U.S. patent application number 13/878374 was filed with the patent office on 2014-05-01 for method, system and computer program for providing an intelligent collaborative content infrastructure.
The applicant listed for this patent is Dana Fox, David Murdoch, Tushar Singh, Bill Waters. Invention is credited to Dana Fox, David Murdoch, Tushar Singh, Bill Waters.
Application Number | 20140122595 13/878374 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45925364 |
Filed Date | 2014-05-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140122595 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Murdoch; David ; et
al. |
May 1, 2014 |
METHOD, SYSTEM AND COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR PROVIDING AN INTELLIGENT
COLLABORATIVE CONTENT INFRASTRUCTURE
Abstract
The system of the present invention provides an E-learning
platform that enables one or more student users to access teaching
content that is in part user defined, from a variety of
network-connected devices. In one aspect of the invention, the
teaching content is user defined in that it is in part A) teacher
generated or teacher assembled, and in part (B) student generated
or student directed, as further explained below. A system, method
and computer program is provided for creating content and
dynamically updating content is provided based on meta data
extracted from semantic analysis of content and of electronic
social interactions among users and between users and content.
Inventors: |
Murdoch; David; (Waterloo,
CA) ; Fox; Dana; (Waterloo, CA) ; Waters;
Bill; (Waterloo, CA) ; Singh; Tushar;
(Waterloo, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Murdoch; David
Fox; Dana
Waters; Bill
Singh; Tushar |
Waterloo
Waterloo
Waterloo
Waterloo |
|
CA
CA
CA
CA |
|
|
Family ID: |
45925364 |
Appl. No.: |
13/878374 |
Filed: |
October 7, 2011 |
PCT Filed: |
October 7, 2011 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/CA2011/001111 |
371 Date: |
January 14, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61390582 |
Oct 6, 2010 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
709/204 ;
434/350 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C03C 21/002 20130101;
G09B 5/08 20130101; C03C 23/006 20130101; H04L 41/509 20130101;
C03C 2218/32 20130101; Y10T 428/24355 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
709/204 ;
434/350 |
International
Class: |
G09B 5/08 20060101
G09B005/08; H04L 12/24 20060101 H04L012/24 |
Claims
1. A computer implemented system for providing an intelligent
collaborative content infrastructure, characterized in that the
system comprises: (a) one or more computers including or being
linked to a server computer, the server computer implementing a
server application, the server application defining an intelligent
collaborative content management utility, the intelligent
collaborative content management utility being operable to: (b)
manage a library of digital content items, and enable one or more
users to access the digital content items; (c) capture and analyze
(i) feedback from users regarding the digital content items, and
(ii) interactions between users regarding the digital content
items, and (d) based on the analysis of (b), dynamically create,
assemble, modify, promote, or demote content, so as to generate
collaborative digital content.
2. The computer implemented system of claim 1, characterized in
that the server application is operable to enable the dynamic
modification and/or customization of one or more of the digital
content items based on the feedback and/or interactions.
3. The computer implemented system of claim 1, characterized in
that the server computer includes or is linked to one or more
social media utilities for monitoring social media interactions
between users relevant to the digital content items.
4. The computer implemented system of claim 3, characterized in
that the server computer further includes or is linked to an
analysis utility, wherein the analysis utility is linked to the one
or more social media utilities in order to enable the capture and
analysis of social media interactions between users that relate to
one or more particular digital content items.
5. The computer implemented system of claim 1, characterized in
that the server application includes, or the server computer is
linked to a semantic network engine, linked to the analysis
utility, for enabling the semantic analysis of the feedback of
users and/or the interactions between the users.
6. The computer implemented system of claim 5, characterized in
that the analysis utility is operable to monitor feedback provided
by one or more users regarding particular digital content items
and/or the taking of notes by one or more users regarding
particular digital content items using a note taking tool of the
server application, or linked to the server computer.
7. The computer implemented system of claim 4, characterized in
that the analysis utility is operable to define one or more
attributes for a plurality of users, including demographic and/or
location data, and the analysis utility is operable to interoperate
with the content management utility so as to customize the digital
content items based on such demographic and/or location data.
8. The computer implemented system of claim 4, characterized in
that the one or more digital content items constitute educational
content, and the analysis utility is operable to define one or more
educational milestones or objectives, and monitor one or more
users' progress in using the content management utility against
such milestones or objectives.
9. The computer implemented system of claim 8, characterized in
that the analysis utility is operable to identify one or more
students that are not meeting the educational milestones or
objectives, and suggest content and/or instructor interactions for
such one or more students.
10. The computer implemented system of claim 9, characterized in
that the analysis utility embodies one or more assessment tools,
the assessment tools being operable to receive input from one or
more students, and/or to receive performance data for one or more
students relative to educational milestones or objectives, and
based on such input or data generate a learning assessment for the
one or more students.
11. The computer implemented system of claim 10, characterized in
that the content management utility is operable to identify and
retrieve digital content items, or modify digital content items
dynamically, so as to produce digital content items in response to
results of the learning assessment.
12. The computer implemented system of claim 1, characterized in
that the analysis utility is operable to monitor learning
activities of users, and based on such learning activities identify
shared learning attributes amongst two or more users, and based on
such shared learning attributes the analysis utility being operable
to suggest that the two or more users form a study group, using the
social media utilities.
13. The computer implemented system of claim 1, characterized in
that the server computer further implements a digital content item
creation utility, the digital content item creation utility being
operable to enable one or more users to assemble audio/video
content, and to highlight one or more key concepts, the digital
content item creation utility being operable to tag the audio/video
content with the one or more key concepts.
14. The computer implemented system of claim 1, characterized in
that the server computer is operable to search for and locate
digital content items from one or more databases connected to the
server computer, or remote from the server computer, based on the
feedback or interactions of the users.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to electronic education
systems and methods and, more particularly, to a computer
network-enabled education system and method.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] One aspect is making education more accessible to
individuals requiring education but having jobs or other time
commitments that interfere with traditional classroom learning
during the day. Another aspect is improving access to enormous
populations of would be students in countries where there is demand
for quality education but so far education infrastructure is
inadequate.
[0003] There is also a growing appreciation that economic
development is closely tied to quality of education and therefore
there is a desire of businesses and government institutions to
significantly increase access to quality education, often in very
specific areas tied to economic opportunities.
[0004] Corporations especially require new solutions to provide
effective teaching to their personnel despite distributed
workforces, multiple business centers, different time zones,
varying educational backgrounds of personnel, and increasingly
diverse professional qualification requirements. Access to
education is important for a range of reasons including
certification (e.g. ISO), knowledge transfer, team collaboration,
orientation, employee retention, engagement, addressing
multi-generational workforces, improving skill development, and
accountability.
[0005] Interactive learning technologies have played a role in
improving accessibility by placing course materials on-line for
consumption using Internet media and Internet communication.
Learning management systems have appeared to enable such
E-learning, including for example the E-learning platforms of
Desire2Learn and Blackbox.
[0006] There is a need for new Internet based learning platforms
and content generation and dissemination technologies that improve
student engagement with educational content and involve students
more in the learning process. There is a further need for content
infrastructures including E-learning platforms that enable content
to be updated dynamically and adapted to the special needs of each
student no matter where they are located. There is also a need for
content generation and dissemination platforms of digital content
that enable dynamic generation or organization of content based on
user direction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment
of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the
invention is not limited in its application to the details of
construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in
the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The
invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced
and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that
the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose
of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
[0008] A first aspect of the invention is provided comprising a
computer implemented system for providing an intelligent
collaborative content infrastructure, characterized in that the
system comprises: (a) one or more computers including or being
linked to a server computer, the server computer implementing a
server application, the server application defining an intelligent
collaborative content management utility, the intelligent
collaborative content management utility being operable to: (b)
manage a library of digital content items, and enable one or more
users to access the digital content items; (c) capture and analyze
(i) feedback from users regarding the digital content items, and
(ii) interactions between users regarding the digital content
items, and (d) based on the analysis of (b), dynamically create,
assemble, modify, promote, or demote content, so as to generate
collaborative digital content.
[0009] A second aspect of the invention is provided comprising a
computer implemented system of a previous aspect, characterized in
that the server application is operable to enable the dynamic
modification and/or customization of one or more of the digital
content items based on the feedback and/or interactions.
[0010] Another aspect of the invention is provided comprising a
computer implemented system of a previous aspect, characterized in
that the server computer includes or is linked to one or more
social media utilities for monitoring social media interactions
between users relevant to the digital content items.
[0011] A further aspect of the invention is provided comprising a
computer implemented system of a previous aspect, characterized in
that the server computer further includes or is linked to an
analysis utility, wherein the analysis utility is linked to the one
or more social media utilities in order to enable the capture and
analysis of social media interactions between users that relate to
one or more particular digital content items.
[0012] A further aspect of the invention is provided comprising a
computer implemented system of a previous aspect, characterized in
that the server application includes, or the server computer is
linked to a semantic network engine, linked to the analysis
utility, for enabling the semantic analysis of the feedback of
users and/or the interactions between the users.
[0013] Another aspect of the invention is provided comprising a
computer implemented system of a previous aspect, characterized in
that the analysis utility is operable to monitor feedback provided
by one or more users regarding particular digital content items
and/or the taking of notes by one or more users regarding
particular digital content items using a note taking tool of the
server application, or linked to the server computer.
[0014] A further aspect of the invention is provided comprising a
computer implemented system of a previous aspect, characterized in
that the analysis utility is operable to define one or more
attributes for a plurality of users, including demographic and/or
location data, and the analysis utility is operable to interoperate
with the content management utility so as to customize the digital
content items based on such demographic and/or location data.
[0015] A further aspect of the invention is provided comprising a
computer implemented system of a previous aspect, characterized in
that the one or more digital content items constitute educational
content, and the analysis utility is operable to define one or more
educational milestones or objectives, and monitor one or more
users' progress in using the content management utility against
such milestones or objectives.
[0016] A further aspect of the invention is provided comprising a
computer implemented system of a previous aspect, characterized in
that the analysis utility is operable to identify one or more
students that are not meeting the educational milestones or
objectives, and suggest content and/or instructor interactions for
such one or more students.
[0017] Another aspect of the invention is provided comprising a
computer implemented system of a previous aspect, characterized in
that the analysis utility embodies one or more assessment tools,
the assessment tools being operable to receive input from one or
more students, and/or to receive performance data for one or more
students relative to educational milestones or objectives, and
based on such input or data generate a learning assessment for the
one or more students.
[0018] Another aspect of the invention is provided comprising a
computer implemented system of a previous aspect, characterized in
that the content management utility is operable to identify and
retrieve digital content items, or modify digital content items
dynamically, so as to produce digital content items in response to
results of the learning assessment.
[0019] Another aspect of the invention is provided comprising a
computer implemented system of a previous aspect, characterized in
that the analysis utility is operable to monitor learning
activities of users, and based on such learning activities identify
shared learning attributes amongst two or more users, and based on
such shared learning attributes the analysis utility being operable
to suggest that the two or more users form a study group, using the
social media utilities.
[0020] Another aspect of the invention is provided comprising a
computer implemented system of a previous aspect, characterized in
that the server computer further implements a digital content item
creation utility, the digital content item creation utility being
operable to enable one or more users to assemble audio/video
content, and to highlight one or more key concepts, the digital
content item creation utility being operable to tag the audio/video
content with the one or more key concepts.
[0021] A further aspect of the invention is provided comprising a
computer implemented system of a previous aspect, characterized in
that the server computer is operable to search for and locate
digital content items from one or more databases connected to the
server computer, or remote from the server computer, based on the
feedback or interactions of the users.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] The invention will be better understood and objects of the
invention will become apparent when consideration is given to the
following detailed description thereof. Such description makes
reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
[0023] FIGS. 1a, 1b, and 1c show representative web pages presented
by the web presentment utility for enabling users to interact with
the teaching content present by the intelligent collaborative
content infrastructure of the present invention.
[0024] FIGS. 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i, 2j, 2k, and 2l
illustrate the content generation and assembly workflow of the
present invention in relation to representative web interfaces
presented to a teacher for use of the content generation utility of
the present invention.
[0025] FIG. 3a illustrates a representative workflow enabled by the
platform of the present invention for creating video teaching
content.
[0026] FIG. 3b illustrates a representative workflow enabled by the
platform of the present invention for creating slide teaching
content.
[0027] FIG. 3c illustrates a representative workflow enabled by the
platform of the present invention that enables the combination of
content in different media to create multimedia content.
[0028] FIG. 4 illustrates a representative system implementation of
the present invention.
[0029] FIG. 5 is a workflow diagram illustrating a representative
workflow for creating text content by operation of the content
engine.
[0030] FIG. 6 is a workflow diagram illustrating a representative
workflow for extracting interaction data by operation of the social
media utility.
[0031] FIG. 7 is a workflow diagram illustrating a representative
workflow for extracting meta data from interactions between users
in connection with the social media utility.
[0032] FIG. 8 is a workflow diagram illustrating a representative
workflow for searching for relevant data based on meta data.
[0033] FIG. 9 is a workflow diagram illustrating a representative
workflow for adding new meta data to the system of the present
invention.
[0034] FIG. 10 illustrates the resources of the platform of the
invention available to a creator, for example a teacher.
[0035] FIG. 11 illustrates a possible implementation of the present
invention and shows the administrative resources that may be
associated with an administrative user of the platform of the
present invention.
[0036] In the drawings, embodiments of the invention are
illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood
that the description and drawings are only for the purpose of
illustration and as an aid to understanding, and are not intended
as a definition of the limits of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0037] The system of the present invention provides an intelligent
collaborative content infrastructure that enables one or more
student users to access teaching content that is in part user
defined, from a variety of network-connected devices. In one aspect
of the invention, the teaching content is user defined in that it
is in part A) content creator generated, the content creator
generally being a teacher and/or for example an administrator, and
in part B) additional content generated by the consumers of the
content A), for example a student as further explained below.
[0038] The technology described herein may be applied beyond
E-learning to other examples of user defined creation and
dissemination of digital content, with social media functionality
for interaction among users and with the digital content. In fact,
the invention is best understood as providing an intelligent
collaborative content infrastructure that enables content to be
disseminated in an intelligent fashion, including in connection
with collaborative activities, and also such that content is
collaboratively created or enhanced. It is also noted that the
disclosure sometimes refers to "students" but also sometimes more
generally to "users".
[0039] The invention is explained in connection with one
implementation thereof, namely as an E-learning platform, which is
one example of an intelligent collaborative content infrastructure
in accordance with the present invention. The references to an
"E-learning platform" should also understand to extent to other
applications of such an intelligent collaborative content
infrastructure.
[0040] This patent application references "teaching content" as
defined below. But it should be understood that the present
invention applies to any content where dynamic updating based on
user interaction (with the content or among users) is desirable.
The present invention describes a content infrastructure with
particular attributes or functions. It should be understood that
the present invention may be implemented in a number of different
ways, using different collaborative technologies, data frameworks,
semantic tools, data modelling tools, communication technologies,
and web technologies. The present technology could also be
integrated into one or more of such third party technologies, or
such third party technologies could be modified to include the
functionality described in this invention.
[0041] It should be understood that the content created or
assembled by operation of the present invention is generally
multimedia content. Content described, for example teaching content
may include any manner of digital content, whether audio, video,
graphical content or text, in any structure, format or medium. The
teaching content may include or incorporate for example e-books,
articles, selections of e-books or articles, compilations of works,
dynamically generated document summaries, data feeds such as RSS or
TWITTER.TM., feeds, blogs or blog portions, web excerpts, search
results, and so on. The teaching content may also include music
files, e-artifacts, and so on. Any such digital content item may be
referred to in this disclosure as an "information object".
[0042] One aspect of an E-learning platform in accordance with the
present invention includes or is linked to a web presentment
utility that is operable to present a series of web pages
associated with specific educational objectives (such as for
example web pages related to a particular educational module such
as a course). These web pages provide access to and organize
interrelated information objects that comprise the teaching content
in a way that advances learning goals for the subject matter and
for the students for a particular course based on their attributes
as further explained below.
[0043] A teaching content creation utility enables a content
creator such as a teacher, professor, librarian, content manager,
trainer, instructor, team leader, mentor, or subject matter expert
(collectively referred to as "teacher") to create teaching content
and also assemble or link to supporting content. It should be
understood that "student" refers to any individual viewing,
downloading, streaming or otherwise consuming the teaching content.
A student may be self-enrolled or enrolled in an E-learning program
whether offered by a university, college, or other educational
institution, an organization offering education to its personnel,
or a government organization offering educational programs to its
citizens or a group of citizens.
[0044] The E-learning platform is operable to obtain meta data
associated with the teaching content, or with interaction between
one or more students based on the content, directly or directly, as
further explained below.
[0045] The meta data, also as further explained below, may be
gathered by the platform for example from: (1) tagging of
audio/video teaching content created or assembled by a teacher to
highlight key concepts for example of a particular educational
content module, (2) extracted from documents, presentations or
other information objects that from the teaching content, (3) data
collected based on students consuming specific teaching content,
discussing specific teaching content for example using the social
media utilities referred to below, or indicating interest in
specific teaching content for example by creating "notes" in regard
to specific content, or digitally linking particular labels to
specific information objects such as for example "LIKE IT", "VERY
RELEVANT", "OK", "OFFENSIVE" etc.
[0046] The meta data provides the underpinning for an analytics
utility that is operable to analyze either continuously or based on
predetermined learning related milestones, how the educational
content, as it is defined for specific students, groups of students
or all students, at a particular point in time is being received by
the relevant students. Do the students like the content, do they
find specific content uninteresting, do they express dislike in
connection with content but despite this does specific content
initiate significant discussions between students? The output of
application of such analytics yields data that enables the ranking
of specific educational content based on criteria defining relative
educational value, dependent on the learning objectives that have
been defined for the educational module.
[0047] In one aspect of the invention, the E-learning platform is
operable to dynamically assess the educational content and based on
such assessment the E-learning platform may dynamically enable
modification of content by the teacher(s) and/or students, the
promotion of specific educational content to a position of greater
prominence in the web pages, or the demotion of specific
educational content to a position of lesser prominence in the web
pages, as further explained below. Modification, for example, may
involve deletion of content, annotating of content, highlighting of
specific portions of content etc. This aspect of the E-learning
platform may function as a WIKI, provided in a manner that is
known.
[0048] Alternatively, the assessment of the educational content may
provisionally earmark particular educational content for
modification/promotion/demotion based on the requirement of a
further decision from the teacher and/or the students (specific
students, groups of students or all students). For example, a
particular information object may require a certain number of
"votes" for students for promotion or demotion. The present
invention contemplates incorporation of democratic concepts--spread
across all students or groups of students--in order to further
involve students in the teaching process, in this case by including
them in mediation of the dynamic modification/promotion/demotion of
particular teaching content.
[0049] It should be understood that the system may define one or
more permissions/restrictions around the
modification/promotion/demotion of teaching content. For example
there may be permissions/restrictions based on certain teaching
content constituting "core" content and therefore not being subject
to modification/promotion/demotion or some subset thereof or stage
of the course. Additionally the permissions/restrictions may be
based on "student attributes" including progress of students, or
culture, language, educational background, ethnicity, religion or
other demographic data for students. Also, other parameters may be
defined by teachers and/or system defined parameters for creating
or assembling teaching content. In other words, the system allows
enabling and disabling of specific features within one or more
domains such as a particular systems, organization, course, class,
or specific interactive elements. Additionally, restrictions may be
based upon student attributes in addition to the above includes
geographic location (content and features enabled or disabled
depending upon location).
[0050] In another aspect of the present invention, the E-learning
platform based on predetermined permissions/restrictions may enable
the updating of the teaching content to include new content from
one or more electronic libraries associated with the platform, or
that is otherwise located by teacher(s) and/or students and
presented for inclusion. This updating may occur dynamically based
for example on the meta data or based on for example suggestion by
one or more students or suggestions combined with approval by the
teacher(s).
[0051] It should be understood that content items may also be
pulled dynamically from other part of the platform of the present
invention. New content can be pulled for example from other places
in the platform or from a remote linked platform, and the content
may include for example discussions, episodes, content from
partners, notes, websites, blog content, RSS feeds, or any other
manner of content. The inclusion can be dynamic based upon Digital
DNA (also referred to herein as "DDNA") for example (using meta
data) or can be explicitly included by the content creator during
the content modification process. Recommendations may be provided
during the content creation/modification process, and may for
example be initiated by a content recommendation engine that is
part of the system of the present invention.
[0052] The E-learning platform may include or be linked to one or
more intelligent filters that enable presented information objects
to be assessed for relevance to other components of the teaching
content and other criteria such as content analysis for other
qualitative criteria such as acceptance by recognized subject
matter experts of an author's work or student attributes. This
could be implemented using for example a web utility that analyzes
content based citation of its author by a list of authors who are
recognized for their work in an area defined by the meaning of a
particular information object.
[0053] The recommendation engine may be configured to process the
DDNA and store recommendations based upon intelligent filters. The
intelligent filters may be operable to compare particular
components (these depend upon the content being compared) of the
DDNA including language, keywords, and context (as an example) of
both the content being viewed and the student attributes. This may
be a two step process overall, the first step is that the
recommendation engine (18) determines the relevance of the content
(this may be a numerical floating point number) that is to be
viewed for other content (internal and external). The second step
is to compare user attributes to the filtered content using the
same relevance system. The resulting "n" items may be displayed by
the E-Learning platform.
[0054] The intelligent filters thereby enable teaching content to
be updated dynamically but based on filtering to determine whether
specific content is "appropriate" relative to a number of different
possible criteria.
[0055] The intelligent filters may also be operable to incorporate
other techniques for assessing content, such as for example
searching the Internet for social interaction in regard to specific
content so as to, for example, rank more highly for inclusion in
the teaching content, content that in relative terms is under
significant "discussion" on the Internet.
[0056] The intelligent filters may operate on other techniques such
as searching both the Internet and internally for social
interactions. Interactions may include discussions between users,
occurrences of material via links contained within other media, and
direct rating/storage (add to favourites) of content. As an
example: the intelligent filters may scan for how much a piece of
content has been marked as a "favourite" by users of the platform
and may use this to determine popularity/importance.
Popularity/importance may be factored in directly during relevance
with a relative weight. The recommendation engine may utilize
various domains depending upon the context.
[0057] The intelligent filters of the present invention may enable
additional content to be self-populated into the web pages.
[0058] The present invention may utilize intelligent filters that
incorporate or are based on machine learning technologies such that
they continually improve over time as they learn to interpret user
areas of interest and suggestions on content using results from
previous searches.
[0059] The platform of the present invention may include one or
more internal watchers or analyzers that are operable to detect
changes to the DDNA and based on such changes trigger additional
processing based upon DDNA changes. By analyzing user behaviour,
intelligent filters that incorporate or are linked to learning
processes are able to determine if suggestions from past filters
have piqued the users' interest. Analyzed user behaviour can result
in differentiation of weighting systems, as discussed
previously.
[0060] Based on the above, it should be understood that the
E-learning platform of the present invention enables the
customization and updating of teaching content, including on a
dynamic user defined basis. In effect, the present invention
provides a new method of teaching/learning using multimedia
content, leveraging Internet technology.
[0061] The present invention also provides a new form of teaching
content that is dynamic and self-updating, and more relevant to
users. The present invention engages students in the learning
process in a new way that yields surprising improvements in student
interest and realization of a wide array of learning objectives.
The technology enables more significant and meaningful engagement
of students in the learning process by giving them a stake in
defining the teaching content, and ensuring that teaching content
is relevant and continues to be relevant. Particularly in areas
where new and relevant material is published on a regular basis, or
where subject matter is particularly dependent on current events or
new research results for example, involving students in locating
and adapting new relevant content or sharing the burden of ensuring
that teaching content is up to date. Also, in the digital age
student skills of locating content, assessing content, and adapting
content to a particular learning framework are significantly
improved using the technology of the present invention, and these
skills are extremely important in the digital age.
[0062] As further explained above, the aspects of the E-learning
platform of the present invention provides improved ability to
leverage educational resources into new markets that may be
associated with different student attributes, by in essence
delegating some of the work in tailoring the teaching content to
new markets to the students themselves.
[0063] Specifically, the E-learning platform may include or link to
a semantic network engine to dynamically generate for example
synsets for the initial meta data set, and the links between
synsets or groupings of synsets, to provide better analysis of the
interaction between students and the teaching content.
[0064] As previously explained the interactions are analyzed by the
social engine, which is best understood as an engine that is
operable to capture and analyze various social interactions between
users, including in relation to particular teaching content.
[0065] The extraction referred to above may be enabled using
language analysis or document summarization technologies or
techniques.
[0066] Depending on space separated languages (most languages such
as Latin languages) or others (Chinese for instance) processing
systems are able to differentiate between languages. Using a
probabilistic system the occurrences of languages allow
determinations of languages and further processing. Further
processing may include natural language systems which can determine
meaning for each language. Determining common meanings and storing
them in a singular mapping allows DDNA systems to compare similar
meanings. Keywords may also be enhanced with NL processing by
storing additional context modified keywords rather than individual
keywords.
[0067] In another aspect of the present invention, the E-learning
platform enables the teaching content to be customized for specific
students, or groups of students based on their student attributes
but also based on their location. The E-learning platform of the
present invention therefore enables the students to create a
version of course materials with supporting multimedia content that
reflects the areas of interest of specific students, groups of
students, or all students. Also, the present invention can, by
analysis of the meta data, track the progress of specific students
and provide reports to this effect to the teacher. These reports
may identify performance relative to learning goals linked to a
particular stage of an educational module, or sub-module.
Leveraging aspects of the E-learning platform, the present
technology is operable to provide, with sufficient meta data,
indications of possible concepts that a student is perhaps not
understanding as well as they should. This may result in the system
dynamically suggesting additional reference information objects
regarding this concept, or based on an alert to the teacher the
teacher may engage with the student perhaps in person or through
electronic communications to explain these concepts. This avoids
certain students falling behind because they do not acquire
specific building blocks required for learning in a specific
area.
[0068] For example, by system of the present invention monitoring
large groups of DDNA the combined weightings can result in "hot
spots" (high value weightings) and "cold spots". By comparing DDNA
of a current user to the ideal hot spot map, weaknesses can be
determined.
[0069] Those weakness maps may then be used to find material that
are "hot" where the a user's DDNA is cold (but should be hot). The
mappings can also be converted to user friendly display systems to
suggest content but also identify to the user areas where they are
weak. The same systems can be used by a teacher to analyze a
class.
[0070] This last described aspect of the technology highlights a
particular implication of the present invention: rather than
isolating teachers from students, the technology may direct
immediate contact between teachers to students to areas where the
assistance of the teacher is more relevant to the student, his/her
attributes, and his/her progress in relation to the learning
objectives. From this perspective, the described technology affords
opportunities to improve learning even in traditional bricks and
mortar teaching situations. Courses for example may be enriched
using the technology, and in effect replacing in whole or in part
lecture style classes and enabling teachers to focus on specific
student directed teaching efforts, small class seminars or meetings
based on progress of specific students or groups of students
relative to learning objectives.
[0071] Through continuous use of the DDNA analysis for hot and cold
spots teachers can create additional learning content for a class
to demonstrate a particular concept.
[0072] The present invention enables progress to be tracked, and
the teaching content to either dynamically adjust based on progress
(by adapting new content covering gaps in learning, or accelerating
learning if learning objectives have been met), or to be adjusted
based on the teacher initiating aspects of the administration
modules of the E-learning platform. These adjustments to teaching
content based on progress captured by the E-learning platform
dynamically may provide a better indication of progress than
traditional testing. Also, because of time constraints, many
courses do not offer testing on a regular basis. The E-learning
platform of the present invention is operable to in effect track
student progress continuously or near continuously, once a
sufficient amount of data has been collected.
[0073] As a further aspect of tracking and customizing the learning
experience, the E-learning platform is operable to identify when
one or more students fall into one or more predetermined behaviour
profiles that may require teacher assistance or intervention. One
example is if a student is disengaged for example because he or she
has not interacted with content, made notes etc. Learning results
can be improved by identifying and addressing such behaviour early
on.
[0074] Despite the use of digital technology and some loss of
physical immediacy between teachers and students, the present
E-learning platform, as designed and configured, may provide a more
caring and nurturing learning environment.
[0075] In a related aspect, the E-learning platform includes or is
linked to a translation engine that is operable to translate in
whole or in part selected or all information objects that may be
translated using the translation engine. In another particular
aspect of the present invention, the translation of information
objects making up the teaching content may also be user defined by
for example enabling students to modify the machine generated
translation of specific teaching content, for example, based on a
WIKI tool for collaboratively improving translations. The
E-learning platform is operable to analyze student proffered
translations, for example, and compiling translation data into a
database which may be used to improve performance of the
translation engine. As the E-learning platform of the present
invention scales to include significant numbers of students
speaking a number of different languages, the translation engine of
the present invention becomes a valuable resource that can be
leveraged for other applications and revenue sources.
[0076] The E-learning platform of the present invention is operable
to enable students to access teaching content and to engage in
social interactions facilitated by the social media utilities part
of or linked to the platform from a variety of network-connected
devices. In a particular aspect of the present invention, the
platform is operable to detect the device parameters of a student's
network-connected device and based on this adjust the presentment
of the teaching content and/or social interaction supported by the
platform. For example, if a particular student, at a particular
time is accessing the web pages from a mobile device then a mobile
site version of the web pages may be presented dynamically, and the
teaching content may be provided based on content parameters that
optimize access to and interaction with the teaching content from
the particular mobile device. Further details regarding this aspect
are provided below. In addition, the present invention may also
provide a mobile application that is operable to enable students to
connect to the E-learning platform of the invention.
[0077] It should be understood that while the present invention is
mainly described in the context of an E-learning platform of the
present invention, the present invention also provides a platform
for dynamic and collaborative content generation and direction
including based on user generated multimedia content and dynamic
modification/demotion/promotion of multimedia contents based on
user defined criteria, including by dynamic population of external
information objects into the content using intelligent filters.
[0078] The content generation method of the present invention is
best understood by first explaining one example of teaching content
presented by operation of the web presentment utility further
explained above. The web presentment utility is operable to
organize teaching content in a way that is easy for users to
navigate.
Content Presentation
[0079] FIGS. 1a, 1b, and 1c show representative web pages presented
by the web presentment utility for enabling users to interact with
the teaching content present by the platform of the present
invention.
[0080] FIG. 1a shows a representative main page for the web pages
made available via the web presentment utility of the present
invention. In this representative embodiment, the main page
consists of four areas displayed. The "social header" may be common
to all web pages and may include important notifications, as
determined for example by operation of the analysis utility as
explained below. The "social header" is best understood as a tool
bar that may include quick links global messaging, discussions,
groups, and other tools. The toolbar may also include or link to a
search utility that may be operable to conduct searches using the
meta data engine to find relevant content. The course list may
display user courses as well as optionally user relevant data such
as certain new discussions, new relevant content created or
assembled by operation of the content engine.
[0081] The toolbar may include a search area, and the linked search
component may be configured to initiate context sensitive search
requests. Depending upon what content is being viewed or area of
the system that context is passed to the search engine and used in
the weighting system with regards to the ordering of results.
[0082] The main page may also include a "system social feed" which
may be a filtered social feed, for example by operation of the
filters for example. The social feed may include the most
significant interactions directly and indirectly related to the
User. In one aspect of the invention, the user may choose to toggle
and display all directly relevant social interactions. Upon
toggling the indirect social interactions may not be removed but
new ones are not added. The recommended courses area may rely on
the semantic network engine, which is further described below, so
as to suggest other courses that may be of interest to the student
or that student is advised to take based on the subject matter of
the current course list and optionally based on performance of the
student in specific areas defined by the assessment utility. The
recommended courses area may rely on the analysis utility to find a
course and/or specific episodes that are relevant to a user. A
number of filters implemented to the analysis utility may enable
related content to be associated to the recommended courses, and
this content may also be presented in the web pages. Social
interactions, assessment history, and various output of the
analysis utility may be used to generate the recommended course
list. The courses may be weighted based upon frequency of
occurrence, weaknesses and strengths identified through
assessments, user interest in specific topics (may be derived from
the analysis utility, and also system specified interest based upon
outside factors that are assigned by the analysis utility. The
courses are then displayed from highest score to lowest score and
the list is truncated based upon available display space. The
recommended courses may also be defined based on friends of a
student taking that course. This provides a useful tool for
promoting courses to students who may be interested in doing extra
work if their friends are taking a particular course.
[0083] The social feed system looks at what courses the user is
primarily interacting with (these are the active courses) and then
analyzes them for relevant activity. Relevant activity can be
determined through DDNA analysis of what the user is most
interested in. While the user is using the system each event
enhances the user's DDNA of "current interests". Discussions,
browsing of courses/episodes, and notes enhance the current
interests DDNA (this degrades over time through the feedback system
previously discussed). The current interests DDNA is then used
against discussions occurring in courses as well as other
materials.
[0084] FIG. 1b shows another representative web page generated by
the web presentment utility, in this case showing a "course page".
The main page may link to one or more course pages. The course page
may provide an episode list to show a user the "episodes" of a the
particular course as well as the course itself, and is further
operable to display pertinent information much like for courses on
the main page. As explained above, teaching content that is course
content, in accordance with the present invention is generally
broken down into shorter, manageable "episodes". The relevant
course content displays content from within the course that has
been determined to be relevant to the user by operation of the
system. The content may be retrieved from the database by operation
of the content engine and the analysis utility based on the meta
data. The social feed may be a filtered social feed much as in the
case of the main page but may contain course level relevant
interactions rather than ones relevant for the system as a
whole.
[0085] FIG. 1c shows a representative arrangement for a web page
that is an episode page. The social header may include interactions
related to the episode as opposed to the course as a whole or the
full system. The "learning resources" area may include content
created or assembled by the teacher, but also promoted to this area
based on operation of the content engine and analysis utility. The
learning resources area may contain dynamic as well as static
components. In one particular aspect of the present invention, the
dynamic components of the learning resources area are linked to the
video and slide areas such that as the content of one or more of
the video and slide areas changes, so does the learning resources
area so as to enable access to related information. The semantic
network engine supports the analysis utility in identifying related
content. The video area is provided such that it displays a video
suited to the student's connection and also their network connected
device. The slides area displays slides, which may be synched to
the video. The slides contain: text, images, embedded video, and
links to relevant content. The text area displays text relevant to
the content being shown by the video area or slides area, based on
operations of the content engine explained below.
[0086] The description above explains generally how teaching
content is presented by the system.
System Implementation
[0087] The system of the present invention is best understood by
reference to FIG. 4.
[0088] The present invention, in one aspect thereof, may be
implemented as a computer program. Server application software (14)
and databases (12) may execute on both centralized computers (10)
and distributed, decentralized systems. The Internet or any other
private or public network (for example a company's intranet) may be
used as the network to communicate between the centralized servers
and the various computing devices and distributed systems that
interact with it.
[0089] In one aspect of the computer program, the user interface
may be provided to a user via a web server that is operable to
deliver web pages (36). In particular the computer program includes
a web presentment utility (34) that is operable to generate a
series of web pages that incorporate the information objects (32).
The content engine defines the associated information objects (32),
including dynamically as explained further below. The web
presentment utility (34) is best understood as a WMS that deploys
the information objects into specific web arrangements and links to
the web pages specific web functions. The web pages presented
enable users link to specific functions of the system made
accessible to them, for example the social media utility (26).
[0090] The system may include an administration module (12) that is
used to manage access of specific users to specific functions of
the system. The administration module (12) manages for example
assignment of administrative access to teachers or other content
managers for accessing the system, defining the course parameters,
permissions associated with a teacher as opposed to a student for
example in relation to the teaching content, and so on. The
administration module also plays a role in defining permissions or
restrictions relative to dynamic modification/promotion/demotion of
teaching content based on specific stages of a course. For example,
a teacher of a course may initially want the students to focus on
acquiring particular knowledge through "core" information objects
and therefore the dynamic generation or incorporation of new
related information objects based on the subject matter or
interaction with the subject matter through the social media
utility (26), as analyzed by operation of the analysis utility (22)
may be shut off or limited. Various other functions may be enabled
by the administration module (12).
[0091] The social media utility (26) is best understood as a
computer program or series of computer programs that provide the
means for any manner of electronic communications between users of
the system including but not limited to discussion threads, message
boards, instant messaging, posts, blogs and so on. The social media
utility contemplates the use of any existing and any to be deployed
form of social media. The social media utility also enables the
linking of the system of the invention to third party social media
utilities such as FACEBOOK.TM. and others. This way the social
media utility (26) acts as an interface between the system and
third party systems so as to enable the extraction of meta data
from the social interactions occurring in relation to the third
party system to the extent that these are between users of the
present system.
[0092] The assessment utility (28) is best understood as a computer
program or series of computer programs that define one or more
evaluation methodologies for tracking student performance on an
ongoing performance, or based on certain learning milestones having
been met. Teachers may have administrative access to the assessment
utility (28) to define various parameters for assessing students
based on teaching goals and teaching philosophies for example. It
is contemplated that the assessment utility (28) will embody
various online assessment technologies as these continue to
evolve.
[0093] The assessment utility (28) also enables students to "rate"
courses, content and teachers.
[0094] The content engine (18) is best understood as a computer
program or series of computer programs that that enable the
creation or assembly of the teaching content, based on teacher
input but also on student input, as further explained below. The
meta data engine (20) is operable to define a list of specific
activities or interactions that occur relative to the system
operations that are deemed to be relevant from a content creation
or assembly perspective, an assessment perspective, translation
perspective and so on. This includes for example specific
interactions or communications occurring by operation of the social
media utility (26). The meta data engine tracks these activities or
interactions and stores associated data to the database 12. The
analysis utility (22) enables the automated analysis of these
activities or interactions, based on one or more configurations
defined for a particular course, or particular episode even, for
example based on selection or definition of the teacher using the
administration module (16). The analysis utility (22) may rely on
functions of the semantic network engine (24) for example to
dynamically generate knowledge representations relevant to specific
teaching content, to aid in analyzing for example the teaching
content to define other content whether stored to the database (12)
or by searching the Internet that is relevant to the teaching
content. In one aspect of implementation of the semantic engine,
semantic linking is used and data modeling (such as weighting
techniques) to provide the right level of semantic analysis given
the objectives of the system and also the requirement for real time
and near real time linking of dynamically changing content.
[0095] The translation engine (38) may be a computer program or
series of computer programs that enable translation of teaching
content from one language to one or more other languages. The
translation engine (38) may link to third party computers that
provide for example web based translation services in order to
access translation services. In another aspect of the invention,
the translation engine is operable to build its own translation
database over time. The translation of information objects making
up the teaching content may also be user defined by for example
enabling students to modify the machine generated translation of
specific teaching content, using the content engine, which in part
functions as a WIKI tool where student input is possible. This
enables collaborative extension and improvement of the translation
database created within database (12) or in a separate database
(not shown). The analysis utility (22) may analyze student
translations and possibly based on input from a translation editor
accepts new translation data into the translation database. In one
aspect of the invention, the translation database of the present
invention may be leverage by the operator of the system to provide
access to translation services or to license specific data sets to
others.
[0096] The translation engine is operable to obtain audio captured
from a video or text capture from a presentation for example, or
key words or other content, and translate this content
dynamically.
[0097] The present invention may also include an ad engine (40)
which obtains ad information, likely in co-operation with an online
ad service. The ad engine (40) may be understood as an interface to
a remote online ad service. The ad engine (40) cooperates with the
content engine (18) to associated selected ads with particular
information objects (32), whether based on the subject matter of
the information objects, demographics of relevant users, or ad
permissions defined by the teacher or the organization of which the
teacher is a part. It should be understood that in relation to
certain courses or episodes the ad engine may be "shut off" but for
other courses or episodes, where operation of the ad engine (40) is
permitted, the placement of selected ads into the web pages made
available using the system may provide a significant revenue
source, which may be allocated in a number of ways.
[0098] The use of the web server, or client-side software program,
and the processing server may provide a means for distributed
computing benefits, for example hosted application service provider
(ASP) processing models or software-as-a-service (SaaS) application
delivery models. Under these models, a third party may offer an E
learning platform for several entities to use to load their
teaching content, create courses, and promote and deliver their
teaching content to students.
[0099] The present invention may also be operable over a wireless
infrastructure. Present wireless devices are often provided with
web browsing capabilities, whether through WAP or traditional
means. The user interface of the present invention may be provided
to the wireless devices, with processing occurring on the server
side of the communication channel or any server associated with
such a network.
Content Generation
[0100] All content in the system (including everything in the
previous section, courses, ads, feeds, etc.) may be accessed using
an abstract messaging system that is part of the system of the
present invention. In one implementation of the present invention,
based on a dynamic messaging architecture used the messages can be
fed to either local handlers or remote handlers via a RPC
(architecture can change based upon load and caching). As such the
web presentation does not need to implement all of the access and
analysis methods (it does very little of this) but rather deals
with presenting contents after retrieval.
[0101] The E-learning platform includes or is linked to a content
generation utility or content engine (18), as explained further
below. The content engine (18) in one aspect thereof provides a
tool or series of tools that enable a teacher or teachers to create
or assemble teaching content. Likely, as explained below, the
teaching content may start with a teacher defined set of
information objects, but this may expand and evolve with
modification/promotion/demotion by students as a result of their
continuing interaction with the information objects or their
submission of related teaching content. In one aspect of the
invention, the content engine (18) enables the teacher(s) to create
or assemble "core" information objects that comprise the teaching
content, or to define information objects that constitute a base
line for teaching content, which may then be modified by students
subsequently by operation of the E-learning platform.
[0102] In one aspect of the content generation utility, it is
operable to guide the creation or assembly of teaching content
that, based on best practices, provides effective learning
opportunities for students (or specific demographic groups of
students) via electronic media. Informed by these best practices,
the content generation utility may establish parameters for
specific media to be used, interaction with education content
(individual and group), and presentation of teaching content
including one type or medium of teaching content relative to other
types or media of teaching content.
[0103] FIGS. 2a to 2l are representative illustrations of possible
content creation or assembly activities that may be undertaken
using the content engine.
[0104] The basic content management workflow enabled by the content
engine may include: Add a Course, Edit Course, Add an Episode,
Upload Episode Video, Edit Episode Video, Create Course Slides, Add
Episode Text, Add Learning Resources, and then push "Live". At any
time the content manager (usually the teacher for E-learning
applications) Manager can also add additional keywords, Video,
Slides, Learning Resources, and view Analytics. Based on Analytics
the content manager can add or remove Content.
[0105] The description immediately below highlights some of the
functions of the system relative to content engine operations. The
Figs. abstract representative interfaces that may be used to access
the user generated content management functions of the content
engine (these are usually teacher functions). In general, the
system provides an event based system that enables interrelates
associated content such that even if for example a user manipulates
the video content by skipping position, pausing, playback etc., the
content associated to the particular content of the video at the
specific point of the recording will be dynamically retrieved and
displayed. In other words, the system is operable to synchronize
multiple related information objects.
Learning Manager--Main, FIG. 2a.
[0106] Primary content is a course list of existing courses that
the content manager has created or assembled, or that they can
manage.
[0107] Each course may have several options (not limited to): Edit,
View Analytics, and Delete.
Learning Manager--Add Course, FIG. 2b.
[0108] Provides basic course information so that a placeholder can
be created for entry into the Editor. The Editor is an aspect of
the content engine that enables users to edit content, that
functions essentially like a WIKI.
Learning Manager--Edit Course, FIG. 2c.
[0109] Update basic course information.
[0110] Update course state.
[0111] Add/Remove course keywords (see Episode Edit Page)
[0112] Add/Edit episodes.
Learning Manager--Add Episode, FIG. 2d
[0113] Provides basic episode information so that a placeholder can
be created for entry into the Editor.
Learning Manager--Edit Episode, FIG. 2e.
[0114] Update basic episode information.
[0115] Update episode state.
[0116] Add/Remove episode keywords.
Learning Manager--Manage Episode Videos, FIG. 2f.
[0117] Upload new video section.
[0118] Reorder video sections.
[0119] These sections are a single Episode that might be produced
in different sections.
[0120] Learning Manager--Episode--Edit Video, FIG. 2g. This FIG.
illustrates the operation of a number of important functions
related to creation of the video and also synchronization of the
video with other information objects.
[0121] Set the start and end points of each Video.
[0122] Specify whether there are any parts of a Video to
remove.
[0123] Set "IN" points that specify valid content start.
[0124] Set "OUT" points that specify valid content ends.
[0125] Set "MARKER" which is used to signify a Slide transition
point.
[0126] Skip forwards and backwards a few seconds to allow easier
editing of IN and OUT points.
[0127] Timeline shows IN, OUT, and MARKER points.
[0128] Timeline has a time bar that can be dragged.
Learning Manager--Episode--Add/Edit Slides Main, FIG. 2h.
[0129] Add Slides in sync with Video.
[0130] Design a Slide as well as contents.
Learning Manager--Episode--Edit Slide, FIG. 2i.
[0131] Drag and Drop Editor that allows placement of elements.
[0132] Keyword Editor to display and add Meta Data to the slide to
be used for dynamic relevant content.
Learning Manager--Episode--Add/Edit Learning Resources, FIG.
2j.
[0133] Edit/Remove current resources.
[0134] Add recommended resources.
[0135] Add a new resource.
Learning Manager--View Course Analytics, FIG. 2k.
[0136] Information that can help a content manager such as a
teacher to improve a course. The information is obtained by
operation of the assessment utility and the analytics utility.
Learning Manager--View Episode Analytics, FIG. 2l.
[0137] Information that can help a Manager to improve an
episode.
[0138] FIGS. 3a, 3b, and 3c further illustrate possible features
and functions of the content engine.
[0139] FIG. 3a illustrates a representative workflow enabled by the
platform of the present invention for creating video teaching
content.
[0140] FIG. 3b illustrates a representative workflow enabled by the
platform of the present invention for creating slide teaching
content.
[0141] FIG. 3c illustrates a representative workflow enabled by the
platform of the present invention that enables the combination of
content in different media to create multimedia content.
[0142] Regarding FIG. 3a, this diagram illustrates a possible
workflow enabled by the content engine in connection with
information objects that consist of video. Video may be received or
obtained as input and stored for use at a later date. Audio may be
extracted from the video and then converted to text. The resulting
text may be used as base content, which is entered to the system
and the social media utility may detect interaction with the input
as context (for example an Episode, Course, Discussion, Notes,
etc). The content engine permits video to be related to slides in
order to assign video meta data to slides, and video by operation
of the system may provide context to associated portions of slide
content. The content of slides, or selected portions thereof, may
be translated into various languages and then stored by operation
of the translation engine. Content may also be sent to the meta
data engine to have a keyword graph assigned to it as further
explained elsewhere. Additionally, the content engine is operable
to render the video content to various bit rates for delivery at
various connection speeds.
[0143] FIG. 3b illustrates a possible workflow of the content
engine in connection with information objects that consist of
presentation slides. Slides may be received or obtained as input
and stored for use at a later date. Base content may be entered and
the social media utility may be detect interaction with the input
as context (for example an Episode, Course, Discussion, Notes,
etc). The content engine permits slides to be related to video in
order to assign slide meta data to video, and slides by operation
of the system may provide context to associated portions of video
content. The content of slides, or selected portions thereof, may
be translated into various languages and then stored by operation
of the translation engine. Content may also be sent to the meta
data engine to have a keyword graph assigned to it as further
explained elsewhere.
[0144] Similarly, for web content, the web content may be treated
by the system essentially as text. Web content may be generalized
or summarized by the system. The analysis utility may identify
links to other sites, search engine results, and uploaded
documents. The analysis utility may interoperate with the semantic
network engine for this purpose. YouTube, Vimeo, and other videos
may being linked or uploaded to the system and meta data may be
dynamically assigned through keywords on the remote content page as
well as keywords assigned to the data on upload.
[0145] FIG. 3c illustrates a representative workflow of content
engine functions associated with the combination of content from
different media to form specific multimedia combinations in
accordance with the present invention. Different content
combinations may be required for different platforms, and
especially in connection with mobile devices for example a
combination of content may provide multimedia content that is
optimal to consume using these devices. Video data may be
re-encoded at various bit rates depending on device requirements.
The Web presentment utility may be operable to fit and size content
to the particular mobile devices's screen to ensure content views
well. Audio content may be extracted and translated to text for
later stages as well as adding additional meta data to the video
content. Extracted text may be translated and combined with video
to provide subtitles for those viewers that may not fully
understand the original spoken language. Additionally, extracted
text may simply be placed over the video to add additional subtitle
capabilities. Audio may also be extracted and placed over rendered
video of slides for example so that the user may choose to view
slides on a mobile device. Video and slides may be combined with
the original audio content to form a new video that alternates
between the original video and rendered slide content (the slides
may be in translated form at this point).
[0146] The workflows for the content engine illustrate that in one
aspect thereof the functions of the content engine may operate in a
linear manner. (1) A base request is processed by one or many of
the utilities or engines of the system, (2) the content is then
enhanced by adding additional content to support the output
content, (3) an interface (for example a web page rendered by the
web presentment utility) is then generated around all pieces of
content, and (4) finally the interface is delivered to the user's
network-connected device based on information regarding the device,
software, and network connection parameters of the device.
[0147] This is often followed by (5) an "enhancement" phase which
may involve generating additional content. An example of additional
content would be to load mobile versions of videos based upon a
mobile content "Token" being generated. Additional content may also
include items such as a Social Feed or even a modified Page Title.
Another example of enhancement is that if the assessment utility
identifies areas of weakness of a particular user, then for example
the system is operable to (a) identify additional content that may
be useful to the user, including based on information being
currently consumed by the user, (b) this content may be linked to
associated content already presented to the user, (c) specific
content or selections of content may be highlighted for the user,
based on relevance relative to either the content that the user is
currently consuming or for example information regarding areas of
weakness for the user, as determined by operation of the assessment
utility. Highlighting may include bolding certain text, changing
text color, or color of other data objects, increasing the volume
around specific ideas likely to be important for this particular
user. The enhancements may even result in dynamic enhancements to
specific content, for example, addition of selected additional
video content to a video; addition of specific slides within a
slide presentation to explain in greater detail concepts that
perhaps the user does not fully understand yet, etc.
[0148] The present invention also contemplates adjusting the
presentation of content to compensate for specific attributes of
students such as visual impairment, color blindness, hearing
impairment and so on.
[0149] The description that follows describes some additional
features and functions of the utilities shown in FIG. 4.
[0150] The content engine (18) is further operable to: (1) accept
original video content and re-encode it appropriately for a variety
of delivery platforms; and (2) combine various types of content to
present it in new formats. The content engine cooperates with the
translation engine to convert content between languages as well as
combining content from various languages to better engage a user.
The content engine also allows user feedback on content for self
improvement as well as improvement by content creator.
[0151] The meta data engine gathers data from users, courses,
episodes, discussions, notes, chats, video, slides, and text. It
assigns weighting to data components based upon frequency of
specific keywords and proximity to other keywords. Meta data may
also be selectively assigned for example to content, users, and
groups. The meta data engine may also accept data from other
utilities or engines. The meta data engine may incorporate or link
to a relational engine to determine what a user does and doesn't
deem to be important. Alternatively, the relational functionality
may be included in the analysis utility. These functions may be
enhanced by operation of the semantic network engine that is
operable to semantically analyze data and establish semantic
relations. The meta data engine may also use feedback on whether
presented content is relevant or not to enable "self tuning".
[0152] The meta data engine also uses social interactions to
determine what content and users the user determines to be
important, and associated data may be dynamically added to the meta
data engine. For example, input to the system can be used to
determine the context of social items needed. Then, the meta data
engine retrieves based on this context the social items needed from
the social media utility, as well as the particular content
associated with the social connections. This may be achieved by
extracting summary items or keywords from content associated with
the social connections. The summary items may be inserted for
example into a social feed presented to a particular user as
previously explained. If needed, summary items can be translated
automatically by operation of the translation engine.
[0153] The translation engine is operable to automatically
translate content between languages. The translation engine also
accepts user feedback on specific words and phrases that more
accurately convey an idea, and then uses user feedback for future
translations. In one aspect of the invention, the audio may be
extracted from video content, audio may be converted to text and
then this text may be translated by the translation engine. The
translation input may come from a variety of sources. In a
particular aspect of translation by operation of the system of the
present invention, there is a first stage in which the analysis
utility determines the context of an information object to be
translated, and this is used as initial input. The context may be
different if a user is interacting from a mobile platform or is
using instant messaging for example. The context provides clues as
to how specific information should be interpreted which enables
refinement of the translation process. Context specific libraries
are then loaded and are based upon past user context to provide a
translation that for the particular content and the particular user
is likely to be more accurate. In one aspect of the invention
therefore teaching content may be dynamically translated into a
user's native language.
[0154] The assessment utility or engine may provide metrics for
users of the system as well as to the system with regards to how
complete the knowledge of the user is of a particular component.
The assessment engine may use meta data to determine the important
topics within a course. In one aspect, the assessment engine and
the content engine may cooperate to provide to a particular user a
set of information objects that relate directly to their own weak
knowledge areas. The assessment engine may communicate assessment
data to users, and also data from the assessment engine may be used
to dynamically highlight content in the web pages that may be of
particular use to a particular user based on the assessment
results.
[0155] The analysis utility combines the resources of other
utilities or engines for example the meta data engine, the semantic
network engine, the assessment engine, and obtains data from the
social media utility, and enhances their functions. The analysis
utility uses meta data to determine relationships between users,
and to determine relationships between content. The analysis
utility links to other utilities to obtain user behaviour for
example based on specific users taking notes in relation to
specific content, analyzes discussions regarding content so as to
obtain for example metrics for content creators to derive analytics
as to what concepts or ideas are well understood and what concepts
or ideas are not. This information may also be provided to the
users themselves, for example students. The analysis utility is
operable to develop profiles of users that are used by other
engines to enhance their functionality. The analysis utility is
operable to relate users to one another based meta data. This may
be based on similarity of background or ideas, or dissimilarity of
background ideas. Based on the teaching objectives for example the
analysis utility may suggest possible matches for smaller groups of
students to work on projects, participate in smaller mediate chat
sessions and so on. The analysis utility is also operable to relate
content to users based upon meta data, assessment, and social
engines. The analysis utility, in one aspect thereof, is operable
to track and relate users to one another through common interaction
with content, whether this interaction is direct or indirect.
[0156] In one aspect of the invention, the analysis utility
includes a relational engine or component that collects data to
identify or form relationships between users whether they're
directly or indirectly connected. A direct connection exists when
users interact with related pieces of data. In each case a "fuzzy"
understanding of relationships may be required at a broad level.
The "fuzzy" understanding allows computational power to be saved
where exact understanding would require intensive processing. For
particular cases, a more precise understanding of relationship
scores may be required and additional resources could be dedicated
to that computation at that time.
[0157] The system of the present invention may define for each user
meta data through all of the interactions in the system with
content. The analysis utility may create a profile for a user,
which is stored to the database, based on meta data associated with
the user through content creation, interaction data from the social
media utility, and interaction meta data in relation to the content
or similar content. When for example a user seeks to input new
content to the system (for example the addition of an information
object that the user submits is relevant to another information
object), this profile may be retrieved by the analysis utility.
Meta Data graphs may be generated and then are overlapped to
generate graphs where node strengths indicate how strongly users
are related at a Data level. Relevant social relationships then
further strengthen or weaken specific Nodes and Edges based upon
past Interactions and the context Interactions. If the relevant
users have not interacted directly through a course (weak
interaction) or a discussion (strong interaction)) then the Social
Relationship mapping will have no effect, as it will be a NULL
mapping. Weak Interactions, such as through a Course Interaction,
are not as strong as Discussion Interaction and will weight upon
the Nodes in a different manner. The Weightings are dynamic and
stored in a Data format. The resulting Relation scores (one before
the Social Map is applied and one after) is stored and can be used
to determine similar users, dissimilar users, as well as what users
are considered important from a social perspective. The difference
in Relation scores determines the Social Importance and Relevance
of users to each other.
[0158] It should also be understood that the analysis utility is
further operable to relate specific content to users. Also content
may be related to other content based for example on the meta data
and social interactions. This can feed a much richer searching
capability within the web environment of the platform or linked to
the platform.
[0159] Further possible functions and features of the assessment
utility include the following. Assessment/Test Results may be input
into the assessment engine. Associated content may be retrieved to
obtain relevant content meta data in co-operation with the meta
data engine. Also, tests can be dynamically generated using meta
data from the meta data engine. With two maps of meta data it can
now be determined what concepts and keywords a user has
understanding of. A complete/definite/exact assessment is not
necessary, rather unknown and common components are necessary so
that related and known concepts can be used to generate greater
understanding during presentation. An "understanding" map may be
derived which may consist of a weighted graph where nodes record
positive and negative values of "understanding". Assessments may be
recorded over time to generate a time based understanding
graph.
[0160] Another aspect of the assessment utility is the creation of
a course assessment. Much like the understanding of an individual
user can be determined, a course or episode can be assessed to
determine how well users understand a component thereof. By
combining all test results an accurate map of understanding can be
generated. Time based understanding graphs are also stored and this
allows determination of how well users learn over time.
[0161] The web presentment utility is operable to present web
interfaces and content to users by using information objects and
data from the other engines. It is operable to highlight particular
content to users, for example, as a result of the assessment
utility, the web presentment utility may highlight specific content
by changing the colour of links to specific content, enlarging the
size of links to specific content, and so on. The web presentment
utility is operable to conform content to users based upon various
platform, user, and content meta data.
[0162] FIG. 5 further illustrates operation of the present
invention, showing a possible workflow enabled by the content
engine showing the dynamic creation or
modification/promotion/demotion of text content. Text may be
received or obtained as input and stored for use at a later date.
Base content may be entered and the social media utility may be
detect interaction with the input as context (for example an
Episode, Course, Discussion, Notes, etc). Content, or selected
portions thereof, may be translated into various languages and then
stored by operation of the translation engine. Content may also be
sent to the meta data engine to have a keyword graph assigned to it
as further explained elsewhere.
[0163] In one aspect of the invention, the system may be operable
to convert selected data to a standardized model in conjunction
with the data type. The standardized model allows quick comparison
and mapping of common data processing functions. This also aids in
permitting ready translation of content by operation of the
translation engine. This also supports the functions of the
semantic network engine, including as it relates to creating
context for incoming data and information objects, and determining
the purpose of the introduction of data or information objects, for
example because users can use different terminology and phrasing in
different parts of the system.
[0164] In another aspect of the invention, as the data is
translated to the standardized model, it may be assigned to a
weighting map to increase or decrease the importance of particular
pieces of data based upon previous interactions with the system, as
best shown in FIG. 9. The weighting map can also be directly
influenced by whether a content creator (such as a teacher) is
assigning absolute importance to a topic. The weighting map is
constantly refined and uses a feedback loop to determine importance
of specific keywords. The weighting map is just one example of a
function that may be implemented to the analysis utility.
[0165] Keyword importance can be determined through frequency of
use, increase or decrease in frequency over period of time,
increased or decreased relevance, length of word, relevance through
dictionary searches, and a variety of dynamic factors.
[0166] After weighting, a standardized keyword graph may be
generated that shows the importance of the Meta Data in relation to
central data items as well as in relation to each other. The graph
may have weighted edges and increases the value of highly connected
nodes and nodes connected to valuable keywords.
[0167] Nodes determined to be of little value may then be trimmed.
This may include common keywords such as "at", "this", or "the".
Words trimmed do not add value to the data model and the graph.
Words may be trimmed in the context of the graph and not an
absolute global value.
[0168] The graph may then be stored to the database as well as
keyword scores generated from the graph. The graph and the keywords
may be stored in the database or memory as performance requirements
dictate.
[0169] Referencing FIGS. 6 and 7 certain functions of the social
media utility are explained by way of example. The social media
utility includes or is linked to a social engine for tracking
interactions and extracting interactions in connection with the
creation of content or modification/promotion/demotion of
content.
[0170] Regarding FIG. 6 in particular social interactions come from
a variety of sources including messaging another user, responding
to a discussion, creating notes based on content, participating in
groups, and even an interaction as simple as course participation.
Each interaction may be stored immediately for record keeping and
for use by the other engines or utilities. The participants in each
interaction may be extracted. The relative importance of an
interaction is determined and then used to increase or decrease a
relationship score. The context of an interaction is important as a
single reply to a discussion may not increase a relationship score
greatly but repeated interaction in a discussion by the same
participants strengthens their bond. The meta data engine is
provided information on the interaction as well as keywords
associated with the participants. The keywords may be assigned
higher scores by the system as the user has shown indication as to
the importance. The participants' relationship graphs are also
updated and stored for future use in generation of presentation
elements or other information objects, including for use by the
analysis utility.
[0171] Regarding FIG. 7, the social media utility accepts either
general data requests that result in all interactions being
returned or filtered data requests that filters the results.
Interactions, which were stored immediately, may be returned and
then filters are assigned which may remove interactions based upon
importance of filter data to participants. Specific interactions
can be requested and an example would be for use on a Course Social
Feed that would result only in interactions relevant to a
particular course being shown.
[0172] Referencing FIG. 8 certain other functions of the meta data
engine are shown by way of example, in this case in connection with
the use of the meta data engine for searching for relevant content.
The initial phases as described in the preceding section may be
initiated, and then incoming searches based on keywords or content
may be used to generate a graph to show relative importance of
incoming content. After the trimming of nodes the remaining nodes
may be used to search through the keywords stored. Higher scores
point to relevant content and with multiple keywords an overlap in
scores results in a resulting higher importance for a search
result. Since the graph nodes are connected by weighted edges,
content can be cross-referenced even if a particular keyword is not
found specifically.
[0173] FIG. 10 illustrates the resources that of the E-learning
platform of the invention, as provided to user who logs in to the
system, from the perspective of a user who compiles content, such
as for example a teacher. The various resources described above are
displayed in FIG. 10, including for example management of courses,
and related forms, management of episodes part of the courses,
management of groups and associated forms, and management of
assessments.
[0174] FIG. 11 illustrates a possible implementation of the present
invention and shows the administrative resources that may be
associated with an administrative user of the platform of the
present invention. One set of functions relate to settings, and
another set of functions related to management of content creation
and delivery, including based on engagement of users.
[0175] In another aspect of the invention, the invention allows for
teacher content creation and delivery to be funded from sponsorship
fees or advertising as decided by the teacher or source
organization, which may be a University, government agency or
private corporation. The analytics utility can input user meta data
and user profile data to target advertising based on a wide range
of user attributes and demographic information, such as location,
language, interests or metadata profile. The E-learning platform
can import targeted advertising video clips prior to or following
the video teaching content viewing by a student. The E-learning
platform can also overlay a fixed or changing themed styling which
may include the sponsor's logo, message, and corporate branding
onto the viewing platform. The ad engine, as mentioned previously,
can be used to place ads within the content.
[0176] The E-learning platform can be linked with third party
systems such as Facebook.TM. for example to post courses and
statistics regarding student participation and interaction with
specific course materials.
Advantages
[0177] Numerous of the advantages of the invention have already
been highlighted.
[0178] The system of the present invention collects meta data based
on the users' background, usage patterns/consumption and peer usage
patterns/consumption and models relevant learning material and then
identifies, tags this meta data to specific points in time for
example in video content to further customize content not just to
the user and to the content (in this case the video content) but
also to concepts being covered at a specific point in time during
the course of the video being played. This notion of time sensitive
presentation of related content can be applied to other types of
content and other workflows enabled by the present invention.
[0179] Furthermore the presentation of content including related
content can be customized to the user based on various attributes
of the user including location (country, city, university),
educational preferences and needs (defined in an initial profile),
language, peer group and individual searching patterns. This
further enhances the relevance of the content to the user, and also
avoids for example culturally insensitive content being presented
to a user.
[0180] The present invention provides a dynamic, intelligent
E-learning platform that provides students a customized view of
material using filters that organize and populate a framework of
knowledge with information and digital media content including
video, sound, images, and real time internet content.
[0181] The present invention improves on prior art systems in
providing a high degree of flexibility as to not only when content
is consumed, but also from what type of device. The meta data
collected and analyzed by the invention, based on unique aspects of
the invention enable the dynamic creation of content derivatives
such as summarized documents or summarized interactions that can be
more readily consumed on a mobile device for example.
[0182] The system of the invention can include or be linked to full
archival capabilities and interactive tools, and therefore become
for example a key corporate asset.
[0183] The system is ideal for delivering education and creating
dialogue on company specific issues, for generating ideas on
continuous improvement and for monitoring and enforcing the
learning requirements that companies require. It also provides an
effective corporate communications tool to create and deliver
corporate messaging, operational information or even showcase
events.
[0184] As users contribute content to the system, these
contributions can be archived and reviewed by other employees or
shared to ensure greater reach of important company themes and
initiatives.
[0185] The company has the choice to expand the content easily by
importing course content from a library associated with the system
or by ordering from the outside, all organized from a central
administrative point. This material can be open to new dynamic
material or such material limited by the administrator/content
creator. For international companies the translation features
combined with the social networking/discussion groups features
allow centralized companies to form collaboration teams and
discussion groups around accessing specific course material.
[0186] Users access the course material at a time and place that is
convenient to the user and doesn't interrupt their normal work
schedule. It allows for study groups to study common course
material together without having to meet face-to-face and allows
better observation by supervisors of employee interaction and
participation for reviews.
[0187] The system is designed as an ongoing learning platform that
can continue to provide contextual based discussions among users,
even after the course content has been consumed. Whereby users can
purchase further courses and share their learning experiences or
outside knowledge material with existing discussion groups,
spawning ever continuing discussions.
[0188] The system of the present invention provides greater
flexibility to students to consume content in a way that fits best
with their learning, including for specific knowledge. For example,
a student if s/he having trouble understanding a specific concept
s/he may (a) pause a video, (b) read background material, (c) find
student interactions involving one or more students who had trouble
with the same product and perhaps explain the concept in ways most
useful to the student, (d) may do additional independent searching
and review, (e) may seek translation of selected content if that
translation is not already available, (f) may "ask a friend" for
information regarding that concept through Internet chat for
example. After the student has obtained the knowledge s/he desire,
s/he may return to the lecture and will as a result learn more from
the subsequent content.
[0189] The system provides significant benefits to students,
enabling them to quickly and easily extract, and organize, and save
to a web area associated with them, specific information objects or
selection thereof that are relevant to them. This make this process
of summarizing information, analyzing information, and storing
information for repeated review much more efficient, and therefore
aids in improving learning results.
[0190] The present invention feeds the desire of individuals to
continue learning constantly, providing on demand access to
education in a form that meets or exceeds the educational value or
more traditional instruction.
[0191] The present invention improves student retention in specific
courses because students are more engaged with the content and with
one another and their teachers.
[0192] Significantly, content managed or created using the system
of the present invention becomes dynamic, more up to date and more
relevant to students in part because in many cases students are
influenced by their peers, and by operation of the present system
interactions by peers with the teacher, with content, are available
for others to view, to model, and to learn from.
[0193] The present invention enables content to be enriched by
interactions and learning from past courses. The collective wisdom
or new ideas that sometimes emerge from the unique combination of a
particular group of individuals, interacting with one another, and
interacting with content is sometimes difficult to transfer to a
new group because time constraints on teachers and possibly
different teachers taking on different courses. The present system
enables the "best" content or interactions from one situation to
survive by being dynamically transferred to a subsequent class. In
fact such content and interactions can be transferred by the system
from one class to a completely different class to enable
cross-pollination of ideas and learning, and to enable
multi-disciplinary learning. In one implementation of the
invention, this aspect could be leveraged to encourage more
efficient research or product development by dynamically linking
activities that may be interrelated and deliver value to one
another.
[0194] It should be understood that the present invention is
operable to provide deeper knowledge regarding the attitudes of
users in part because the system is operable to identify, compile
and analyze how users relate to specific content, and thereby to
specific themes and ideas covered by such content.
[0195] The present invention enables quick and cost effective
expansion of teaching output, especially to address growing demand
in countries such as China or India for educational content,
especially from particular institutions with recognized expertise
in certain areas.
Further Implementations
[0196] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that
other variations of the embodiments described herein may also be
practiced without departing from the scope of the invention. Other
modifications are therefore possible. It should be understood that
the present invention may be implemented in a number of different
ways, using different collaborative technologies, data frameworks,
mobile technologies, web presentment technologies, content
enhancement tools, document summarization tools, translation
techniques and technologies, semantic tools, data modeling tools,
communication technologies, web technologies, and so on. The
present technology could also be integrated into one or more of
such third party technologies, or such third party technologies
could be modified to include the functionality described in this
invention.
* * * * *