Education and demonstration – Occupation
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-22
2001-04-10
Cheng, Joe H. (Department: 3713)
Education and demonstration
Occupation
C434S118000, C434S350000, C706S927000, C707S793000, C708S131000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213780
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to computer-aided learning methods and apparatus, and more particularly to computer-aided learning and counseling methods and apparatus for a job.
We are living in the midst of tremendous technological changes. In the workplace, technology is replacing numerous workers. Many of our job skills are being obsoleted. Though technology is permeating gradually into every stratum of the society, it is very hard to keep up with so much changes.
Not only is it hard to keep up, technology has made the world much smaller, and global competition much more intense. It is not uncommon for a product to have its software written in India, semiconductor chips manufactured in Malaysia, overall physical design done in Italy, and its promotion extensively performed in the United States. The product uses expertise from so many different places because someone in the other side of the world can do a better job at a lower cost.
Not just facing global competition, we are also challenged by the younger generation. Many of them have access to computers and the Web at a very young age. Before graduation from high school, they might have already spent years playing with the Web. Their knowledge in computer might be much more up-to-date and hands-on than ours. They might be much more effective and efficient than us in performing computer-oriented jobs.
Drastic and rapid changes in the economy lead to massive re-deployment of the labor force. Due to technology revolutions in the industrial nations, and social upheaval in many third-world countries, every year, thousands of job titles with their job functions are being eliminated. Numerous industries experience massive layoffs, which are usually more geared towards the older and higher-paid employees. This problem is exacerbated by the aging of the population when employers tend to retain the younger work force, with more current education. Many employees are in transition. They need jobs. Such global challenges are not limited to the private industries. Millions of civil service employees and military personnel have to be re-trained.
Our career is at risk. We need to keep on learning to stay competitive. However, many of us are already working full time. It is difficult to find time to learn. Computer-based learning may be able to alleviate part of the problem by allowing learning materials to be conveniently accessible, such as through the Web, or on compact disks. Learning from such materials are typically cheaper than learning from a live instructor in a classroom. Computer-based learning approaches give us the freedom to decide the time and the place to learn. Thus, computer-based learning is an efficient learning medium.
On the other hand, saving tine and money to learn may not imply that we know what to learn. Though we may want to learn materials directly useful to our jobs, sometimes, it is not clear what those materials are, and where we can get hold of them.
The problem becomes more acute if we might be forced to leave the company, or we want to move to a different company. It is not clear as to what jobs are available that suit our needs. What needs to be learnt is not easy to define.
It should be apparent that there is a need to automatically provide appropriate counseling and learning materials in easily accessible manner for a user regarding her career.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides computer-aided learning methods and apparatus for counseling and training a user for a job position. The easily-accessible materials guide the user to and prepare the user for the job position.
Every company, whether big or small, tries to satisfy certain customer needs. In order to satisfy those needs, companies have jobs that need to be done. For a small company, the jobs might be setting up an electronic mailing system, or its accounting system. Big companies have more elaborate job classification and descriptions.
A company may try to fill its job needs by creating different positions. For example, to find someone to set up an electronic mailing system, the company might try to hire an information technologist. For a small company, the technologist might also be responsible for many other tasks, such as to install a new intelligent phone system for the company.
If the company has an organization chart, each node in the chart can denote one position. Every position has its responsibility, which can be performing one or more jobs by anyone filling that position. Some companies retain such information in their human resource department. If an employee is at a certain position, and his job requirement changes, the company can reflect the change by changing the job description of that position.
To fill a position with a job description, the company hires a person with a certain background. Such background, with its experience, can be acquired through learning certain materials.
In one embodiment, a computer stores in its database the one or more positions of the company, with their job descriptions, and the learning materials to be acquired to fill each position. Such information can be updated as changes occur.
Based on, for example, the organization chart and the position of the user, the computer can identify the jobs she needs to do, and the learning materials she needs to acquire, or she should have acquired, to do those jobs. From the organization chart, the computer can also identify the positions of her colleagues and her superiors, the jobs they need to do, and the corresponding learning materials to be acquired to do those jobs.
In one embodiment, the computer asks the user if she wants to move into positions different from her position, such as her supervisor's position. If the answer is affirmative, the computer can deliver appropriate learning materials for her to learn.
In another embodiment, a user has her own business. Her position is a small business owner. Based on her position, the computer can identify the numerous tasks or jobs she needs to do, and the learning materials she needs to acquire to do those jobs. Based on these information, the computer again can ask her if she wants to acquire certain knowledge to do some of her tasks. If she wants to, the computer can deliver those learning materials to her.
In the above embodiments, the user is typically associated with a company. However, there are situations when the user is in the process of leaving, either voluntarily or involuntarily, a company; or the user may be about to graduate from a school. Under such situations, the computer can also perform job counseling functions. The computer identifies one or more job positions suitable for her, based on at least one attribute of her profile. Her attributes can include her learning history, and work experience, such as her current job functions. The identification process may also depend on her preference, the availability of jobs, and the availability of learning materials to prepare the user for the jobs. If she needs additional training for the potential job positions, the computer also ascertains for her at least one learning objective to prepare her for the job positions. Based on the objective, the amount of timing required can also be ascertained, and the training materials can also be selected.
The learning materials can be delivered through her computer. She can be in control as to when to learn. If the materials are delivered through a network, she can also have a certain degree of freedom to choose where to learn.
Thus the present invention can provide job counseling and training to prepare a person for a job position. The materials can be provided in an easily accessible manner.
In one embodiment, the present invention can also be used by companies to recruit potential employees for a job, and to ascertain the amount of learning required for the potential employees to do a job.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4611996 (1986-09-01), Stoner
patent: 5029081 (1991-07-01), Kagawa
patent: 5035625 (1991-07-01), Munson et al.
patent: 5164897 (1992-11-01), Clark
Ho Chi Fai
Tong Peter P.
Cheng Joe H.
Tong Peter
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