Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are disclosed which implement a training session for training a user to validate assumptions. First, a plurality stimuli are presented to a user in the context of a simulation. The user is then prompted to enter responses to the stimuli which are subsequently recorded. The user is then allowed to enter assumptions that form a basis of the responses. Next, the user is prompted to enter information on how to validate the assumptions which is subsequently received. Feedback is then outputted based on the stimuli and responses. Such feedback relates to appropriate assumptions and information on how to validate the appropriate assumptions. As an option, the feedback may be further based on a number of assumptions entered.

Abstract: A method and system for tracking the progress of one or more students in a distance learning environment. The system includes a school computer and one or more student computers. A course site, including course graphics representative of course activities and progress graphics representative of individual students' progress in performing the course activities, allows school officials and/or students to track and compare their progress to those of other students in the class.

Abstract: A talking book and a method of authoring a talking book is presented where the talking book includes a synthesizer, an audio system, a memory, a display, and switches for selecting pages and/or chapters of the talking book. The talking book is authored by a script that lists speech files, the sampling rate, and the chapter and page boundaries. Configuration tables and segment tables are generated from the script and these tables are assembled with a playback program to combined binary data stored in the talking book.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for facilitating education operations. A portable processor-based apparatus is provided which is used by a student and his or her parents. The portable device is adapted to releasably couple with a cradle which is maintained at least in the school environment. The portable unit may be coupled through the cradle to a school network. The portable unit may be utilized by the student, parents, and teacher to perform a number of specific school related activities including a presentation of course materials; the assignment, completion and return of homework assignments; the maintenance of school records; and digital communication between or among the student, teacher, and parents. The device preferably includes biometric security systems which limit the access to both the device and data maintained in the device or in the school network.

Abstract: A computerized test preparation system and methods are disclosed which assist an examinee to increase his learning and improve his performance on standardized academic or applied aptitude and achievement exams. Performance feedback information is provided to a user, including conventional information such as number of items correct and time elapsed, pinpoints substantive areas of a particular exam in which the user is either weak or strong, and offers diagnoses of, and remediation tailored to, a user's personal difficulties. By assessing a user's responses to given exam questions, through various distractor error patterns manifested in the incorrect answers to multiple-choice questions, or through coded categories of responses in the case of user responses to constrained open-ended items, a preliminary diagnosis of a user's deficits in knowledge and/or test taking skill is made. This preliminary diagnosis is subsequently refined utilizing additional examination questions.

Abstract: A method of spelling assessment includes identifying misspelled words; describing error patterns; analyzing, for a given spelling error, whether the target word is a base word or is derived or inflected; and assessing the student's phonological awareness, visual orthographic memory, orthographic knowledge, and morphological awareness skills based thereon. An embodiment of the method comprises aligning the student's misspelling with the corresponding letters in the correctly spelled target word. An apparatus implements the method.

Abstract: A collaborative learning system, method and computer program product permits live, real time interaction between the audience and a presenter in a controlled learning environment. The collaborative learning system, method and computer program product provides a learning process that facilitates the transfer of expertise and knowledge using “push” technology. The system includes a presenter subsystem, a backbone subsystem and an audience subsystem. The process includes pre-event, event and post-event stages. During the pre-event stage, content is created and optimized, and the producer “coaches” the presenter. During the event stage, the presenter and the producer, using the presenter subsystem, push the event material to the audience located remotely at the audience subsystem via the backbone subsystem. The event materials may comprise slides, streaming audio/video and interactive answers to questions and responses to audience feedback.

Abstract: A system and method for permitting an administrator or faculty member in an online education course to monitor and manage faculty and student activity is provided. The system includes a computer network having an administrator and instructor course management application tool for generating administrator and instructor interfaces displaying student or faculty information and facilitating an instructor's ability to manage student activities, as well as facilitating administrator management and review of both students and faculty. The method includes automatically recording student and faculty access to online educational course resources and tasks, and presenting a plurality of interactive student and faculty management selections to administrators and faculty in response to queries for student and faculty information.

Abstract: A tutorial or diagnostic aid based on the representation and iterative interpretation of visual images is taught. A teaching or diagnostic session is created by overlaying an interpretation layer via a software application onto the visual image layer and synchronizing the two with the time code of the visual image. The interpretation layer allows the reviewer to identify image areas of interest by gesture and append comments thereto in real time; i.e. images or portions of images within the visual representation playback may be identified and labeled and have the concurrent commentary associated therewith. The comments are indexed and linked to a database of similar topics. The flow of the session is recorded to show the images, deictic gestures associated therewith, and commentary associated with the gestures, to enable subsequent users to playback a session and follow the flow of thought (i.e. image identification and commentary within the original session).

Abstract: A system and method for simulated device training is disclosed. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the system includes a simulated device having at least one sensor. A controller is provided, and interfaces with the at least one sensor and with a feedback device. In another embodiment, the method includes the steps of (1) providing a simulated device having at least one sensor; (2) monitoring the simulated device for the presence of a stimulus; and (3) providing feedback in response to a predetermined stimulus.

Abstract: A training tool for training and assessing one or more auditory processing, phonological awareness, phonological processing and reading skills of an individual is provided. The training tool may use various graphical games to train the individual's ability in a particular set of auditory processing, phonological awareness, phonological processing and reading skills. The system may use speech recognition technology to permit the user to interact with the games.

Abstract: The current invention discloses methods to expedite and simplify a range finding process with resulting savings in time and cost. The invention utilizes digitized representations of respondent answers instead of documents containing the student responses. The invention uses methods of using performance indicators other than the response itself to identify a targeted subset of individual student responses within the sample which are likely to be exemplars of any given score point. In the preferred implementation of this invention, scanned images or other digitized representations of the student responses, and electronically recorded performance indicators are used so that a computer system can quickly and efficiently identify and present the targeted subset to the expert readers of a range finding team. The invention allows expanding the sample of responses available to range finding, up to the entire test administration.

Abstract: A recorded technique for teaching a target language to a student having a home language in which each expression in the home language is presented and, under control of the student, time is provided for the student's oral translation thereof. Subsequent to the student's oral translation, a first example student translation of the expressions to the target language is provided and subsequently a second example student's translation of the target language is provided. One ID of the example students is preferably male and the other is preferably female. Then a teacher's translation of the expression into the target language is provided. The sequence is repeated for a series of expressions. To facilitate student comfort and reduce anxiety, the student can provide pauses wherever convenient and in particular the system gives the student time to translate the expression provided from the student's home language into the target language.

Abstract: An intervention method in which computer-based role-playing games are utilized to allow players to experience simulated effects of substance abuse on the individual, family, friends, and community, and thus learn by experience to avoid the adverse consequences of drug abuse through abstinence, promotion of abstinence by others, and treatment and correction of substance abusers. Role-playing games allow players to pretend to be a character in a story, much like being in a play. Each player takes the role of a character in the story, making the decisions and saying the things that character would say in the situations that happen along the way. Game objectives are set which the player or players attempt to complete through game-play. The intervention method involves realistically portraying the consequences of substance abuse and its interference with the individual's or group's chances of meeting the game objectives.

Abstract: A method of generating a correlation between a plurality of sets of educational requirements and learning activities, and identifying the educational requirements to which a learning component of the learning activities is correlated. Teachers and authors accessing the correlating system are able to author and select learning components to be correlated to the plurality of educational requirements sets. An educational requirements set can be a set of state educational standards, a set of school district educational standards or a set of corporate training or certification requirements. The correlation of educational components to the grouping of educational requirements and of learning components to a set of educational components are generated and stored by a server, preferably accessible over the internet through the public switched telephone network.

Abstract: A computer-based method of providing reading instruction to a student. The software program implemented in a computer-based environment provides a balanced approach to reading based on different programmed components namely phonemic awareness reading subskills and reading comprehension. The program sets out a predefined sequence which incorporates the aforementioned components in a manner which develops enhanced reading ability and improved comprehension.

Abstract: A system and method for applying standards to adapt generic educational materials for use in different states and regions is provided. The system includes the use of an interactive player that includes storage for a series of video, audio and text assets. This storage typically takes the form of a DVD disk. The assets stored on the DVD disk are generic, meaning that they are broadly applicable to a range of different locales. The interactive player determines its operating location by querying its user (typically a teacher). The interactive player uses that location to perform a web search. The web search returns a list of URLs, each corresponding to a web page containing an educational standard relevant to the operating location. The teacher uses these web pages to adapt lesson plans to the particular operating location. The teacher can then use the interactive player to present interactive multimedia and region specific lessons.

Abstract: A hand held apparatus for prompting and or teaching the recitation of prayers associated with the Rosary including a highly decorative and compact electronic, battery-powered instrument that may be worn as decoration and held in the user's hand for easy operation, the apparatus having audio and prayer tracking capability utilizing a microprocessor for controlling a plurality of miniature lights clustered around a large centrally located sequencing button in conjunction with a voice message used to prompt the user by audibly reciting the first portion of a prayer, thereby eliciting a response by the user for the remaining portion of the prayer before continuing stepping through the sequential prayers of the Rosary. The apparatus is further distinguishable by a decorative cross serving as the power on and reset switch, the cross having lights at each point which are sequenced on initial activation to make the sign of the cross with lights.

Abstract: A computerized method for providing a meaningful response in an intelligent tutor. The method includes the steps of receiving an input from a user solving a problem and determining if the input violates at least one consistency rule. The consistency rules are rules implemented to allow a constraint of the input to be evaluated and compared to a fundamental rule set for the problem. The fundamental rule set includes a plurality of principles that impose the constraints on a resulting solution. A student's mistake is applied to the consistency rules to allow the artificial intelligence program to respond to the answer by either providing a necessary principle overlooked by the student, or allows the program to, at a minimum, generate feedback to say something educationally useful to the student. This can be done even when buggy rules have failed to match and provide a rationale for the mistake.

Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the invention is a method of providing training to a plurality of users in a system including a training system and a plurality of user systems coupled to the training system via a network. The method includes receiving a request to create a training program and providing an editable training program template to the user system in response to the request to edit or create a training program. The editable training program template permits entry of content for the training program. Other embodiments of the invention include a system and storage medium for implementing the method.