Patent Application
20090226874
The invention generally relates to a system and method for computer systems and, more particularly, the invention relates to an instructional design tool.
Currently, many companies are facing a big challenge of loosing talent due to the exodus of the large workforce constituents aged 50 and older who may retire within the next 5 to 10 years. Within the context of current talent management processes and training approaches, it would be impossible to replace this workforce quickly with adequately trained new talent with minimum impact on the business. It is critical to capture and transfer the needed knowledge and skills effectively and efficiently so that the younger, entering workforce can acquire/build the needed competencies and demonstrate the requisite knowledge and skills within a short timeframe.
There are methods and tools in the market that can help with capturing knowledge via defined processes, documentation, and knowledge management databases. And, there are a variety of learning strategies and systems ranging from traditional classroom to e-learning to deliver the knowledge.
Although there is no right or wrong method to solve these challenges, the current solutions are time consuming, complex and do not adequately target the younger workforce. For example, Instructional Designers design manuals, which are stored electronically for the younger workforce to study, but these manuals are difficult to read and understand. Also, such manuals typically do not capture and retain the attention of the trainees.
In a more specific example, Instructional Designers arrange media and content to help learners and teachers transfer knowledge most effectively. The process consists broadly of determining the current state of learner understanding, defining the end goal of instruction, and creating some media-based “intervention” to assist in the transition. Ideally, the process is informed by pedagogically-tested theories of learning and may take place in student-only, teacher-led or community-based settings. The outcome of this instruction may be directly observable and scientifically measured or completely hidden and assumed.
For learning-based systems, Instructional Designers capture knowledge from Subject Matter Experts. This knowledge capture is traditionally acquired through questionnaires. Ideally, this could be an iterative process to refine the knowledge captured. Further, in learning-based games, the knowledge is tied to a gaming scenario. The gaming scenario is based on the knowledge acquired and is traditionally captured in a design document, which is essentially a word document, explaining every movement/action/situation that might happen in a game. Then, a gaming development team refers to the design document to design a game engine, and with the help of a media specialist, media is incorporated into the raw game to make it more attractive, interesting, and engaging.
However, the gaming design document is provided to game development teams in a very high level of abstraction. This high level abstraction tends to be confusing and difficult to interpret. This, in turn, leads to misunderstandings between designers and developers and can significantly slow down the design and development process. Accordingly, there exists a need in the art to overcome the deficiencies and limitations described hereinabove.
In a first aspect of the invention, an instructional design tool comprises at least one component configured to visually model a gaming scenario using recorded knowledge and graphical content defined by values associated with classes of respective models and translate the defined values into a standardized XML format.
In another aspect of the invention, a system for deploying models of scenario-specific details comprises a computer infrastructure. The computer infrastructure is operable to convert user defined values of classes associated with models into a standardized XML format for implementation in a gaming scenario.
In another aspect of the invention, a method for deploying an instructional design tool comprises providing a computer infrastructure. The computer infrastructure is operable to: capture values of classes associated with a respective predefined model of at least one of a character, an object and a world; and translate the values into a standardized XML format
In another aspect of the invention, a computer program product for designing an instructional application, comprises: a computer readable media; first program instructions to provide classes associated with a plurality of models; second program instructions to model scenario-specific details based on values provided for at least one class of the classes: and instructions to convert the values into a standardized XML format, wherein the first, second and third program instructions are stored on the computer readable media.
The present invention is described in the detailed description which follows, in reference to the noted plurality of drawings by way of non-limiting examples of exemplary embodiments of the present invention.
a-3h illustratively show details of classes of the World Model for implementing aspects of the invention;
a-8e illustratively show details of classes of the Character Interaction Model for implementing aspects of the invention; and
The invention generally relates to an instructional design tool used for designing learning based applications. More specifically, the system and method of the invention includes an instructional design tool configured to use captured expert knowledge (e.g., of trained and/or skilled workers) for translating such knowledge into an environment used for instructional purposes (e.g., training of a younger, or less experienced, workforce). In embodiments, the instructional design tool uses a standardized XML Schema capable of being used in any number of gaming engines.
In implementation, an Instructional Designer can convey learning scenario designs to gaming development teams more clearly when compared to the traditional word document design method. The communication and design tool of the present invention can thus minimize misunderstandings between designers and developers and can expedite the design and development process by automating steps and providing a number of templates for Instructional Designers to rapidly design learning games.
In embodiments, the instructional design tool is an Eclipse-based Rich Client Platform (RCP) plug-in, with which an Instructional Designer can model the gaming scenario visually. (Eclipse is a trademark of International Business Machines Corp. in the U.S. and throughout the world.) The instructional design tool allows an Instructional Designer to model the learning game by adding scenario-specific details, such as characters, places, objects, interactions, and events, into an instructionally-sound framework without having to spend as much time on design as typically would with the word design document. Furthermore, the instructional design tool automates a feed for the gaming engine layer, which translates this feed and prepares a gaming engine. In this case, the feed is an XML-based document.
Table 1, below, summarizes the generational differences in relevant learning, decision-making, problem-solving, leadership, communication styles, and technology use that have significant influence on effective methods for collaboration and knowledge transfer across generations.
(See, Lancaster, L. C. and Stillman, D. When Generations Collide: Who They Are. Why They Clash. How to Solve the Generational Puzzle at Work. Wheaton, Ill. Harper Business, 2003.)
Research shows that Generation “Y” (e.g., age 18-25) prefers an immersive, game-based collaborative environment where they can interact via 3D characters in realistic role-play scenarios. Leveraging and creating immersive gaming environments to facilitate knowledge transfer and effective learning using current processes, people resources, and tools, however, has been found to be cost and time prohibitive. However, the present invention has addressed these issues by providing an instructional design tool that allows an Instructional Designer to efficiently model characters, objects, events, communication, and interactions occurring in the learning game. This modeling can be performed through a series of templates, implementing a series of JAVA models (classes). The Instructional Designer can model events based on a timeline or a state of some particular attributes of characters, world, or objects, etc. Moreover, the XML schema generated from the tool can be fed into the gaming engine layer, from which the learning game is produced.
The instructional design tool 16 tool encompasses a systematic method to design scenarios in an immersive, interactive and instructional environment. The immersive, interactive and instructional environment is provided by an instructional design of single-player, multi-player, and/or virtual worlds immersive learning games, and a delivery via a variety of gaming engines and platforms that reduces the production time and cost for training. In use, as should be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, the instructional processes of the invention should significantly decrease training time and increase productivity of the less experienced, younger workforce, by teaching such workforce in a manner which is more amenable to their learning style.
The instructional design tool 16 is configured to permit an Instructional Designer to visually model a gaming scenario in order to expose and define logical situations “IN GAME”. The Instructional Designer will use the knowledge of the expert when designing the visual model, e.g., adding media, graphics, etc. In embodiments, the instructional design tool 16 is an Eclipse-based RCP plug-in and is platform independent. In implementation, the instructional design tool 16 prepares a standardized XML feed for a gaming engine layer. The gaming engine layer is, in embodiments, designed to use the standardized XML-based feed to prepare an Engine 17 (e.g., gaming engine) to deliver the immersive learning and gaming experience in accordance with the invention. The Engine 17 can be either internal or external to the computing device 14. In embodiments, the Engine 17 is platform dependent.
To accomplish such goals, the instructional design tool 16 includes characters' internal and external properties, objects, interactions, etc. as defined and kept track using a series of models using JAVA classes. Once a class or classes are defined (e.g., properties, characters, objects, interactions, worlds, etc.) by the user, each of the character's internal and external properties (objects, interactions, worlds, etc.) may be saved in a library for future use in other scenarios. The library, for example, can be saved in storage 22B. This allows an Instructional Designer to reuse characters' internal and external properties, objects, etc. when designing different scenarios.
An internal property is a characteristic that the gaming engine sets for the character, based upon the Instructional Designer's input into the instructional design tool 16. An external property is a property that is calculated by the viewpoints of other characters in the game. In other words, external properties are constructed by what other characters think about the particular property for the character. In addition, objects have properties which can have associated sets of verbs. Verbs represent the actions that are associated with the object. For example, a telephone object could have the verbs “place call,” “pick up,” or “listen to voicemail”. Similarly, places in-world, character-to-character interactions, character-to-object interactions, and state/time-based events can be modeled in the tool as discussed with reference to
In embodiments, the characters' internal and external properties, objects, interactions, etc. can be provided by predefined JAVA classes which are provided to the user via a set of templates. The JAVA classes can be, for example, place models, object models, object and place Interaction models, world models and enumeration models, as discussed in more detail below. The user, in the templates, can provide values to each of the classes (define properties, etc.)
The computing device 14 further includes a processor 20, a memory 22A, an input/output (I/O) interface 24, and a bus 26. The memory 22A can include local memory employed during actual execution of program code, bulk storage, and cache memories which provide temporary storage of at least some program code in order to reduce the number of times code must be retrieved from bulk storage during execution. Further, the computing device 14 is in communication with the external I/O device/resource 28 and a storage system 22B. In the present implementation, the I/O device 28 can be a graphical user interface, which provides the Instructional Designer the means to define, for example, characters, objects, places in-world, character-to-character interactions, character-to-object interactions, and state/time-based events, etc.
In general, the processor 20 executes computer program code, which is stored in memory 22A and/or storage system 22B. While executing computer program code, the processor 20 can read and/or write data to/from memory 22A, storage system 22B, and/or I/O interface 24. The bus 26 provides a communications link between each of the components in the computing device 14.
The computing device 14 can comprise any general purpose computing article of manufacture capable of executing computer program code installed thereon (e.g., a personal computer, server, handheld device, etc.). However, it is understood that the computing device 14 is only representative of various possible equivalent-computing devices that may perform the processes described herein. To this extent, in embodiments, the functionality provided by the computing device 14 can be implemented by a computing article of manufacture that includes any combination of general and/or specific purpose hardware and/or computer program code. In each embodiment, the program code and hardware can be created using standard programming and engineering techniques, respectively.
Similarly, the computer infrastructure 12 is only illustrative of various types of computer infrastructures for implementing the invention. For example, in embodiments, the computer infrastructure 12 comprises two or more computing devices (e.g., a server cluster) that communicate over any type of communications link, such as a network, a shared memory, or the like, to perform the process described herein. Further, while performing the processes described herein, one or more computing devices in the computer infrastructure 12 can communicate with one or more other computing devices external to the computer infrastructure 12 using any type of communications link. The communications link can comprise any combination of wired and/or wireless links; any combination of one or more types of networks (e.g., the Internet, a wide area network, a local area network, a virtual private network, etc.); and/or utilize any combination of transmission techniques and protocols.
In embodiments, a service provider, such as a Solution Integrator, could offer to perform the processes described herein. In this case, the service provider can create, maintain, deploy, support, etc., a computer infrastructure (e.g., computing infrastructure of
The roles 200 include: an Expert and/or Knowledge Worker, an Instructional Designer, Expert and/or Instructional Designer and Game Production Specialist. It should be understood that the above noted “users” are only illustrative of the roles used in implementing the invention and that some of the roles (users) can be combined and/or eliminated. For example, the Expert and the Knowledge Worker can be the same user. Also, in embodiments, it should be understood that some of the activities could be combined such as, for example, the adding of effects suitable for instructional materials and the verification with the Expert.
As to the activities 205, in a first of the processes, the system and method of the invention gathers the expert knowledge of the Expert and/or Knowledge Worker. The expert knowledge can be, for example, specific work-related knowledge of the Expert such as different negotiation scenarios, entering information in a database, etc. in a structured environment. The captured knowledge is saved in a standardized XML schema and provided to the instructional design tool 16 for implementing the processes of the invention. The standardized XML schema can contain defined objects such as, for example, master timeline, and places with attributes and characters, all of which should be understood by those of skill in the art. The characters can include, for example, timelines, conversations (with other characters for the purpose of instruction, e.g., a negotiation) and attributes of the characters (e.g., clothing, gender, etc.).
The instructional design tool 16 allows the Instructional Designer to incorporate media and graphics with the recorded expert knowledge. More specifically, the instructional design tool 16 allows the Instructional Designer to visually model the immersive learning environment by adding scenario-specific details using JAVA based models. These scenario-specific details can include characters, places, objects, interactions, and events, all of which are associated with a specific training scenario using the recorded information of the expert. These scenario-specific details with the recorded knowledge are then provided into an instructionally sound learning environment without having to spend as much time on design as he/she typically would with manual interview and documentation methods.
The scenario-specific details can be saved in a standardized XML schema. As the scenario-specific details are saved in a standardized XML schema, the instructional design tool 16 can automate an XML feed for the gaming engine layer, which translates this feed and prepares a gaming engine component. The instructional elements are transferred into a production game using, for example, IBM ™ Content Producer™ or Flash or 3D virtual environment. (IBMand Content Producer are trademarks of International Business Machines Corp. in the U.S. and throughout the world.) Also, in embodiments, the Expert and Instructional Designer can collaborate with one another in order to verify the accuracy of the scenario-specific details. The verification process can be implemented using the IBM ™ Content Producer ™.
Object Action Super Class 320a1: This class defines the actions of objects and characters. This class is the super class for all the objects and characters in the game, basically to track all the characters and objects in the game;
Time Class 320b1 and Time base Event Action Class 320b2: These classes define the events based on a time line or an action; and
Interaction Super Class 320b3: This class defines the interactions between, for example, characters. This class is the super class for the interactions character-character or character-object. Using this class all the interactions could be tracked in the game.
a-3h illustratively show details of different classes of the World Model for implementing aspects of the invention. It should be understood, though, that the details shown in each of these classes (and all of the classes shown and described herein in other models) are provided as an illustrative example of different parameters used in implementing the invention. As such, the classes and related information provided are one of many different examples that are contemplated by the present invention, and that one of skill in the art would readily understand that other examples can be equally implemented with the present invention.
More specifically, as shown in
As should also be understood by those of skill in the art, any of the classes (shown in
In embodiments, by way of a non-limiting example, the standard XML schema for the Place Model can be written as:
In embodiments, by way of a non-limiting example, the standard XML schema for the Object Model can be written as:
Object Interaction Class 605: This class is used to model interactions between a character and objects. These types can be audio, video, JPEG, 2 or 3 dimensional representations, etc.;
Array List Content Node Class 610, Interaction Array List Content Class 615, and Interaction Item Hash Content Class 620: As should be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, these classes represent different ways of modeling object interactions such as, for example, using hash tables, arrays and content nodes. (Those of skill in the art should understand that any of the classes of any of the models shown in
In the illustrative example of
As further shown in
In the illustrative example of
As further shown in
In use, the Instructional Design can be brought through different types of activities via the templates. So, for example, the Instructional Designer can define worlds, characters, objects, and interactions and actions of the worlds, objects, characters, etc. as discussed throughout the present disclosure using the models and classes of, e.g.,
The processes described herein may be implemented on computer program code in combination with the appropriate hardware as described with reference to
The invention can take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment or an embodiment containing both hardware and software elements (any of which is referred generally as “file management program”). The hardware and software elements include a computer infrastructure configured to implement the functionality of the present invention. The computer infrastructure may take the form, for example, of the environment of
While the invention has been described in terms of embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modifications and in the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
