Abstract:
The present invention relates to, among other things, the interactive reporting of student progress using learning maps.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/572,970, filed on May 21, 2004, the contents of which are incorporated herein. 
     This application is related to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 10/777,212, filed on Feb. 13, 2004, and 10/644,061, filed on Aug. 20, 2003. The contents of the above identified applications are incorporated herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to field of educational reporting systems, and, more specifically, provides systems and methods for reporting student progress and/or knowledge using a learning map, which is device for expressing dependency relationships between and amongst learning targets. 
     2. Discussion of the Background 
     A teacher (or other educator) responsible for teaching a subject area to a student would benefit by knowing the student&#39;s strengths and weaknesses in the subject area. For example, if the teacher knows the student&#39;s strengths and weaknesses in the subject area, then the teacher can spend more time teaching the concepts that the student doesn&#39;t know and less time teaching the concepts that the student already knows. 
     Accordingly, what is desired are systems and methods to enable a student, teacher or other interested party (e.g., parent or tutor) (hereafter “user”) to quickly and easily determine the concepts the students knows and/or the concepts the student doesn&#39;t know so that the educator can better teach the student. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect, the present invention provides systems and methods for using a learning map to enable a user to visualize a student&#39;s or group of students&#39; progress (or non-progress) in one or more subject areas. A student can use the systems described herein to inform his or her own learning and track his or her own progress as well. 
     A learning map includes a network of nodes, with each node representing a particular learning target (i.e., a skill or concept at a particular depth of knowledge) in a well-defined strand of learning in an academic content area or any other domain of learning. Preferably, the nodes are linked together in an ordered way as pre-cursors and post-cursors of each other in an empirically validated learning sequence. Pre-cursor indicators are related to the knowledge that the student should have prior to being taught the learning target. Post-cursor indicators relate to knowledge that the student should be able to acquire more readily after learning the learning target. There can be more than one pre-cursor and/or post-cursor to any given targeted skill, and nodes from one academic area (such as reading language arts) may serve as pre-cursors and/or post-cursors to another academic area (such as mathematical computation). All academic areas may be interconnected into one large learning map. 
     A method according to some embodiments of the invention includes: (a) administering an assessment to a student, the assessment having one or more questions, at least one question of the assessment being associated with a first learning target; (b) providing a report comprising (b1) a first node associated with the first learning target, (b2) a second node directly connected to the first node, the second node being associated with a second learning target that is a pre-cursor of the first learning target, and (b3) a third node directly connected to the first node, the third node being associated with a third learning target that is a post-cursor of the first learning target; (c) coding the first node, based at least in part on the student&#39;s response to the question associated with the first learning target, to indicate (1) whether the student has mastered the first learning target, (2) whether the student has not yet learned the first learning target, (3) whether there is insufficient information to determine the knowledge state of the student with respect to the first learning target, or (4) whether the student has not yet been assessed on the first learning target; and (d) providing means enabling a viewer to view a question associated with the first learning target. 
     The method may also includes the steps of: providing means directing a user to instructional resources related to one of the learning targets; providing professional development materials for an instructor to use for further instruction on one of the first learning targets, and providing views into other related information such as the text of a given state&#39;s standards for assessment on one of the learning targets. 
     Questions (a.k.a., “items”) may broadly include traditional questions, such as, for example, those used in paper and online testing programs, and non-traditional questions, such as, for example, interactions with multimedia and interactive media such as games. In short, a question can be any “device” that is used in determining a student&#39;s knowledge of, for example, a subject or concept. 
     Assessments may broadly include traditional forms of assessment such as collections of question provided online or on paper, individually administered performance assessment, as well as performance measurements based on interactions with a computer game or videogame in which the student&#39;s interactions or collections of interactions are correlated to nodes on the learning map. This correlation could be applied to existing assessment or designed into new assessments. 
     Instructional resources and professional development materials may include traditional materials such as textbooks, videos, reference materials, etc. and may also include nontraditional instructional material such as electronic games, board and cards, games, and all manner of interactive media. 
     The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of preferred embodiments of the present invention, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form part of the specification, help illustrate various embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the invention and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use embodiments of the invention. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. 
         FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram of a reporting system  100  according to one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2A  illustrates data structures that may used to store student assessment data. 
         FIG. 2B  illustrates a data structure for storing learning map data. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a learning map  300  that corresponds to table  210  of  FIG. 2B . 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a reporting process  400  according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIGS. 5-15  illustrate example user interface screens that may be produced by a system according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In one aspect, the present invention provides a reporting system that enables a user to view student assessment results in graphical format. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram of a reporting system  100  according to one embodiment of the invention. As shown in  FIG. 1 , system  100  includes a data processing system  104  having reporting software  106  stored therein and/or accessible thereto and student assessment data  105  and learning map data  107  stored on one or more storage units  109  that may be part of or coupled to system  104 . 
     Data processing system  104  may include one or more general and/or special purpose computers. If more than one computer is used to implement processing system  104 , the two or more computers need not be co-located. If they are not co-located, then, in one embodiment, a network (e.g., the Internet or other network) is used to enable the two or more computers to communicate with each other. 
     Coupled to processing system  104  is a user interface system  110 . User interface system  110  may be directly connected to processing system  104  or indirectly coupled to the processing system  104  through, for example, a local or wide area network and zero or more other processing systems. User interface system  110  may include one or more information input and/or output device, such as, for example, a monitor, keyboard, mouse, microphone, speaker or other information input/output device. The user interface may provide for local presentation, remote presentation, or some combination of these. 
     In some embodiment, reporting software  106  may include one or more executable application programs (e.g., web servers, web browsers and other computer programs), scripts, markup language documents (e.g., HTML, XML, etc.), and/or other software that function together to provide the functionality described herein. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2A ,  FIG. 2A  illustrates data structures that may used to store student assessment data  105 . As shown in  FIG. 2A , the student reporting system  100 , according to one embodiment, may include the following database elements: a student table  202 , a student/learning target table  204 , a student/item table  206 , and an item/learning target table  208 .  FIG. 2B  illustrates a data structure for storing learning map data  107 . As shown in  FIG. 2B , system  100  may include a learning map table  210 . Although the database elements shown in FIGS.  2 A,B may be tables from a relational database, other types of databases may be used. The invention is not limited to any particular data model or database technology. 
     Learning map table  210  captures the relationships among learning targets and may also include pre/post-cursor inference values. A postcursor inference value is a value that represents the probability that a student knows the precursor learning target if it can be shown that the student knows the postcursor learning target. A precursor inference value is a value that represents the probability that a student does not know the postcursor learning target if it can be shown that the student does not know the precursor learning target. As shown in table  210 , we can determine that at least five learning targets (LT 1 , LT 2 , . . . , LT 5 ) have been specified because there are five rows in table  210 . Each row in table  210  corresponds to one of the five learning targets. The data in a given row specifies the post-cursor relationships between the learning target corresponding to the given row and the other learning targets. 
     For example, consider the first row of table  210 . This row corresponds to learning target LT 1 . The data in this row indicates that LT 2  is the only learning target that is a post-cursor of LT 1  because cell  250 , which corresponds to LT 2 , includes the pre-cursor and post-cursor inference values, whereas all the other cells in the row do not contain inference values. The inference values included in cell  250  indicate that, if a student doesn&#39;t know LT 1 , then there is a probability of 0.86 that the student also does not know LT 2 , and if a student knows LT 2 , then there is a probability of 0.97 that the student also knows LT 1 . 
     The second row in table  210 , which corresponds to LT 2 , indicates that LT 3  is the only learning target that is a post-cursor of LT 2 . This row also indicates that, if a student doesn&#39;t know LT 2 , then there is a probability of 0.82 that the student also does not know LT 3 , and if a student knows LT 3 , then there is a probability of 0.95 that the student also knows LT 2 . 
     Table  210  can be used to generate a network diagram (i.e., learning map) that corresponds to table  210 . The network diagram has nodes and arcs, wherein the nodes represent the specified learning targets and the arcs represent the specified post-cursor relationships between learning targets. This network diagram forms a learning map. As further described in patent application Ser. No. 10/777,212, learning maps are advantageous for many reasons, including that they can be used to generate efficient tests (i.e., knowledge assessments) that assess one&#39;s knowledge of a particular academic content area or across multiple academic areas. Additionally, as described herein, learning maps can be used to generate reports that enable an educator, student or other interested party to visualize a student&#39;s performance on an assessment as well as visualize the student&#39;s progress over time. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 3  illustrates a learning map  300  that corresponds to table  210 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , learning map  300  includes a set of nodes  311 - 315 , which represent learning targets LT 1 -LT 5 , respectively. Learning map  300  also includes arcs  351 - 354 , which illustrate the learning target post-cursor/pre-cursor relationships. The dashed arcs represent that map  300  can be part of a larger map. Preferably, the learning maps are directed, acyclic graphs. In other words, the arcs go in only one direction and there are no cyclic paths within the map. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 2 , student table  202  is used to store information about students, such as, for example, the name of each student in a class. The student/learning target table  204  may be used to store information concerning the probability that the student knows (pknown), doesn&#39;t know (punknown), and/or forgot (pforgot) the learning targets that are in a learning map. Patent application Ser. No. 10/777,212 discloses a method for populating table  204  with information. 
     The student/item table  206  is used for storing the students&#39; responses to items and information indicating whether the response is a correct response. For each response to an item, table  206  may also record the date the student provided the response. For example, at the beginning of a semester a student may be given an assessment having ten items (e.g., ten multiple choice questions) and may be given the same or other assessments later in the semester to gauge whether the student is making progress. In such a scenario, table  206  may record not only the student&#39;s responses to the items from first assessment, but also the student&#39;s responses to the items from all of the other assessments. 
     The item/learning target table  208  is used to associate items with learning targets. In some embodiments, each item of an assessment may be associated with at least one learning target. Typically, an item is associated with a learning target if a correct response to the item provides evidence that the student comprehends the learning target. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 4  illustrates a reporting process  400  according to an embodiment of the invention. Software  106  may be configured to perform at least some of the steps of process  400 . 
     Process  400  enables a user of system  100  to view and interact with various reports pertaining to a student&#39;s or a group of student&#39;s mastery of one or more subject areas. Process  400  is, in one embodiment, performed after one or more assessments have been administered to a group of one or more students (e.g., Ms. Jones&#39;s third grad class) and scored. That is, for example, process  400  is preferably performed after data has been stored in tables shown in  FIG. 2  and described above. Each of the one or more administered assessments targets one or more learning targets. An assessment targets a learning target if the results of the assessment provide useful information for determining whether a student who took the assessment has comprehended the learning target. 
     Process  400  may begin at step  402 , where reporting system  100  displays a graphical user interface screen on a user&#39;s display (e.g., a display of user interface system  110 .  FIG. 5  illustrates a screen  500 , according to one embodiment, that may be displayed in step  402 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , screen  500  enables the user to select a report. For example, in one embodiment, the user can choose one of the following reports: (1) an individual student report (if the user selects this report, process  400  may proceed to step  404 ); (2) an individual longitudinal report (if the user selects this report, process  400  may proceed to step  420 ); (3) a group report (if the user selects this report, process  400  may proceed to step  440 ); or (4) a longitudinal group report (if the user selects this report, process  400  may proceed to step  460 ). 
     Individual Student Report (ISR) 
     In step  404 , system  100  may prompt the user to select a particular student from a list of students and a particular assessment from a list of assessments that were given to the student. After the user selects a particular student (e.g., Jamie Jones) and selects a particular assessment (e.g., assessment # 384  administered on Sep. 1, 2004), process  400  may proceed to step  406 . 
     In step  406 , reporting system  100  displays on a user&#39;s display a graphical user interface screen that includes at least a segment of a learning map. For example, in one embodiment, each assessment is associated with at least a segment of a learning map and reporting system  100  displays the learning map segment (which may correspond to a strand of learning) that is associated with the selected assessment. 
     In one embodiment, the learning map segment displayed in step  406  includes, for each item on the assessment, a node corresponding to a learning target that is associated with the item. For example, if the selected assessment includes three items (item 1 , item 2 , and item 3 ), and item 1  is associated with learning target LT 1 , item 2  is associated with learning target LT 2 , and item 3  is associated with learning target LT 3 , then the segment of the learning map that gets displayed in step  406  includes a node corresponding to LT 1 , a node corresponding to LT 2  and a node corresponding to LT 3 . 
     To illustrate the above feature,  FIG. 6  is an illustration of an individual student report (ISR) user interface screen  600  that may be displayed in response to selection of a particular student and a particular assessment. As shown in  FIG. 6 , ISR screen  600  includes at least a segment of a learning map  602 , which segment includes a set of nodes, each node representing a learning target. In one embodiment, the map  602  contains a node for each learning target covered on the assessment, as described above. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the result of the selected assessment may be represented by differentiated nodes in the learning map  602 . For example, the nodes may be differentiated by using the color green (indicated as “(G)” in the figures) for learning targets (nodes) the student has mastered, the color red (indicated as “(R)” in the figures) for learning targets the student has not yet learned, and the color yellow (indicated as “(Y)” in the figures) for learning targets for which the data is inconclusive or for which the data suggests that further instruction may be required. Nodes for which no assessment has yet been administered may be colored white or blue or some other color. The determination of the probability of knows/doesn&#39;t know for nodes which will result in “(G)”, “(R)”, or “(Y)” can be determined by configuration. This allows for different users of the system to determine the allowable error in measurement or reporting mastery and non-mastery (the student has not yet learned) of nodes. For example, one user may wish to configure the system so that a student is deemed to have mastered a learning target if the probability that the student comprehends the learning is greater than 75%, whereas another user may wish to configure the system so that a student is deemed to have mastered a learning target if the probability that the student comprehends the learning is greater than 90%. 
     The above mentioned color scheme is merely exemplary, and any other color scheme or other scheme for differentiating nodes can be used to differentiate between mastered, not yet learned, further instruction required, or not yet assessed nodes. For example, different types of nodes can have different shapes or background patterns (e.g., stippling or vertical, horizontal, or diagonal crosshatching). Alternatively, distinct sounds may be provided that play when a user “mouses over” each node. Still alternatively, individual nodes can simply have labels indicating whether the node is mastered, not yet learned, requiring further instruction, or not yet assessed. 
     Selection options (e.g., buttons or menu items or Other selection options) may be provided on screen  600  for enabling a user to select either a report showing results from the most recent assessment taken or a report summarizing the results for all tests taken to date. A user can use the buttons  691  and  692  to zoom the map  602  in and out, respectively, in a manner similar to a user of a digital geographical map. Additionally, elements  693 ,  694 ,  695  and  696  are provided to enable the user to scroll up, down, left, and right to see adjacent and related nodes in order to see more post-cursor and pre-cursor nodes in order to gain a greater understanding of the student&#39;s progress and of what lies ahead. 
     In some embodiments, a user is be able to query the shortest route on the learning map from their present knowledge status, as revealed by the green nodes, to the nodes representing a goal, such as state standard or indicator represented by one or more nodes in the learning map. Additionally, a user can jump to regions of the map (e.g., short division) by inputting a natural language or curriculum language instructions, such as: “mathematics, grade3, short division without remainders.” In response to a user entering such an instruction, system  100  will display the corresponding region of the map on the user&#39;s display. The zoom level of the map can be altered by selecting an increment of time (day/week/month/quarter year/half year/year/multiple years). 
     Nodes that are displayed within screen  600  that are associated with learning concepts that fall within a selected or predetermined state&#39;s grade-level expectations for learning in that strand may be heavily outlined for emphasis. For example, node  650  is heavily outlined. These nodes may also have “S” icons (or other identifying element) associated therewith. Selecting the “S” icon causes system  100  to display relevant wording from state standards. System  100  may display the wording in a pop-up window or the like. An exemplary state standard pop-up window  702 —activated when the “S” icon is selected—is shown in  FIG. 7 . In one embodiment, indicators in the state standards taxonomy or other taxonomies permit navigating back to their corresponding nodes in the learning map. 
     Nodes that are correlated with specific instructional resources may feature an “I” icon or other indicator. Selecting an “I” icon associated with a particular node causes system  100  to display a pop-up window or the like containing information that directs the user to exact locations within selected instructional resources where relevant lessons targeting the skills and concepts represented by the particular node can be found.  FIG. 8  shows an exemplary pop-up window  802  that may be displayed in response to the “I” icon corresponding to the “subtraction with regrouping” node has been activated. In cases where the textbook referenced in the pop-up window is available electronically, the pop-up, in one embodiment, includes a hyperlink to the instructional resources identified in the pop-up window. For example, the name of the textbook displayed in the pop-up window (e.g., “Math  3 ” in the example shown in  FIG. 8 ) can function as a hyperlink so that when the user clicks on the name, the textbook (or portion thereof) can be retrieved and displayed to the user. Additionally, the user may navigate from specific content in the electronic instructional media backwards to the corresponding nodes in the learning map. 
     Nodes corresponding to learning targets that were included on the selected assessment may feature “Q” icons (or other indicators), one for each item on the assessment. The “Q” icons may be coded (e.g., color coded) to indicate whether the student correctly responded to the item with which the Q icon is associated. As shown in  FIG. 9 , selecting (e.g., “clicking on”) a Q icon may cause system  100  to display the associated question in a pop-up window  902  or the like. In one embodiment, the answers are not displayed in the window, but students can still see what each specific question they missed or got right. Alternatively, the correct answer can be provided in the pop-up window  902  along with the question. 
     The ISR screen  600  (or a report similar to the ISR screen) can be printed and sent home with students for their parents to review. In addition, online versions of the report can be provided for access over a distributed network, for example, the Internet. For online versions, appropriate security features, for example restricted authorizations and password access, are desirable. 
     Educators will find ISR screen  600  to be a useful tool in evaluating a student. Simply by glancing at the screen  600 , a teacher can quickly determine the learning targets that the student knows and doesn&#39;t know. The teacher can then help focus the student in those areas were the student&#39;s skill appear to be lacking. Students will find the screens useful tool for self-evaluation and assistance in learning. 
     Pre-cursor and post-cursor relationships that appear in these reports, allow teachers and students to identify learning targets that may need to be learned in order to acquire a targeted skill. They may also use them to identify learning targets that may be able to be learned in the future. 
     It is expected that a teacher using system  100  will use the system  100  to display an ISR screen for each student in the teacher&#39;s class. This will enable the teacher to give more individualized instruction to each student, because, simply by reviewing each students&#39; ISR screen, the teacher can quickly determine the areas that need to be focused on for each student. For example, an ISR screen for one student may indicate that the student should focus on three learning targets: (D) multiplication regrouping; (F) subtraction regrouping; and (H2) long division, whereas an ISR screen for a different student may indicate that this other student need only focus on learning division. In this way, the ISR screens provide a powerful tool to educators. 
     Individual Longitudinal Report (IDL) 
     Referring back to  FIG. 4  and step  420 , in step  420 , system  100  may prompt the user to select a particular student from a list of students and a set of two or more assessments from a list of assessments that were given to the student. After the user selects a particular student (e.g., Jamie Jones) and selects the set of assessments, process  400  may proceed to step  422 . 
     In step  422 , reporting system  100  displays on the user&#39;s display a graphical user interface screen that includes at least a segment of a learning map. For example, in one embodiment, each assessment is associated with at least a segment of a learning map, and reporting system  100  displays a learning map segment that encompasses all the segments associated with the selected assessments. 
     That is, in one embodiment, the learning map segment displayed in step  422  includes, for each item on each selected assessment, a node corresponding to a learning target that is associated with the item. For example, if one of the selected assessments includes an item (item 1 ), and item 1  is associated with learning target LT 1 , and another of the selected assessments includes an item (e.g., item 77 ), and item 77  is associated with learning target LT 77 , then the segment of the learning map that gets displayed in step  422  includes a node corresponding to LT 1  and a node corresponding to LT 77 . 
     To illustrate the above feature,  FIG. 10  is an illustration of an individual longitudinal report (IDL) user interface screen  1000  that may be displayed in step  422 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , IDL screen  1000  includes at least a segment  1002  of a learning map, which segment  1002  includes a set of nodes, each node corresponding to a learning target. In one embodiment, the segment  1002  contains a node for each learning target covered by one of the selected assessments, as described above. 
     The IDL screen  1000  is used to display the results from the selected assessments. The results are presented within the paradigm of a network of nodes in a learning map, visibly coded (e.g., color coded) as described above and/or sound coded to represent a student&#39;s achievement status in a particular strand of learning during the course of a school year. The default display of nodes may be “zoomed out” to a greater extent than the view on the ISR screen  600  in order to give the user a better overall look at the concepts of the learning strand that have been covered over time. It will be appreciated that the degree of granularity in the data displayed in the learning map may differ in granularity based on the zoom level selected by the user. Greater detail of learning targets may be displayed (see  FIG. 15 ) as the user zooms in, and lesser detail as the user zooms out. This is similar to zooming in on a geographical map where the street names are displayed as the user zooms in, and cities as the user zooms out. 
     A user can again zoom in and out and navigate through the map segment  1002  to choose other views. The user also select a “Play” button  1090  on IDL screen  1000  in order to display the test results in sequence and observe the student&#39;s progress as nodes change from red to yellow to green. 
     More specifically, in response to activation of the play button  1090 , system  100  initially codes the nodes on map  1002  according to the results of an earlier assessment (e.g., a node on the map may initially be colored red to indicate that the results of the first assessment indicates that the student has not learned the concept associated with the node). As discussed above, the results of assessments may be stored in a database, thus, system  100  may first retrieve information from the database prior to coding the nodes on the map. After initially coding the nodes, system  100  may pause for a predetermined delay and then recode the nodes on map  1002  according to the results of the next selected assessment. For example, the node that was initially colored red may change to the color green because the results of the second assessment may indicate that the student has learned the concepts associated with the node. 
     The user can also select any one of the particular assessments and view the ISR screen for that given assessment. For example, in one embodiment, a “timeline”  1054  is displayed on the IDL screen  1000 . Indicia (e.g., the letter “A”) is displayed on the timeline  1054  and each indicia is associated with one of the assessments selected in step  420 . Accordingly, to select any one of the particular assessments, the user may use a mouse or the like to select an “A,” by, for example, “clicking on” the “A” or merely hovering the cursor over the “A.” In response to the user selecting an “A” on the timeline, system  100  codes map  1002  according to the assessment associated with the selected “A.” 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , IDL screen  1000  includes a date display area  1082 . The date displayed in the display area  1082  corresponds to the date of the assessment that is being used to code the nodes on the map. So, for example, if a user selects a particular assessment using the timeline  1054 , the nodes of the map will be coded according to the assessment and the date the assessment was given to the student will appear in the date display area  1082 . 
     Typically, for example, the IDL screen  1000  permits the student/viewer to browse backward from the selected assessment to view the results of all tests taken in this strand. In addition, the IDL screen  1000  is constructed and arranged such that the user can browse backward from nodes (blue in color) in the learning map that are prior to the nodes for which assessment occurred, or forward to preview the lessons and learning targets in nodes note yet assessed (blue in color) leading up to and including the nodes representing the state&#39;s grade-level expectations for learning in that strand, or any set of pre-defined learning expectations established for any purpose. Because tests can be delivered on a daily or weekly basis, or any other increment/schedule desired, the assessments are spaced out on a timeline that reflects the relative difference in timing between assessments. 
     The IDL screen  1000  features the same “S,” “I,” and “Q” icons and navigational methodologies that are described above with respect to the ISR screen  600  for the viewer&#39;s reference. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 11 ,  FIG. 11  shows a preview screen  1100  showing a preview of a report showing a student&#39;s results of an assessment, which report can be printed so that the student can take the report home to his/her parents or guardians. System  100  displays the preview screen  1100  in response to the user selecting a report button or menu option. The preview screen  1100  allows a teacher to preview—and edit if necessary—a student&#39;s report prior to printing the report. As shown in  FIG. 11 , the report includes a segment  1102  of a learning map. Like the nodes displayed in ISR screen  600 , the nodes of the segment  1102  are coded according to the student&#39;s answers to the selected assessment. The report may include a banner  1110  which, in addition to identifying the date, teacher, student, and report, also provides teacher notes, which may, for example, indicate particular learning targets that require specific attention. If the teacher wants to edit the report (e.g., the teacher may wish to edit the Teacher&#39;s Note in the banner), the teacher can select edit button  1197 . To print the report, the teacher may select print button  1198 . 
     The Group Report (GR) 
     Referring back to  FIG. 4  and step  440 , in step  440 , system  100  may prompt the user to select a particular group of students (e.g., Mrs. Johnson&#39;s third grade class, for example) from a list of students and an assessment from a list of assessments that were given to the selected group of students. After the user selects a particular student group and selects an assessment, process  400  may proceed to step  442 . 
     In step  442 , reporting system  100  displays on the user&#39;s display a Group Report (GR) screen that includes at least a segment of a learning map. In one embodiment, the learning map segment displayed in step  442  includes, for each item on the selected assessment, a node corresponding to a learning target that is associated with the item. For example, if the selected assessment includes three items (item 1 , item 2 , and item 3 ), and item 1  is associated with learning target LT 1 , item 2  is associated with learning target LT 2 , and item 3  is associated with learning target LT 3 , then the segment of the learning map that gets displayed in step  442  may include a node corresponding to LT 1 , a node corresponding to LT 2  and a node corresponding to LT 3 . 
     To illustrate the above feature,  FIG. 12  shows an exemplary GR screen  1200  that may be displayed in step  442 . As shown in  FIG. 12 , GR screen  1200  includes at least a segment of a learning map  1202 , which segment  1202  includes a set of nodes, each node representing a learning target. In one embodiment, the map  1202  contains a node for each learning target covered on the assessment, as described above. 
     A GR screen, such as GR screen  1200 , represents the assessment results of any selected group on any segment of a learning map (i.e., “learning strand,” such as mathematics computation, for example) by displaying color-coded horizontal bands within the nodes of the learning map segment. 
     In the example GR screen  1200  shown, the horizontal bands, in order from the bottom of the node to the top, are green, yellow, and red. The widths of the green and red bands are proportional to the number of students who have mastered (green) or who have not yet achieved (red) the learning target of the node in question. An intermediate yellow band represents the percentage of students having assessment results for which data is inconclusive or for which further instruction may be required. 
     As a specific example, consider the node  1220 , which corresponds to learning target LT 1 . As shown in  FIG. 12 , node  1220  is divided into three bands (band  1221 , band  1222 , and band  1223 ). Although not illustrated in the drawings because the drawings are not in color, in one embodiment, band  1221  is colored green, band  1222  is colored yellow, and band  1223  is colored red. In a similar fashion, the other nodes displayed in screen  1200  may also divided into at least two or more color coded bands. In alternative embodiments, indicia other than color may be used to differentiate the bands in node. For example, different amounts of shading could be used to differentiate the bands. 
     As shown in  FIG. 13 , selecting any one of the bands in a node causes system  100  to display a list of students in a pop-up window  1302  or the like. The list of students in pop-up window  1302  constitutes the students represented by the selected color in that node. For example, if the user selects the green color band  1221  in node  1220  (by, for example, positioning a cursor over the band and clicking a mouse button), the list will consist of all of the students from the target group who have mastered the learning target associated with node  1220 . Similarly, if the user selects the red color band in a node, the list will consist of all of the students from the target group who have not yet achieved the learning target of the node. In some embodiments, each listed name may function as a hyperlink to the student&#39;s ISR screen for the assessment selected in step  440 . For example, a user can click on a name in the pop-up window  1302 , and, in response, process  400  may proceed to step  406  where an ISR screen is displayed for the selected student and for the assessment selected in step  440 . 
     Each node in map  1202  may also include a fourth band of a different color (e.g., blue) which represents the fraction of the class not yet assessed relative to that learning target. Furthermore, the GR screen  1200  may be constructed and arranged so as to automatically zoom and navigate the view so that the GR screen will be primarily displaying any nodes that were most recently assessed for that group. The display may also automatically zoom and navigate to display the most useful information for the viewer (e.g., the point on the map at which more than 25% of the students have not mastered nodes that are pre-cursors to nodes aligned to state standards). 
     The GR screen  1200 , in one embodiment, features the same “S,” “I,” and “Q” icons and navigational methodologies that are found in the ISR screen  600 . 
     Longitudinal Group Report (LGR) 
     Referring back to  FIG. 4  and step  460 , in step  460 , system  100  may prompt the user to select a group of students and a set of two or more assessments from a list of assessments that were given to the selected group of students. After the user selects a group of students and selects the set of assessments, process  400  may proceed to step  462 . 
     In step  462 , reporting system  100  displays on the user&#39;s display a graphical user interface screen that includes at least a segment of a learning map. In one embodiment, the learning map segment displayed in step  462  includes, for each item on each selected assessment, a node corresponding to a learning target that is associated with the item. For example, if one of the selected assessments includes an item (item 1 ), and item 1  is associated with learning target LT 1 , and another of the selected assessments includes an item (e.g., item 77 ), and item 77  is associated with learning target LT 77 , then the segment of the learning map that gets displayed in step  462  includes a node corresponding to LT 1  and a node corresponding to LT 77 . 
     To illustrate the above feature,  FIG. 14  is an illustration of an longitudinal group report (LGR) user interface screen  1400  that may be displayed in step  462 . As shown in  FIG. 14 , LGR screen  1400  includes at least a segment  1402  of a learning map, which segment  1402  includes a set of nodes, each node corresponding to a learning target. In one embodiment, the segment  1402  contains a node for each learning target covered by one of the selected assessments. 
     Like the GR screen  1200 , the LGR screen  1400  represents the assessment results of any target group (Mrs. Johnson&#39;s third grade class, for example) on any learning strand (mathematics computation, for example) by displaying the color-coded horizontal bands (referred to and explained above) in nodes of the learning map for the strand. The LGR screen  1400 , in one embodiment, provides substantially the same viewing and navigational options as the IDL screen  1000 . For example, a user can again zoom in and out and navigate through the map to choose other views. The user can also select a “Play” button  1490  on the LGR screen  1400  in order to display group test results in a timed sequence and observe the group&#39;s progress as nodal bands change color and width. 
     In one embodiment, if desired, the navigation may automatically shift up, down, left, or right while the report is playing. The zoom level may be automatically controlled during the play with or without the automatic navigation control. 
     The user can also select any one of the particular assessments and view the GR screen for that given assessment. For example, in one embodiment, a “timeline”  1454  is displayed on the LGR screen  1400 . Indicia is displayed on the timeline  1454  and each indicia is associated with one of the assessments selected in step  460 . Accordingly, to select any one of the particular assessments, the user may select one of the indicia. In response, system  100  displays a GR screen corresponding to the assessment associated with the selected indicia and corresponding to the group of students selected in step  460 . 
     In some embodiments, the heavy outline around nodes associated with a standard or goal may change in appearance when all learners have achieved the standard or goal. The LGR screen  1400  features the same “S,” “I,” and “Q” icons and navigational methodologies that are found in the ISR screen  600  for the viewer&#39;s reference. As with the GR screen  1200 , the teacher can select a colored band in a node to bring up the associated student lists. 
     Conclusion 
     It will be readily apparent that the various processes and algorithms described herein may be implemented by, e.g., appropriately programmed general purpose computers and computing devices. Typically a processor (e.g., a microprocessor) will receive instructions from a memory or like device, and execute those instructions, thereby performing a process defined by those instructions. Further, programs that implement such methods and algorithms may be stored and transmitted using a variety of known media. 
     While various embodiments/variations of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents. 
     Additionally, while the processes described above and illustrated in the drawings are shown as a sequence of steps, this was done solely for the sake of illustration. Accordingly, it is contemplated that some steps may be added and other steps omitted, and the order of the steps may be re-arranged. In other words, any sequence or order of steps that may be described does not necessarily indicate a requirement that the steps be performed in that order. The steps of processes described herein may be performed in any order practical. Further, some steps may be performed simultaneously.