Abstract:
A system and method are provided for allowing a member of an audience to interact with a presenter in an organizational environment by accessing network software as a service in a browser or native application software operable with a processor. Such a system and method improves classroom participation and assessing effectiveness of presentation. The system includes software elements that are useable by accessing the cloud network or as may be installable on a local processor and on a communication device, which can comprise a computer, a mobile phone, or a hand held device in general. Presenter and audience member interfaces are provided for composing, posing, and answering questions, participating in a class blog, and receiving real-time data on class comprehension of student learning objectives.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/425,934, having filing date of Dec. 22, 2010 for Educational Assessment System and Associated Methods, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, and commonly owned. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to systems and methods for educational assessment, and, more particularly, to such systems and methods that employ student-activated response technology. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Audience response systems are known in the art for use in educational settings, and have been shown to increase attention and enhance learning. In some systems radio-frequency (RF) handheld devices, commonly known as “clickers,” are used by students to transmit answers to questions posed by the instructor. These answers are received by an instructor processor, which can process the answer data in a number of ways, including presenting graphical displays of the collected answer data to indicate class comprehension of the subject at hand. 
         [0004]    Other systems are known in the art that employ “virtual clickers,” which are created by installing software on a student computing device such as a computer or mobile phone. Interaction is then mediated over the Internet between the student&#39;s device and the instructor processor. 
         [0005]    Currently, all systems and designs are “many to one” allowing members of an audience, such as a student in a classroom environment to interact with one presenter, the teacher. Whether it is a hardware remote or native application, the delivery of the data is to a client/server application. This is an inherent limitation in current presentation systems. 
         [0006]    The teachings of the present invention allow one to overcome such limitations by providing a “many-to-many” styled communications system and method. That is, the “many” within a classroom environment, whether real or virtual can now communicate with “many” others, whether they be other members of an audience or multiple presenters. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    The present invention is directed to a system and method for improving group participation, such as in a classroom or lecture, and assessing effectiveness of a presentation. A method aspect of the invention is directed to a method for a member of an audience to interact with a presenter in an organizational environment by accessing network software as a service in a browser or native application software operable with a processor. The method may comprise placing a member device in signal communications with the processor through at least one of an Internet connection and an Intranet connection. The network software may be accessed by the presenter using a presenter device. A display is provided on the presenter device. Members of the audience may select a presentation session to join, wherein questions may be transmitted to the members in the audience through the presenter device. A screen may be opened by at least a portion of the members of the audience on their individual member device, wherein each member is permitted to log in, and wherein a plurality of screens is made available on the displays as mediated by the presenter through the network software. The network software may be made available through a dedicated processor or through the network software as a service referred to as a “cloud” to those of skill in the art, herein referred to as a cloud processor. 
         [0008]    The system may include software elements that are installable on a teacher processor and on a student communication device, which may comprise a computer or a mobile phone, by way of example. 
         [0009]    The most fundamental change to current art is the change of core architecture presented by the present invention. Currently, all systems and designs are “many-to-one.” That is, an audience, such as a student class interacts with one presenter, the teacher. Whether it is a hardware remote or native application, the delivery of the data is to a client/server application. This inherent limitation is addressed by and is overcome by the teachings of the present invention. The present invention provides a “many to many” styled communications. That is, the “many” within a classroom environment, whether real or virtual can now communicate with “many” others, whether they be other members of an audience or multiple presenters. Yet further, multiple delivery modalities (e.g. IP and SMS) are made available. 
         [0010]    With regard to a teaching environment, and as herein presented by way of example, more than just the instructor can view live data in classroom. Many instructors across many classrooms can view the same data coming in from many classrooms with a voting device of any type. The plurality of screens allow for the same question to be presented in multiple classrooms while multiple instructors review. The plurality of screens allows the instructor or instructors to see the data of the students at individually identifiable view that is impossible in single presentation systems. The “many-to-many” architecture furthers the present invention through personalization and self service for the student. The devices become irrelevant because information transfer is tied to a name, a person, instead of hardware, such as a clicker and clicker number. The C#, Java and objective C clients provide for legacy clickers to participate in the benefits of a many-to-many architecture as herein presented. 
         [0011]    Presenter and audience member interfaces, such as a teacher and student interfaces, may be provided for composing, posing, and answering questions, participating in a class blog, and receiving real-time data on class comprehension of student learning objectives. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating various embodiments of the present invention, in which: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatically illustration of one presentation system in keeping with the teachings of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  are flowcharts of an exemplary method of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a diagrammatical illustration of an exemplary system of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIGS. 4 and 5  are exemplary teacher interface presentations, wherein as in  FIG. 6 , the instructor login allows instructors to have all data cloud based instead of on an individual hard drive; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is an exemplary student login interface and screen shot for the system of the present invention, wherein screen shots may include selecting from available modules in a particular class, selecting from among media available for a particular class, displaying attendance records and checking in to a class, performing a homework assignment, multi question quizzes, answering a poll question and displaying correctness of the answer and class results, viewing answers submitted by students in a class and ranked by some criterion, displaying grade distributions for a class, displaying grade distributions based upon factors determining the grade, viewing a student&#39;s own grade results for the class, displaying student and teacher notifications, and the like. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0018]    The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. 
         [0019]    With reference initially to  FIG. 1 , embodiment of the invention provide a system  10  that permits a member of an audience, such as students herein described by way of example, to interact with a presenter or multiple presenters, herein described as a teacher by way of example, in an organizational environment, such as a dedicated classroom or as remotely connected participants, by accessing network software  11  as a service in a browser or native application operable with a processor  12 . As is understood by those skilled in the art, a browser includes software application for retrieving and presenting information resources on the World Wide Web. 
         [0020]    With continued reference to  FIG. 1  and now to  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B and  3 , one method according to the teachings of the present invention comprises  105  placing a member device  19  in signal communications with the processor  12  through a wireless connection such as an Internet connection or Intranet connection. The network software  11  is accessed by the presenter using a presenter device  14 , wherein a display  27  is presented on the presenter device. The member of the audience, such as a student, selected  122  a presentation session to join  246 . A question may then be administered  112  to a plurality of members in the audience through the presenter device  14 . A screen may be opened  121  by at least a portion of the members of the audience on the member device  14 , wherein each member is permitted to log in  245 , and wherein a plurality of screens is available on the displays  30  as mediated by the presenter through the network software  11 , such as is available through “cloud computing.” As is known by those of skill in the art, cloud computing includes a delivery of computing as a service rather than a product, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices as a metered service over a network, typically the Internet. 
         [0021]    By way of example, reference will herein now be made to a teacher and a student. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will easily understand how the systems and methods herein presented are applicable in presentation environments other that for institutions, such as schools. 
         [0022]    With reference again to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , the method  100  herein presented by way of example will be directed to establishing and using a classroom interaction system and to such a classroom interaction system  10 , as illustrated with reference to  FIG. 3 . The method  100 , which includes actions by teacher and student, comprises establishing an interaction system  10  for an educational institution by accessing software as a service through a network cloud  11 , by way of example, in a browser or in a native application, for example, using a processor  12 . Alternatively, the processor  12  may be an institution processor, and the method  100  may include installing an institution software package  11  on the institution processor  12 . See block  101  in the flow chart for the method  100 , herein described by way of example. With continued references to  FIG. 3 , a teacher software package  13  may also be accessed (see block  102 ) by a teacher device  14 , which typically comprises a computer  15 , although this is not intended as a limitation. By way of example, C# or a Java™ application can be installed on the computer  15  presenting the information for accommodating legacy clicker systems that utilize hardware in the classroom  23 . The teacher device  14  is placed (see block  103 ) in signal communication with the institution processor  12  via, for example, an intranet or Internet connection  16 . 
         [0023]    As will come to the mind of those skilled in the art and now having the benefit of the teachings of the present invention, the teacher and student devices  14 ,  19  may include similar hardware. 
         [0024]    With continued reference to  FIG. 3 , a student software package  17  is also installed on a processor  18  of a plurality of students  19   a,    19   b,  . . .  19   n  devices (see block  104 ), which typically comprise at least one of a handheld device such as a mobile phone  20  or a laptop computer  21 . The student devices  20 ,  21  are able to be placed (see block  104 ) in signal, typically wireless, communication  22  with the institution processor  12 , although these are not intended as limitations. These students  19   a,    19   b , . . .  19   n  are be positioned in a classroom  23  when interacting with the system  10 . As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, now having the benefit of the teachings of the present invention, students may be in a real classroom, a remote classroom, a virtual classroom, as may also be the presenter. For the example herein described by way of example, the student software package  17  can also be installed on a remote student  24  device (block  106 ) that could also comprise, for example, a computer  25 . The remote student device  25  is placeable in signal, typically Internet, communication  26  with the institution processor  12  (see block  107 ). Connection may be through a web browser as an alternate connection via a native application. 
         [0025]    The teacher device  14  has a display  27  and an input, typically a keyboard  28 , both in signal communication with the institution processor  12  via the teacher processor  15 . Each of the student devices  20 ,  21 ,  25  has a display  30  and an input, typically a keyboard  31 , both in signal communication via the student device processor  18  with the institution processor  12 , wherein the institution processor may be an institution cloud processor. 
         [0026]    A teacher, through use of the teacher device  14  can view on the display  27  a plurality of screens as mediated by the teacher software package  13 . Exemplary screens are illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the functions of which will be discussed in the following description. 
         [0027]    The teacher launches a plurality of screens with independent but symbiotic functionality as mediated by the teacher and the software package. Unlike typical applications well known in the art, an embodiment of the present invention has a single view of assessments and response shared by the students and the teachers. Exemplary screens with independent views allow the teacher to see all real time data rolled up and at a personally identifiable student level. A single data view solution, well known the art, is prohibited by law and may be governed by Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The present invention allows for dynamic peer to peer activities that are monitored by the teacher. The teacher knows which students are proficient learners and those individual students that need remediation. 
         [0028]    With continued reference to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , after signing in (see block  108 ), a teacher  14  can view an opening page  200 , as illustrated with reference to  FIG. 4 , that lists a schedule of all of his/her classes  201  that are enabled to work with the instant system  10 . A list of alerts  202  is also displayed, including the status of blogs (to be discussed later in this disclosure) and pending action items such as quizzes ready for review  203 . A help section  204  is also displayed to assist the teacher in navigating the teacher software  13 . The teacher device  14  can also send out invitations to join the class and set up class identification (ID) codes for registration purposes, by way of example. The codes are then passed through a URL string to greatly simplify the registration code, an improvement over well know methods. 
         [0029]    With continued reference to  FIG. 4 , selecting one of the classes  201  brings up a class overview page  205 , as illustrated with reference to  FIG. 5  (see block  109  of  FIG. 2A ), which contains links for assessment management  206 , importing questions  207 , and creating a quick poll  208 . Blog commands  209  are also presented, as well as class-specific alerts  210 . A visual display, such as a pie chart or bar chart  211 , graphically displays class average data  212 . This page  205  also permits the teacher  14  to manage a class roster  213 , interact with the class grade book  214 , post student notifications  215 , and adjust settings  216 . 
         [0030]    Selecting the assessment management link  206  brings up a screen for viewing class material (see block  110 ) and selecting  218  to create future assessments. The teacher can view homework and past assessments, and see which assessments may be incomplete, by way of example. 
         [0031]    Selecting a link to create new assessments brings up a question creation screen, for inputting different types of questions or import questions from a database  33 , illustrated with reference again to  FIG. 4 , in signal communication with the institution processor  12  (see also block  111  of  FIG. 2A ). The questions can be used in tests or homework assignments. Timers can also be added for quizzes and tests, either as a whole or by individual question, and due dates for homework assignments set. Further, questions can be assigned a weighting factor to determine how much that question will count in an overall grade. 
         [0032]    With continued reference to  FIG. 2B , as a question is administered (see block  112 ) and the results received (see block  113 ) aggregated, various types of analytics are dynamically calculated and displayed for class results (see block  114 ), such as in vertical bar-graph format, pie-chart format, horizontal bar-graph format, “gas-gauge” format, or in curve format including a smoothed, slidable curve, although these are not intended as limitations. An indicator of a student learning objective can also be displayed against which the analytics can be compared. Individual student results can also be transmitted (see block  115  of  FIG. 2B ), which will be further described below. 
         [0033]    As will come to the mind of those skilled in the art, now having benefit of the teachings of the present invention, class averages can also be displayed in graph format  235  (see also block  116  of  FIG. 1B ), indicating, for example, a time line of tests and quizzes. Data is now available in the cloud processor  11  and can be reviewed anywhere and at any time as permitted by the presenter, by way of example using a browser, and can be rolled up to a data storage  33  for review of longitudinal data across classes, instructors, institutions and regions. Furthermore, data is now able to be compared against a student learning objective longitudinally and down to an individual student as defined by the teacher, by way of example. 
         [0034]    Interest can be maintained during class by transmitting a “quick poll” question (see block  117  of  FIG. 2B ), the results of which can be aggregated, processed, and displayed in, for example, bar-graph form (see block  118  of  FIG. 2B ) or pie-chart form, and can also display a list of those students who have participated. A timer can also be set for submitting a quick poll response. 
         [0035]    Using the teacher device  14 , a teacher can elect to establish a class blog specific to a class (see block  119  of  FIG. 2B ), for which questions can be posted and time limits for discussions and responses (see block  120  of  FIG. 2B ). 
         [0036]    With reference again to  FIGS. 1 and 4 , and to  6  the student devices  19   a,    19   b , . . .  19   n,    24  can include a plurality of screens on their displays  30  a plurality of screens as mediated by the student software package  17 . An exemplary screen is illustrated in  FIG. 6 . As herein presented, screen shots may include selecting from available modules in a particular class, selecting from among media available for a particular class, displaying attendance records and checking in to a class, performing a homework assignment, multi question quizzes, answering a poll question and displaying correctness of the answer and class results, viewing answers submitted by students in a class and ranked by some criterion, displaying grade distributions for a class, displaying grade distributions based upon factors determining the grade, viewing a student&#39;s own grade results for the class, displaying student and teacher notifications, and the like. 
         [0037]    As illustrated with reference again to  FIG. 1  and as illustrated with reference to  FIGS. 4-6 , the instructor login allows instructors to have all data cloud based instead of on an individual hard drive. 
         [0038]    As illustrated with reference to  FIG. 1  and again to  FIG. 2B , a student opening screen  244  permits the student device  19   a,    19   b,  . . .  19   n,    24  to log in  245  (see block  121  in  FIG. 2B ), select which class to join  246  (see block  122  of  FIG. 1B ), and, if not already signed up, sign up for the class  247  (see block  123  of  FIG. 1B ). 
         [0039]    As may be displayed on alternate screens, a class opening page permits the student devices  19   a,    19   b,  . . .  19   n,    24  to select a module to access (see block  124  of  FIG. 2B ). As illustrated with reference again to  FIG. 1 , a plurality of media may also be offered (see block  125  of  FIG. 1  B) for the class. The present invention includes a login to the cloud processor  11  and not to a client server as is typical in the art. Therefore, the “many-to-many” architecture is available and not simply the “many-to-one” as required in typical systems and methods. 
         [0040]    By way of example, an attendance module displays the student&#39;s attendance record and permits the student to check in for full participation (see block  126  of  FIG. 2A ), for example, by entering a password. Alternatively, a bar code could be provided that would be read for class sign-in, or GPS could be used to check in for a class, as illustrated with reference to  FIG. 19A . A homework module displays homework questions (see block  127  of  FIG. 2A ) with, for example, multiple-choice answers among which the student through the student device  19   a,    19   b,  . . .  19   n,    24  can select one (see block  128  of  FIG. 2A ). As will be understood, questions available using embodiments of et present invention may include true and false, yes and no, fill in the blank, matching, any creative question formulated by the teacher. 
         [0041]    A quick poll module, which will typically have a finite response time permitted, displays a poll question, correctness of answer, and overall class results (see block  129  of  FIG. 1A ). The student devices  19   a,    19   b,  . . .  19   n,    24  can also view other students&#39; answers (with student anonymity preserved), presented in some rank order, for example, by those deemed to be the best responses, and can include comments by the teacher  14  or other student devices  19   a,    19   b,  . . .  19   n,    24  (see block  130  of  FIG. 1  B). 
         [0042]    Overall class grades can be viewed by the student devices  19   a,    19   b,  . . .  19   n ,  24  (see block  131  of  FIG. 1B ) as a pie chart, for example, or as a numerical list. The students through use of the student devices  19   a,    19   b,  . . .  19   n,    24  can also access his/her own grades (see block  132  of  FIG. 2B ). The student devices  19   a,    19   b,  . . .  19   n ,  24  can have the option, for example, by clicking on one of the percentages  262 , to view his/her raw totals and assessments for review. 
         [0043]    The student devices  19   a,    19   b,  . . .  19   n,    24  can also access alerts (see block  133  of  FIG. 2B ), such as assignment alerts and teacher notifications. Further, such alerts and other communications can be personalized and “pushed” to an individual student, thereby maintaining some level of secrecy in that communication. 
         [0044]    It can be seen that the present system  10  and method  100  satisfy a long-felt need in class communication, serving to maintain student interest and attention, and thereby fostering better learning, as well as providing a valuable real-time tool for teachers to ascertain how well material is being absorbed by the students. Remote students are drawn into the class more effectively, thereby also increasing their sense of participation and absorption of material. 
         [0045]    Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to the mind of one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications and embodiments are intended to be included with the scope of the appended claims.