Patent Application
20070099164
1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates generally to versioning and in particular, to systems and methods for versioning course content in an electronic learning system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic learning systems (“ELS”) provide users with the ability to access course content directly from their computers, without the need for intermediaries, such as teachers, tutors, and the like. Such computer-based systems have proven attractive for precisely this reason.
Systems exist which allow users to book ELS training electronically. These conventional systems include courses, which may only be taken as an individual course and courses which may be taken as part of a curriculum. The courses may include web-based courses allowing a learner to take courses over the web using content provided by the ELS.
However, when an author desires to make changes to content being provided by the ELS, the training administrator or system administrator has to look over the new versions of the content in the training administration system and relate the new versions to a new training. For each content version, the administrator has to determine what the changes are and has to manually enter the changes into the content. The administrator is also given the task of informing all users of that content that there has been a modification to the content,
Accordingly, there is a need for a reliable and efficient way to modify course content in an ELS so that the modifications are easily and efficiently made and learners can be automatically notified, if desired, in a timely and efficient manner.
A method for versioning course content in an electronic learning system comprises selecting a category for changes to be made to the course content in the electronic learning system and associating system behaviors to the selected category.
A user interface for use in versioning course content in an electronic learning system comprises prompting a content author to select a category for changes to be made to the course content in the electronic learning system and prompting the training administrator to associate system behaviors to the selected category.
A method for modifying course content in an electronic learning system comprises prompting a user to sign onto the electronic learning system, prompting the learner to upload updates to the course content, at this point the learner can decide in which way the system should behave.
A system for versioning course content in an electronic learning system comprises a system for allowing a learner to select a category for changes to be made to the course content in the electronic learning system and a system for allowing a training administrators to associate system behaviors to the selected category.
A system for providing a user interface for use in versioning course content in an electronic learning system comprises a system for prompting a content author to select a category for changes to be made to the course content in the electronic learning system and a system for prompting the training administrator to associate system behaviors to the selected category.
A system for modifying course content in an electronic learning system comprises a system for prompting a user to sign onto the electronic learning system, a system for prompting the user to upload updates to the course content, a system for prompting the user to select a category of changes for the updates to the course content and a system for performing one or more system behaviors based on the category of changes selected by the user.
A computer recording medium including computer executable code for versioning course content in an electronic learning system comprises code for allowing a user to select a category for changes to be made to the course content in the electronic learning system and code for allowing the user to associate system behaviors to the selected category.
A computer recording medium including computer executable code for providing a user interface for use in versioning course content in an electronic learning system comprises code for prompting a user to select a category for changes to be made to the course content in the electronic learning system and code for prompting the user to associate system behaviors to the selected category.
A computer recording medium including computer executable code for modifying course content in an electronic learning system comprises code for prompting a user to sign onto the electronic learning system, code for prompting the user to upload updates to the course content, code for prompting the user to select a category of changes for the updates to the course content and code for performing one or more system behaviors based on the category of changes selected by the user.
A more complete appreciation of the present disclosure and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
In describing preferred embodiments of the present disclosure illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology is employed for sake of clarity. However, the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected and it is to be understood that each specific element includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner.
The computer system 100 can include a central processing unit (CPU) 102, program and data storage devices 104, a printer interface 106, a display unit 108, a (LAN) local area network data transmission controller 110, a LAN interface 112, a network controller 114, an internal bus 116, and one or more input devices 118 (for example, a keyboard, mouse etc.). As shown, the system 100 may be connected to a database 120, via a link 122.
The computer system 100 is merely exemplary. The specific embodiments described herein are illustrative, computer system(s) as referred to herein may include(s) individual computers, servers, computing resources, networks, etc., and many variations can be introduced on these embodiments without departing from the spirit of the disclosure or from the scope of the appended claims.
The set of courses 201 can include different types of courses including web-based courses, classroom courses, and on-the-job courses. An on-the-job course is a course that includes one or more work assignments and a required time interval for completing the work assignments. A classroom course is a live course that is given by an instructor in a fixed location at a fixed time. A web-based course is a course that is delivered over the Internet. With web-based courses, there is generally not a fixed location and there often is not a fixed time either. Examples of web-based courses include on-line tutorial programs and presentations. Content database 208 includes content used by web-based courses 201.
A curriculum is a group of two or more courses selected from a set of courses managed by the system. Within the group, the courses are arranged in a sequence that determines the order in which the courses must be taken. Associated with each curriculum is information specifying the curriculum constraints, such as curriculum start and end dates, curriculum prerequisites, and qualifications imparted by the curriculum.
A learner is a user of the ELS that is authorized to book courses or curriculum managed by the curriculum management system. For each learner, the ELS maintains a learner profile that keeps track of the learner's learning progress in a particular course and/or curriculum, the learner's bookings and the qualifications earned by the learner, etc.
ELS 200 also includes a booking mechanism 204 for booking courses and curriculum, a booking modification mechanism 205 for making modifications to bookings.
ELS 200 also includes one or more administrators 206 and one or more authors 207. Administrators 206 are responsible for maintaining the electronic learning system 200, including setting up courses and curriculum and otherwise overseeing operation of the system.
Authors 207 design and write the content of courses 201. The content is uploaded by the author to database 208. The content may include on-line text books and/or any other type of learning materials including on-line testing materials, etc. An author is said to publish content to system 200 when it is uploaded to content database 208 and otherwise made available to the system 200. Authors 207 may periodically make changes to their content via course content modification system 210. Administrators 206 may also be given the option to modify content using course content modification system 210. For example, authors (and/or administrators) may correct grammar in the content, add, remove and/or modify chapters, etc.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when an author makes changes to his content, he is prompted to select a category for the changes from a predetermined set of categories. For example, the author may be given the choice of selecting whether the changes are minor, major, etc. Course content modification system 210 will then perform predefined system behaviors based on the category selected.
Examples of categories of content changes that can be selected from include “minor changes”, “major changes”, change “X's” to “Y's”, “added material”, “grammatical changes”, etc. For example, if only a minor title correction is being made, the author might select “minor change” for the category of the change. In contrast, “major changes” might be selected when correcting incorrect/outdated material in the content. “Change “X's” to “Y's” might be selected when changing all instances of the word “internet” to “Internet”, for example. “Added material” might be selected when new chapters are being added to the content. “Grammatical changes” can be selected when, for example, corrections to formal matters such as grammar, syntax and idiom are being made.
Examples of system behaviour that can be associated with a category of change include automatic update, manual update, delete learning progress, preserve learning progress, newer version free, charge for newer version, etc. The administrator of the ELS 200 associates the system behaviors that are to be performed for each category of change. If automatic update is associated with the category, the system will automatically give the new version of the content to the learner. The learner may be prompted that he has a new version of the content when he goes to the web-based training. If manual update is associated with the category, the learner will be prompted that a newer version of the content exists and given the option of using and/or downloading the newer version for use with the web-based training. If delete learning progress is associated with a category of change, the system will prompt the learner that a new version of the content exists and that any learning progress he previously obtained using the old version of the content is obsolete and thus his learning progress on that content has been deleted from his profile. The learning progress may be preserved if the system behaviour preserve learning progress is associated with the category of change. Preserve learning progress may be set as a default setting for all categories, unless it is otherwise changed by selecting delete learning progress as a system behaviour. Free of charge for new content is used to determine whether the system should charge the learner for the newer content. For example, if major changes are made to the content, the administrator might want to charge the learner for that new content. Of course, other categories and/or system behaviours may be used as desired.
Although the above embodiments describe changes made by the author, parties other than the author may make changes to the content. For example, administrators or training managers may also desire to make changes to the content. In these cases, the party making the change to the content can select the category of change being made.
The systems and methods of the present disclosure can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or in computer hardware, firmware, software, or in combinations of them. The systems and methods can be implemented as a computer program product, i.e., a computer program tangibly embodied in an information carrier, e.g., in a machine-readable storage device or in a propagated signal, for execution by, or to control the operation of, data processing apparatus, e.g., a programmable processor, a computer, or multiple computers. A computer program can be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, and it can be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program can be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple computers at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communication network.
Method steps associated with the systems and methods of the present disclosure can be performed by one or more programmable processors executing a computer program to perform functions of the invention by operating on input data and generating output. Method steps can also be performed by, and apparatus of the invention can be implemented as, special purpose logic circuitry, e.g., an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit).
Processors suitable for the execution of a computer program include, by way of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Generally, a processor will receive instructions and data from a read-only memory or a random access memory or both. The elements of a computer are a processor for executing instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Generally, a computer will also include, or be operatively coupled to receive data from or transfer data to, or both, one or more mass storage devices for storing data, e.g., magnetic, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks. Information carriers suitable for embodying computer program instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile memory, including by way of example, semiconductor memory devices, e.g., EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, e.g., internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto-optical disks; CD-ROMs (Compact Disc Read-only Memory) and DVD-ROMs (Digital Versatile Disc Read-only Memory). The processor and the memory can be supplemented by, or incorporated in special purpose logic circuitry.
To provide for interaction with a user, the present disclosure can be implemented on a computer having a display device, e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor, for displaying information to the user and a keyboard and a pointing device, e.g., a mouse or a trackball, by which the user can provide input to the computer. Other kinds of devices can be used to provide for interaction with a user as well; for example, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback, e.g., visual-feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback; and input from the user can be received in any form, including acoustic, speech, or tactile input.
The systems and methods of the present disclosure can be implemented in a computing system that includes a back-end component, e.g., as a data server, or that includes a middle-ware component, e.g., an application server, or that includes a front-end component, e.g., a client computer having a graphical interface or a Web browser through which a user can interact with an implementation of the invention, or any combination of such back-end, middleware, or front-end components. The components of the computing system can be interconnected by any form or medium of digital data communication, e.g., a communication network. Examples of communication networks include a local area network (“LAN”) and a wide area network (“WAN”), e.g., the Internet.
The computing system can include clients and servers. A client and server are generally remote from each other and typically interact through a communication network. The relationship of client and server arises by virtue of computer programs running on respective computers and having a client-server relationship to each other.
The systems and methods of the present disclosure have been described in terms of particular embodiments. Other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims. For example, although the course content modification system has been described as a component in a larger ELS, it can also be implemented in other systems or as a stand-alone system.
Numerous additional modifications and variations of the present disclosure are possible in view of the above-teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the present disclosure may be practiced other than as specifically described herein. For example, elements and/or features of different illustrative embodiments may be combined with each other and/or substituted for each other within the scope of this disclosure and appended claims.
Numerous additional modifications and variations of the present disclosure are possible in view of the above-teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the present disclosure may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.
