more traditional books and audio tapes. Multimedia systems provide particularly useful solutions since both visual and audible sensory stimuli may be used as part of the teaching interaction between the student and the computer environment.
For vocabulary building, some systems allow pronunciation of words and quizzing (e.g., multiple choice, sentence completion, flash cards, etc.) but lack flexibility in choosing and ordering individual words to be learned by the student. Furthermore, existing programs and systems require the student to dedicate time to learning. In other words, the student operates the program or system with the express purpose of learning the vocabulary words and must suspend work on other tasks while dedicating his or her time to the task of learning. As mentioned previously, this has serious drawbacks for those students who are already over burdened and who are looking for fast, convenient ways of learning and learning reinforcement of new vocabulary words or other types of learning. Currently, no product for building vocabulary allows customized word lists, including words entered and defined by the user, or non-student initiated learning sequences with the learning sequences occurring during a student's normal activities within a given environment.
SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to allow intrusive and non-intrusive learning and learning reinforcement while a user is interacting with an environment by presenting a learning frame (i.e., initiating a learning sequence) into and integrated with the environment.
It is another object of this invention to allow learning to occur in an environment without a dedicated time commitment on the part of the student.
It is a related object of the invention to allow learning to occur while the student is achieving other useful tasks within a given environment.
It is an object of the invention to provide vocabulary building that focuses on a finite subset of “focus” words from a chosen list of words with the subset automatically changing only as particular words are mastered until all desired words in the chosen list are mastered.
It is another object of the present invention to allow user flexibility in choosing the learning frames (e.g., vocabulary words, etc.) and ordering them as desired.
It is a further object of the present invention to allow correct pronunciation of vocabulary words, including word usage in sample sentences, and other information suitable for aural learning to be presented to a student through the appropriate sensory means within a given environment.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention maybe realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
To achieve the foregoing objects, and in accordance with the invention as embodied and broadly described herein a method, computer program product, and system for teaching concepts, principles and other learned information without requiring user initiation of a learning sequence is provided herein.
The present invention operates within an environment being perceived by a user through sensory stimulating means and the user interacting with the environment with certain input devices into the environment. A typical example is a computer with the main form of sensory perception being the computer monitor for visual stimulus. Speakers and other devices can be used for aural stimulis.
Automatic learning or reinforcement occurs as opportunities are presented in non-intrusive ways without disrupting the user's interaction with the environment or requiring user interaction and completely interrupting the user activities. Further, intrusive methods may also be used to “force”
Sorensen Kim L.
Sorensen Steven M.
Cheng Joe H.
Kirton & McConkie
Krieger Michael F.
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