Education and demonstration – Language
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-26
2001-05-22
Rovnak, John Edmund (Department: 3713)
Education and demonstration
Language
C434S157000, C434S185000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06234802
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates generally to computer systems, and more particularly to an instructional product on a computer system for learning, practicing and evaluating language skills.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Computers are being used on an ever-increasing basis to help users learn various skills, including learning a foreign language or improving one's native language. As the computer serves as a tutor with essentially unlimited time and unending patience, the skill set learned by a user is essentially a function of the quality of the instructional software in combination with the time and effort put forth by the user.
Users of such instructional language products generally are attempting to learn a language in a self-study environment, without the traditional classroom motivations of homework assignments, the desire to perform well in front of others, and the opportunity to communicate with others in the language. Many times, such users are often busy professionals who value their limited spare time and want to improve their skills in an efficient manner.
In general, the more realistic the language instruction, the better the user will comprehend, enjoy and retain the information being taught, and do so in a more efficient manner. Some computer-based language teaching products have included interactive processes as part of their teaching technique. For example, products may play video clips that branch to other video clips based upon user input during a pause between clips. Another product allows a user to click on displayed objects, and then provides information about each object clicked, e.g., the product displays and/or pronounces the word in the foreign language that is being studied. While such interactivity is often more entertaining, and to some extent, better than attempting to learn from a book, such interactivity is very limited and is not particularly realistic. No known product has heretofore situated the user in a realistic, virtual environment for learning a language.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly, the present invention provides a system and method for teaching language skills to a user by rendering a three-dimensional graphical representation of a real-world environment, and communicating challenges to the user in that environment. A three dimensional rendering engine implemented as an ActiveX® control may be used to render the environment. The user appears to be situated in the environment and moves within the environment by adjusting the graphical representation of the environment in response to user input. When the user encounters a representation of a person in the environment, the person communicates a challenge to the user, such as by playing a full motion digital video clip of the person. To challenge the user, the person asks the user a question or requests that the user perform a task. The challenge requires language comprehension by the user to correctly respond.
The method and system receive information from the user in response to the challenge and interpret that information to determine whether the user correctly responded. To respond to questions, the user answers via a microphone, and a speech recognizer interprets the answer. For tasks, the actions taken by the user via the pointing device are evaluated to determine if the user correctly responded. A script takes action based on whether the response was correct, such as by providing audiovisual feedback to the user and/or by keeping score to track the user's level of comprehension.
Other advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:
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Acker Peter C.
April Renée Louise
Bondi Victor J.
Cortese Jason T.
DeWolf Quentin
Michalik & Wylie PLLC
Microsoft Corporation
Rovnak John Edmund
LandOfFree
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