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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a computer-driven interactive learning
system for use in learning a computer program for an application, such as
a word processing, in which a number of different modes of learning are
accessible to the user of the system.
Many computer programs exist for performing often used functions such as
word processing, financial spreadsheeting, and database functions. Such
computer programs are referred to herein as application programs. Examples
of application programs in widespread use are LOTUS 1-2-3 and WORDPERFECT.
"Application program" as used herein also includes an operating system
program such as the DOS where a user is learning to use the operating
system program.
The training of personnel in the use of application programs may be
performed by various methods. Such training may be accomplished via a
traditional approach in which students are taught by a teacher with
written reference materials, such as a user's manual for the application
program. In addition, each student may be provided with a computer for
executing the application program being learned so that the instruction is
augmented by hands-on experience. This traditional type of instruction has
disadvantages such as the relatively infrequent scheduling of classes and
limited availability of personal instruction due to class size.
One alternative to the traditional approach to learning application
programs is the use of computer-driven interactive learning systems which
can be used by a single student. One such interactive learning system is
described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,797 to Whitney, et al. That patent
describes a computer-driven software training system in which a computer
is coupled to a cassette tape player system. The training system operates
by selectively activating the cassette player to provide oral instruction
to the student, and by analyzing the student's keystrokes input while the
computer program being taught is running. If the student makes the correct
keystrokes, the tape player is turned on and the oral lesson continues. If
an incorrect entry is made, the learning system enters the correct entry
and proceeds with the next portion of the training lesson.
Another computer-driven interactive learning system is described in U.S.
Pat. No. 4,622,013 to Cerchio. That patent describes an interactive
software training system which trains a student to use an application
program. The training system works by interpreting the data entered by the
student for the application program. That interpretation allows the
training system to determine if the student requires additional
instruction before proceeding with the next portion of the application
program instruction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an interactive learning system and method for use
in learning an application program, such as a word processing program,
that provides different modes of learning to a user and gives the user
great flexibility in using the various learning modes. The learning modes
may include interactive audiovisual lessons that simulate the operation of
the actual program, a reference mode in which the user may access textual
reference information about various subject matter areas of the
application program, and an application mode in which the user runs that
actual application program being learned.
The interactive learning system in accordance with the present invention
also provides a method of learning an application program in which three
different learning paths may be utilized. One of the learning paths is a
lesson path during which the user works through a sequence of audiovisual
lessons relating to various features of the application program being
learned, and then upon completion of the lesson sequence, uses the actual
application program to reinforce the audiovisual instruction provided by
the system. In a second learning path, the user may select a topic
relating to a feature of the application program being learned and then
receive either audiovisual lessons or electronic textual reference
information regarding the selected topic. In a third learning path, the
user may run the application program without initially receiving any
system training, but may access electronic textual reference information
relating to the application program, while the application program is
running, without the need to exit the application program.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be
apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the detailed
description of the preferred embodiment, which is made with reference to
the drawings, a brief description of which is provided below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the electronics of a preferred embodiment of
an interactive learning system in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an illustration of an options display generated during the
operation of the learning system;
FIG. 3a is an illustration of a unit selection display generated during
operation of the system;
FIG. 3b is an illustration of a lesson selection display generated during
operation of the system;
FIG. 4a is an illustration of a topic index display generated during
operation of the system;
FIG. 4b is an illustration of a topic selection display generated during
operation of the system;
FIG. 5a is an illustration of a quick reference index display generated
during operation of the learning system;
FIG. 5b is an illustration of a quick reference item display generated
during operation of the system;
FIG. 6a is an illustration of a desk reference index display generated
during operation of the system;
FIG. 6b is an illustration of a desk reference item display generated
during operation of the system;
FIG. 7a is an illustration of a clipboard index display generated during
operation of the system;
FIG. 7b is an illustration of a clipboard item display generated during
operation of the system;
FIG. 7c is an illustration of a clipboard create display generated during
operation of the system;
FIG. 8 is an illustration of a path selection display generated during
operation of the system;
FIG. 9 is an overview of the methods of learning available in accordance
with the present invention; and
FIGS. 10-18 are flowcharts of a computer program that controls the
operation of the learning system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A preferred embodiment of an interactive learning system 10 in accordance
with the invention is shown in FIG. 1. The system 10 includes a
microprocessor 12 connected to a read-only memory (ROM) 14 and a
random-access memory (RAM) 16 via a bus 18. A computer program that
controls the operation of the interactive learning system 10 is stored in
the ROM 14 and executed by the microprocessor 12.
A number of input/output (I/O) devices are connected to the microprocessor
12 via the bus 18. These I/O devices include a display device such as a
CRT 20, an audio generator such as a speaker 22, a disk drive 24, a
compact-disk (CD) R0M drive 26 and a user input device 28 such as a
keyboard or an electronic mouse.
During operation of the system, visual information and lessons are
generated on the CRT 20 from the CD-ROM drive 26. At the same time, audio
instruction is provided to the user via the speaker 22. In addition to the
audiovisual lessons, textual reference information about the application
program being learned may be provided on the CRT 20.
When used by a hearing-impaired user, or in an environment in which
individual speakers are not available, such as a local-area network (LAN),
the learning system 10 may be provided with means for generating text on
the display 20 that substantially corresponds to the audio that would be
generated by the speaker 22. In this case, the text corresponding to the
entire audio soundtrack for each lesson is stored in a portion of memory.
Instead of periodically activating the speaker 22 to generate audio
instruction for the user, the learning system 10 periodically accesses the
memory portion in which the text corresponding to the audio soundtrack is
stored, and displays sequential portions of the text on the CRT 20 as a
lesson progresses. The visual text corresponding to the portion of the
audio soundtrack may be provided in a predetermined area of the CRT 20,
such as in a window separated from the text relating to the visual portion
of the lesson. The generation of visual text corresponding to the audio
soundtrack may also be performed in other ways.
The interactive learning system 10 of the invention may be utilized in
connection with a conventional personal computer or any other type of
computer system. The manner in which the computer program of the preferred
embodiment and the application program being learning or used are stored
in memory is not critical to the invention. The two programs could be
stored in different portions of one memory or in two separate memories.
Overview of Operation
The interactive learning system allows a user to utilize three different
types of instruction: 1) interactive audiovisual instruction, 2) textual
reference information; and 3) instruction by using the actual application
program being taught.
The interactive audiovisual instruction includes two sub-categories of
instruction. The user can receive audiovisual instruction based upon
either predesigned sequences of audiovisual lesson segments or audiovisual
lesson segments tailored to very specific points of instruction.
The textual reference information has three subcategories: 1) a "quick
reference" sub-category which provides relatively brief textual
explanation of various aspects of the application program being taught; 2)
a "desk reference" sub-category which provides detailed textual
explanation of various aspects of the application program; and 3)
"clipboard information" which is custom-generated by the user.
These six categories of instruction, or modes of learning, can be accessed
by the user a number of ways, one of which is an options display 40
generated by the system during operation. Referring to FIG. 2, the options
display 40 includes a lessons window 42 at its upper left portion, a
reference window 44 at its middle left portion, and an Application key 46
and a Resume key 47 at its lower left portion.
The Unit Menu and Lesson Menu Keys
The lessons window 42 includes two sub-windows or keys that can be selected
by the user in order to receive interactive audiovisual lessons: a Unit
Menu key and a Lesson Menu key. These keys may be selected via an
electronic mouse or by enclosing them in a highlight box and hitting the
Enter key of the keyboard.
The subject matter of the application program being taught is broken down
into relatively broad information categories, or units. Each unit is
further subdivided into a number of lessons. In order to receive
interactive audiovisual instruction, the user may select a particular unit
and one of the lessons within that unit. The number of units and the
number of lessons in each unit is not important, nor is the particular
manner in which the application program is divided into units and lessons.
A unit is selected by the user by activating the Unit Menu key in the
lesson window 42. In response, the system 10 generates a unit selection
display 50, which is shown in FIG. 3a. The unit selection display 50
contains eight relatively broad categories, or units, on which audiovisual
instruction can be received with respect to Version 2.2 of LOTUS 1-2-3.
These categories include: 1) SKILL BUILDER.RTM. orientation, which is an
orientation to the interactive learning system of the present invention;
2) Unit 1: Worksheet Basics; 3) Unit 2: Building Flexible Worksheets; etc.
When the user selects one of the eight units of the unit selection display
50, the system 10 generates a lesson selection display 54 shown in FIG.
3b, which contains seven lessons for Unit 1: Worksheet Basics. It should
be appreciated that there is a unique lesson selection display like the
one shown in FIG. 3b for each unit shown in the unit selection display 50
of FIG. 3a. When the user selects one of the lessons shown in the lesson
selection display 54, a series of audiovisual lesson segments is initiated
on the subject matter described by the selected lesson.
The Topic Menu Key
Instead of receiving audiovisual lessons by selecting particular units and
lessons, the user may instead choose to receive audiovisual instruction or
textual instruction based upon a particular topic. Referring to FIG. 2,
this course of action is chosen by selecting the Topic Menu key in the
lesson window 42. As a result of this selection, the system generates a
topic index display 58 shown in FIG. 4a.
The topic index display 58 has a relatively large window 60 which lists the
various topics relating to the application program upon which audiovisual
lessons can be received. The subject matter areas of the topics may be
made relatively narrow so that the lessons are short and specifically
tailored to the specific topic. As a result, the use of the topic index to
receive audiovisual instruction is advantageous in that specific
instruction can be received without the necessity of going through an
entire lesson.
Upon selection of one of the topics shown in the topic index window 58 of
FIG. 4a, the system generates a topic selection display 64 shown in FIG.
4b, which prompts the user to select the type of instruction to be given
on the selected topic.
The user may receive three types of instruction. To receive interactive
audiovisual instruction, the user should select the Lesson Segment key in
the main window 66 of the display 64. To receive relatively brief textual
instruction and examples, the user would select the Quick Reference and
Examples key in the main window 66. To receive detailed textual
instruction, the user would select the Details key in the main window 66.
The QuickRef Key
Referring back to FIG. 2, the user can receive relatively brief textual
reference information by selecting a QuickRef key in the reference window
44. If the user selects this key, the system generates a quick reference
index display 70, like the one shown in FIG. 5a, that includes in a main
window 72 an index of topics relating to the application program for which
relatively brief reference information can be obtained. Upon selection of
one of the topics in the main window 72, the system generates a quick
reference item display 74, shown in FIG. 5b, that contains in a main
window 76 relatively brief textual information about the topic selected
from the index.
The DeskRef Key
Referring back to FIG. 2, in order to obtain detailed textual reference
information about a topic, the user may select the DeskRef key in the
reference window 44. Upon that selection, the system 10 generates a desk
reference index display 80, like the one shown in FIG. 6a, that contains
in a main window 82 an index of topics for which relatively detailed
textual reference information about the application program can be
obtained. Upon selecting one of the topics in the main window 82, the
system generates a desk reference item display 86, shown in FIG. 6b, that
contains in a main window 88 relatively detailed textual information about
the selected topic. If the reference information exceeds one CRT display,
the information may be scrolled up and down by the user.
The Clipboard Key
Referring back to FIG. 2, a third option available when using the reference
window 44 is the Clipboard key. Selecting that key activates an electronic
clipboard, or memory, the contents of which may be custom-generated by the
user and stored on a diskette as explained in more detail below.
When the clipboard is selected, the system generates a clipboard index
display 90 as shown in FIG. 7a. The display 90 contains in a main window
92 a listing of the titles of all items of information that have been
stored in the electronic clipboard. When the user selects a title from the
index display 90, the system generates a clipboard item display 96, shown
in FIG. 7b, which contains in a main window 98 the textual contents of the
selected title.
The Clipboard key may also be used to write notes generated by the user and
save those notes to the clipboard diskette. Writing notes to the clipboard
is accomplished via a clipboard create display 110 shown in FIG. 7c and
described in more detail below.
The clipboard feature also allows the user to "clip" or store any of the
reference information available on the interactive learning system, such
as the reference information available via the QuickRef and DeskRef keys
described above, to the clipboard diskette.
After the clipboard diskette is generated by the user, he or she may use
that diskette in any other computer where the application program is
available so that the user may access the information on the clipboard
during subsequent use of the application program. This feature is
particularly advantageous where users access the interactive learning
system in a central training center and subsequently use the application
program in their own offices.
The Application Key
An Application key 46 is provided towards the bottom left-hand portion of
the options display 40 of FIG. 2. The purpose of the Application key 46 is
to allow the user to use the actual application program being learned. As
described in more detail below, the selection of the Application key 46
results in different actions, depending upon when the user selected it.
For example, if the user selects the Application key 46 without first
conducting any lessons, the application program will be automatically run
without the need for the user to manually terminate the operation of the
interactive learning program.
Alternatively, if the user selects the Application key 46 upon completion
of the lessons contained in one of the units of the interactive learning
program, the application program will be automatically loaded and run, and
an electronic file relating to the subject matter of the lessons just
completed will be loaded into the application program. Thus, after
completing a unit of lessons for a particular subject matter, the user may
reinforce his or her learning by using the application program in a manner
relating to that subject matter for which instruction was just received.
The Resume Key
The Resume key 47 is provided at the bottom left-hand portion of the
options display 40 of FIG. 2. The purpose of the Resume key is to allow
the user to temporarily interrupt a lesson in progress to access reference
information and then to return to the exact point where the lesson was
interrupted.
For example, if a user were conducting a lesson and wanted to obtain
detailed reference information about a particular topic, the user could
select the Topic Menu key in the lessons window 42 to access the reference
information, and then return to the exact point where the lesson was
interrupted by selecting the Resume key 47.
The lessons window 42, the reference window 44, the Application key 46 and
the Resume key 47 are provided on many of the displays that are generated
during the operation of the interactive learning system. As a result, the
user may select any of these keys at any point in the program, thus giving
the user tremendous flexibility in using the system to his or her own
maximum benefit.
Overview Of Methods Of Learning
The interactive learning system of the present invention offers users three
different learning paths to allow maximum flexibility of the system to
meet the varying user needs. These three different learning paths include
a lesson path, a topic path, and a work support path, which are shown in
FIG. 9.
The lesson path may be advantageously selected by users who have never used
the application program or who have little knowledge about its operation.
The lesson path provides a sequence of specially designed interactive
audiovisual lessons for each subject matter area or unit into which the
application program is divided.
Referring to FIG. 9, after the learning program is started at step 120, the
user is given a visual prompt on the CRT 20 at step 122 to select one of
the three learning paths available on the system. If the user selects the
lesson path, at step 130 the system generates the unit selection display
50, shown in FIG. 3a and described above, to allow the user to select a
desired unit.
After the unit is selected, at step 132 the system generates the lesson
selection display 54 of FIG. 3b to allow the user to select a desired
lesson. After the user completes the lesson at step 134, he or she selects
another lesson from the unit until all the lessons in the unit are
completed. If all the lessons are completed at step 136, the user
transfers to the actual application program at step 138 to perform
exercises relating directly to the unit for which all lessons were
completed, thus reinforcing the instruction the user just received during
the lesson session.
Instead of the lesson path, the user may select the topic path, which is
shown in the left-hand portion of FIG. 9. As described above, information
about the application program is divided into various subject matter
areas, or topics, about which the user can obtain information or receive
lessons. The topic path may be used to quickly obtain information and
instruction about specific areas of the application program, without the
need for going through an entire sequence of lessons.
If the topic path is selected, the user first selects a topic at step 150
via the topic index display 58 shown in FIG. 4a and described above. At
step 154, the user then selects the type of information or instruction he
or she wishes to receive. This selection is accomplished via the topic
selection display 64 of FIG. 4b. Depending on the user's request, the user
receives lessons specifically tailored to the selected topic at step 154,
or relatively brief textual reference information at step 156, or detailed
reference information at step 158.
The third learning path available to the user, the work support path, is
shown in the right-hand portion of FIG. 9. This path initially bypasses
all lessons and reference information and allows the user to run the
application program at step 170. However, at any point in the application
program, and without exiting the application program, the user may
retrieve and display on the CRT 20 customized, previously generated
clipboard information at step 172, or brief reference information at step
174, or detailed reference information at step 176. The work support path
may be advantageous to users who already have some working knowledge of
the application program, or who have already completed the lesson path or
the topic path, or who are simply more adventurous.
Detailed Operation
The operation of the interactive learning system is controlled by a
computer program 200 executed by the microprocessor 12. A flowchart of the
computer program 200 is illustrated in FIGS. 10-18. Referring to FIG. 10,
at step 202 when the operation begins, the user is given a visual prompt
on the CRT 20 asking whether the user will be using the clipboard feature.
If the user intends to use the clipboard feature, a diskette must be
inserted into the disk drive 24 so that system can store items on the
diskette and retrieve information from the diskette. At step 204, if the
user responds that the clipboard feature will be used, the program
branches to step 206 where the user is given a visual prompt to insert the
clipboard diskette into the disk drive 24.
When the diskette has been inserted as determined at step 208, the program
generates a visual prompt on the CRT 20 to ask the user which application
program, or course, the user wishes to use. The interactive learning
system 10 is capable of providing instruction with respect to a number of
application programs. After the user selects the desired course at step
212, the program generates another visual prompt to the user at step 214
requesting that the user insert the CD-ROM corresponding to the selected
course into the CD-ROM drive 26.
At step 218, the program prompts the user to select the path the user
wishes to use in receiving instruction for the selected application
program. As described above, one of three learning paths may be chosen:
the lesson path, the topic path and the work support path. The path
selected at step 220 determines what type of instruction the user will
receive during the initial portion of the training session. As described
in more detail below, the user is given great flexibility in selecting
which type of instruction to receive at any given time, and thus the path
initially chosen may easily be changed.
At step 222, if the lesson path is chosen, the program branches to a
portion 250 of the program, or routine, referred to herein as LESSONS. At
step 224, if the topic path was chosen, the program branches to a routine
referred to herein as TOPICS. If the selected path was neither the lesson
nor the topic path, the work support path was selected, in which case the
program branches to an APPLICATION routine.
LESSONS
The operation of the LESSONS routine 250 is described in connection with
FIG. 11. When LESSONS begins execution at step 252, the program generates
a unit selection display on the CRT 20 like the display 50 shown in FIG.
3a and described above. After generating this display, the program waits
for the user to make a selection.
Referring to FIG. 3a, the possible selections are shown. The user may
select any of the eight units generally described in the main window 52.
Alternatively, the user may select one of four keys shown towards the
bottom of the display 50, which are the Change Course, Options, Help and
Exit keys. The actions resulting from any of the above selections is now
described in connection with FIG. 11.
If the user has not selected a unit as determined at step 256, the program
branches to step 258, where it determines whether the user has decided to
learn another application program (or change course). If so, the program
branches back to step 210 in FIG. 10, where it will again prompt the user
for the desired course.
If the user has selected the Options key as determined at step 260, the
program branches to another portion of the program referred to herein as
OPTIONS, which as described below, generates the options display 40 shown
in FIG. 2 and gives the user all of the options provided in that display.
For purposes of simplifying the flowcharts shown herein, the Exit key,
although available to the user on most of the displays generated by the
system, is not represented in the flowcharts since it merely results in
the termination of the operation of the system. Similarly, although the
Help key is likewise available on the displays, it is only described in
the flowchart shown in FIG. 11.
If the user did not select the Options key as determined at step 260 (and
did not select the Exit key which is not treated in FIG. 11), the only
remaining selection is the Help selection, in which case the program
branches to step 262 where it generates help information in a conventional
manner before branching back to the beginning of the LESSONS routine.
If the user selected a particular unit as determined at step 256, the
program branches to step 258 where the program prompts the user to insert
the CD-ROM corresponding to the unit selected. After the CD-ROM is
inserted at step 260, the program generates at step 262 a lesson selection
display on the CRT 20 like the display 54 shown in FIG. 3b. The lesson
selection display contains all of the lessons available for the particular
unit that the user selected at step 256.
At this point the user may select one of the lessons shown in the main
window 56 of the display 54, or alternatively, the user may select one of
four keys shown at the bottom of the display 54: a Unit Menu key, an
Options key, a Help key and an Exit key.
If the user selected the Help key as determined at step 268, the program
generates a help display and returns to step 262 where the lesson
selection display is re-generated. If the user selected the Options key as
determined at step 270, the program branches to the OPTIONS routine 280
which generates the options display 40 (FIG. 2).
If the user selected the Unit Menu key, the program will branch to step 252
from step 270 where the unit selection display 50 like the one of FIG. 3a
will again be generated. This will give the user the opportunity to select
a different unit without having to go through a lesson.
If the user selected a particular lesson as determined at step 266, the
program will branch to step 272 where the selected lesson will be
conducted. The lesson is conducted interactively by generating displays on
the CRT 20 that simulates the actual application program, providing
accompanying audio instruction in timed relationship with the video
displays, and quizzing the user on the proper commands and use of the
application program.
Each lesson consists of a number of lesson segments. The user may be
provided the capability to select the next lesson segment without
completing the current lesson segment, and may be allowed to go to
previous lesson segments. The user also may be allowed to pause the lesson
or to terminate the lesson while the lesson is being given. The use of
interactive audiovisual lessons is preferred, although other types of
lessons may be utilized.
After the selected lesson is conducted at step 272, the program branches
back to step 262 where the lesson selection display is generated, thus
allowing the user the opportunity to select another lesson.
OPTIONS
The operation of the OPTIONS routine 280, which is described below in
connection with FIG. 12, generates the options display 40 shown in FIG. 2
to give the user all of the options described in connection therewith.
When OPTIONS begins execution at step 282, the program generates the
options display 40 shown in FIG. 2. This display 40 gives the user eight
possible choices. The user may select any of the three keys in the lessons
window 42, any of the three keys in the reference window 44, the
Application key 46 or the Resume key 47. The operation of the system in
response to each of these selections is described in connection with FIG.
12.
After the options display 40 is generated at step 282, the program waits
for the user's selection at step 284. At step 286, if the user selected
the Lesson Menu key in order to select a lesson, the program branches to
step 288 where it determines whether the user has previously selected a
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