Abstract: Some embodiments of an integrated student-growth platform for discovering, designating, and organizing heterogeneous instructional electronic resources based on observational assessments of students are disclosed. The student-growth platform is configured to establish and generate the best possible set of skills and resources for an educator to teach a group of students on a particular day and for a student to quickly progress to meet preferred educational standards. In one embodiment, the student-growth system includes a communication unit for sending and receiving data among users (e.g., teachers and students), an assessment platform, a planning platform, a learning-progression platform, an assignment platform, a mastery-maker platform, a Multi-Dimensional Response Item (MIRT) platform, and a reporting platform.

Abstract: A system and methods are disclosed for enabling users to attach a tag and highlight in a single action or activity to a select piece or portion of text in digital content (e.g., in a digital book or other content provided for viewing on an electronic device). In some implementations, the teacher may associate a tag with a particular text in the assignment, push the assignment embedding the tag to one or more students, and the tag becomes automatically visible to the one or more students through their highlight menu when they open up the assignment for completion. In some implementations, with this single activity, users may easily share tasks, comments etc., with ease. One or more other activities are also used among teachers and students to create and execute assignments with efficiency.

Abstract: Some embodiments of an integrated student-growth platform for discovering, designating, and organizing heterogeneous instructional electronic resources based on observational assessments of students are disclosed. The student-growth platform is configured to establish and generate the best possible set of skills and resources for an educator to teach a group of students on a particular day and for a student to quickly progress to meet preferred educational standards. In one embodiment, the student-growth system includes a communication unit for sending and receiving data among users (e.g., teachers and students), an assessment platform, a planning platform, a learning-progression platform, an assignment platform, a mastery-maker platform, a Multi-Dimensional Response Item (MIRT) platform, and a reporting platform.

Abstract: Some embodiments of an integrated student-growth platform for discovering, designating, and organizing heterogeneous instructional electronic resources based on observational assessments of students are disclosed. The student-growth platform is configured to establish and generate the best possible set of skills and resources for an educator to teach a group of students on a particular day and for a student to quickly progress to meet preferred educational standards. In one embodiment, the student-growth system includes a communication unit for sending and receiving data among users (e.g., teachers and students), an assessment platform, a planning platform, a learning-progression platform, an assignment platform, a mastery-maker platform, a Multi-Dimensional Response Item (MIRT) platform, and a reporting platform.

Abstract: An interactive organization architecture and application platform and methods for use with social reading systems and networks are disclosed for permitting users to interact while viewing the pages of electronic content, for example, a book. Users may highlight text and attach a comment, link, poll, or quiz to the text of the electronic content. As other readers peruse through the electronic content, they are either presented with the notes as they read or are presented with aggregated notes in their feed, which may be determined as relevant based on predetermined criteria. Users may share content with others in multiple private and public discussion threads. The social reading platform system and methods also include other features that facilitate discovery, collaborative reading, assignment of tasks, review of tasks by teachers and peers etc.

Abstract: A marking detection system detects markings on a printed medium, such as pencil markings in bubbles on the printed medium. The marking detection system includes a circuit board with a plurality of components thereon, including an optical subsystem and an electronic subsystem including circuitry. The marking detection system further includes a shroud for optically isolating a plurality of emitting and detecting elements of the system.

Abstract: A wireless classroom response system includes multiple wireless networks, each serving a different classroom. Each network has a computer located proximate to the classroom that the wireless network serves. The computer executes a communications server and an application program, wherein the application program facilitates classroom activities. The system also includes a wireless access point located proximate to the classroom. The wireless access point is communicatively linked to the computer. The system also has a plurality of handheld units. Each handheld unit displays, to a user, a list of the networks, and receives a user input indicating which one of the wireless networks the handheld unit should connect. The handheld unit connects to the chosen wireless network, thereby becoming a node in the wireless network. It also transmits data to the application program via the wireless access point and the communications server.

Abstract: An audience response system is provided. In various implementations, the response system includes a base station, handheld units, and a wireless network. The response system may have a prompted mode and an unprompted mode of operation. In the prompted mode of operation, the base station transmits questions to the handheld units over the wireless network. The questions are displayed to users on their handheld units. The users respond to the question, and their responses are transmitted to the base station via the wireless network. In the unprompted mode, answer templates are transmitted and displayed to the users, with the actual questions being conveyed in some other manner, such as verbally or by written handout.

Abstract: A wireless classroom response system includes multiple wireless networks, each serving a different classroom. Each network has a computer located proximate to the classroom that the wireless network serves. The computer executes a communications server and an application program, wherein the application program facilitates classroom activities. The system also includes a wireless access point located proximate to the classroom. The wireless access point is communicatively linked to the computer. The system also has a plurality of handheld units. Each handheld unit displays, to a user, a list of the networks, and receives a user input indicating which one of the wireless networks the handheld unit should connect. The handheld unit connects to the chosen wireless network, thereby becoming a node in the wireless network. It also transmits data to the application program via the wireless access point and the communications server.

Abstract: A wireless classroom response system wireless network is located proximate to a classroom, a base station that coordinates the activities of the wireless network, and a plurality of handheld units. Each handheld unit is associated with an attendee of a class (either on a long-term or “owned basis, or on an ad-hoc or “shared” basis). Each handheld unit performs a discovery process that includes the steps of randomly choosing a wireless channel, attempting to discover the presence of the wireless network on the channel, and repeating these two steps if no wireless network is discovered.

Abstract: A device and method for reading optical marks are disclosed. The device, an optical mark reader (OMR) has an array of photo sensors with light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which are driven by digital-to-analog converters (DACs), which are in turn controlled by a microcontroller. When calibrating the OMR, the sensors read a white card, and the microcontroller adjust the DACs so that the outputs of all sensors are at a voltage close to the saturation points of the photo-transistors in the sensors so that the maximum useable ranges of the sensors are utilized. The sensors then read one or more patterns of known grayscales and their response voltages are recorded. The microcontroller generates an array of voltage values as a function of grayscale for each sensor and store the values in a memory device. When reading an optical marks, the sensor output voltage in response to a mark is looked up in the table of voltages values stored in the memory device to determine the grayscale of the mark.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for language teaching that involves training to an automatic level a set of core vocabulary items, and then presenting learned items in combination as a means of implicitly teaching grammar. In one aspect, a method for teaching a language, consistent with the invention, comprises: (a) while displaying to a learner a graphical representation of a vocabulary item comprising at least one word, playing to the learner an audio recording comprising the spoken form of the vocabulary item; and (b) while displaying to a learner both a graphical representation of the vocabulary item and the written form of the vocabulary item, playing to the learner an audio recording comprising the spoken form of the vocabulary item.

Abstract: An optical mark reader includes a housing formed by a base and an upper housing assembly. A scanner is associated with the upper housing assembly for performing scanning operations on cards that are input into the housing. The base and the upper housing are detachably connected to each other by a quick connect/disconnect fastening system which permits easy access to the lens of the scanner, whereby the lens can be cleaned as needed. In addition, the housing includes a unique card path defined, in part, by a pair of guide walls on the base. The card path includes an inlet that is tapered both vertically and horizontally make insertion of cards into the housing easier. Further, a single, offset drive wheel is used to transport cards through the housing.