EP2718920A1

EP2718920A1 - Personal electronic learning device

Info

Publication number: EP2718920A1
Application number: EP12731517.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Patrick MANTOUT
Original assignee: EDUNOVO
Current assignee: EDUNOVO
Priority date: 2011-06-08
Filing date: 2012-06-07
Publication date: 2014-04-16
Also published as: FR2976391A1; US20140113265A1; WO2012168576A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a personal electronic learning device including a controller (24) suitable for controlling a motor for displaying a graphical interface in accordance with exercise data and interaction data input by the user via an input interface. The exercise data includes: a plurality of sets of context element data, including, for each set, display data and value data; a set of learning data, including question data, test data, and validation data. The input interface (10) enables the user to enter interaction data in order to move a context element or to modify the value data of a context element.

Description

Electronic personal learning device

The invention relates to electronic personal learning devices. Computing has now taken a full-fledged place in all areas of modern life, from internet-controlled clock radios to cars equipped with digital jukeboxes to electronic cookbooks, not to mention its omnipresence in our professional lives. This omnipresence has also spread to the learning sectors, whether in a professional or educational setting. There are now computer learning offers for languages or for other domains, suitable for a young or more mature audience. Computer learning software is currently based on two main formats.

The first format is a very immersive format, in which a universe is created around the envisaged learning, and the final software is almost equivalent to a modern video game in terms of complexity, which is also worth the title. of "serious games".

This type of software, although very effective, has the disadvantage of being very complex to implement, to be poorly portable between various platforms, and not very reproducible. In fact, you have to start from scratch whenever you create new software. And even changing a few simple behaviors within an already programmed software can pose serious problems.

The second format is a very simplistic format, in which the learning comes down to a simple page, often of the web page type, which contains a multiple choice questionnaire (MCQ). These programs are actually "simplistic games". This type of software is unsatisfactory because it offers no interactivity - with the user. On the other hand, these softwares are often very poor graphically, which limits very strongly the immersion of the user. Finally, as they are limited to multiple choice, it is not possible to provide exercises with a sufficient diversity of activity, nor adapted to all types of learning.

The invention improves the situation.

For this purpose, the invention proposes an electronic device for personal learning, comprising a controller capable of controlling a display engine of a graphical interface, according to exercise data and as a function of interaction data inputted by the user via an input interface.

The exercise data includes a plurality of context item datasets, including for each set presentation data and value data, and a training data set including question data, data of test and validation data.

The input interface allows the user to modify the value data of a context element, and / or to associate two or more context elements with each other as interaction data.

The controller is arranged to select current question data, and, in response to interaction data designating at least one given context element, is further arranged to:

Control the engine to modify the graphical interface according to the presentation data of the given context element to represent the interaction designated by the interaction data,

Perform a test function, said test function comprising:

o determining that the value data associated with the given context element satisfies the validation data, based on the current question data and the test data, o issuing an audible and / or graphical message according to this determination, and selectively updating the current question data and,

o Termination of the exercise based on current question data.

This device is very advantageous because it allows to offer a quality learning, like serious games, while offering the programming flexibility of simplistic games. Other features and advantages of the invention will appear better on reading the following description, taken from examples given for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, taken from the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 represents an exemplary computer environment implementing the invention,

FIG. 2 represents an implementation diagram of a learning software according to the invention,

FIG. 3 represents a functional diagram showing the operation of a device of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 represents a functional diagram of an operation of FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 represents a functional diagram of another operation of FIG. 2.

The drawings and the description below contain, for the most part, elements of a certain character. They can therefore not only serve to better understand the present invention, but also contribute to its definition, if any.

This description is likely to involve elements likely to be protected by copyright and / or copyright. The rights holder has no objection to the identical reproduction by anyone of this patent document or its description, as it appears in the official records. For the rest, he reserves his rights in full. The field of electronic learning devices is a particular field.

On the one hand, a deep immersion and a specific atmosphere are desirable to improve learning, like video games. This means that the content and the interaction must be rich enough.

On the other hand, easy reproduction is desirable because it requires many different exercises to achieve effective learning. This means that it is important not to start again each time.

This may seem contradictory. It is also from this observation that learning software has been made to date: some ("serious games") favor immersion and interaction to the detriment of reproducibility, while others ("simplistic games") emphasize reproducibility over immersion and interaction.

But in reality, neither of these two approaches is good. And the system shown in Figure 1 provides a solution that shows that the specific needs of learning software are not contradictory.

The computer environment shown in FIG. 1 comprises a creation station 2, a descriptive file storage space 4, a content storage space 6, a network 8 and a computer station 10. The creation station 2 enables a computer to be created. creator to design one or more learning programs according to the teachings of the invention.

In a first variant, the creation station 2 may be a conventional computer, which executes a specialized program for creating learning programs. More particularly, this program may include a specific interface adapted to the program format of the invention. Such a program may have the advantage of being easy to use, to offer a direct visual rendering of the learning program created, and to include functions to automatically check certain rules relating to the format and the language of the device of the invention. .

In a second variant, the creation station 2 may be a conventional computer equipped with a simple word processing program, from which the creator will directly write the description of the exercise or exercises and achieve the corresponding content associations.

The purpose of storage spaces 4 and 6 is to store the computer elements that will abstractly define the learning programs and the exercises they contain. Thus, the storage space 4 receives files which will subsequently be referenced by the term "Desc_Fi". These files are text files and contain a description of each exercise. This description will be explained further in the following, and includes a simplified graphic description of the exercise, as well as the definition of all the sound, visual and educational interactions of the exercise.

According to a first variant, a given file of the storage space 4 corresponds to a single exercise, which can then be called independently by any program having access to the storage space 4. According to a second variant, each file storage space 4 corresponds to a learning program, and can therefore include several exercises that can be called when this program is executed.

The storage space 6 for its part receives all the content data that is associated with the files of the storage space 4. More specifically, it has been explained that each file of the storage space 4 includes a textual description of the storage space. 'a exercise. This description contains references to image files, and / or sounds, and / or videos. These are the files that are stored in the storage space 6.

The storage spaces 4 and 6 can be made in many ways. Thus, these storage spaces can be located on a hard disk or any other storage medium of the creation station 2, or on any storage space accessible from the creation station 2, such as a remotely hosted storage space accessible by Internet or otherwise. The storage spaces 4 and 6 are distinguished here to highlight the difference between the files they receive. However, these spaces can be made both within the same directory of a given storage medium than in several separate directories of this storage medium. They can also be distributed over several different storage media.

Once the exercise has been created, it is fully described by the file corresponding to it in the storage space 4 and by the corresponding content files in the storage space 6. In a variant, the files of the storage space 4 and the file of the storage space 6 may be encapsulated in an exercise data container.

The storage spaces 4 and 6 are made accessible by a network 8 to the station 10. The network 8 can be a local area network, or any type of wide area network, including the Internet. In another variant, the storage spaces 4 and 6 may be reproduced on a storage medium such as a hard disk, a CD-ROM or a DVD executed on the station 10.

The computer station 10 can be any type of computer station known. The only constraint is that this station is capable of executing the program of the invention and that it is able to access the storage spaces 4 and 6. More precisely, the invention can be implemented via the Internet, c. that is, a user of station 10 will visit a website. This website includes a program that will interpret the files of the storage spaces 4 and 6 and return them to the station 10 in the form of a web page.

Alternatively, the invention can be put on a storage medium as specified above, and the program that interprets and restores the files of the storage spaces 4 and 6 is stored with them on this support. The station 10 must then be able to execute this program, from the point of view of the compatibility of the operating system as well as the calculation capabilities. Finally, these two variants can be combined, that is to say that some files can be accessible via the Internet or another wide area network, while others are present on a physical medium. This applies to both storage 4 and 6 files and the program for interpreting and rendering them. FIG. 2 represents an example of operation of the invention on the station 10. In this example, the computer station 10 which is an electronic device for personal learning.

The personal learning device 10 receives a file 20 from the storage space 4, and a file 22 from the storage space 6. The files 20 and 22 correspond to a chosen exercise. The file 20 includes the exercise data that describes it, and the file 22 includes the content data of the exercise.

The files 20 and 22 are transmitted to a controller 24 of the personal electronic learning device 10. The controller 24 comprises a weaver 26 and a motor 28.

The weaver 26 has the function of generating an exercise 30 ready to be displayed by the motor 28, on command of the controller 24. FIG. 3 represents a functional diagram of the operation of the device of the invention. As can be seen in this figure, the controller 24 receives the file 20 in an operation 300. In this example, this operation takes place at the station 10. In other embodiments, this step could be carried out remotely , on a server. Then, in an operation 320, the weaver 26 checks the contents of the file 20. In fact, the device 10 is based on the use of an exercise description file that obeys a particular syntax, which makes it possible to integrate a maximum information in a minimum of space. In the example described here, the file 20 is written in XML, according to a syntax and a grammar of the invention. However, any other hierarchical format programming language could be adapted to implement the invention.

FIG. 4 represents an example of implementation of the operation 320. The verification of the file 20 begins with an operation 400 of verification of the syntax of this file. For this, the weaver 26 checks the XML syntax of the file 20.

This is important because although there is an automatic exercise description file generation program, it is also possible to write them by hand.

In the example described here, the exercise description file includes several discrete parts forming exercise data.

A first part includes parameter declarations, such as the functional type of exercise (card, number, letter, button, deferred or not, etc.), and instructions on the type of learning ( of the type "collect the paired cards together", "calculate the sum of the cards", etc.), forming exercise data.

A second part includes the description of the contextual elements of the exercise, such as the set, the interaction elements, the different plans, etc. For the elements of interaction, which can be moved and / or modified, this second part comes to specify their identifier, their starting location, and their nature. Indeed, in a card exercise for example, some elements are cards to move from one place to another.

A starting block is defined in which several areas are defined which each contain an interaction element. An arrival block is also defined, in which several arrival zones are defined, for the realization of the exercise. Sounds can be associated with each interaction element to increase the user's immersion.

A third part includes a truth table that contains the answer to the exercise and that forms validation data. The third part also includes tests to validate answers to exercise questions forming test data and messages to the user based on his answers. The operation of these elements will be described further with Figure 5. The third part is the "dynamic" part of the description of the exercise.

Finally, a fourth part includes statements of graphic data, and possibly sound, to access the contents declared above in the other second and third parts.

Once the syntax of the file 20 has been verified, the operation 320 continues with an operation 420 in which the grammar of the file 20 is checked. More specifically, this operation verifies that the file is described in accordance with the four-part structure described above, and that this structure is consistent.

When there are simple syntax and / or grammar problems, the weaver 26 can correct them on the fly to allow the fastest possible execution for the user. Alternatively, or where the error can not be corrected directly by the weaver 26, a message is issued to indicate to the user that the exercise can not be performed. When operations 400 and 420 terminate successfully, file 22 is called in an operation 440 to allow the content data it contains to merge with that of file 20. This is done in an operation 340, with the merge of the file 22 which contains the content data declared with the file 20, to form an executable exercise.

According to the embodiments, the executable exercise may be obfuscated or not, contained in a Flash file or in another multimedia content plugin, or implemented as a web page type AJAX, aspx, php , jsp or other.

Finally, this program is executed in a 360 operation, until the end of the exercise is determined. FIG. 5 shows an example of implementation of operation 360. This implementation starts in 500 by receiving exercise data as merged with operation 340.

These data correspond to the set of global parameters of the exercise, as well as the declaration of each of the interaction objects and the questions of the exercise, with their corresponding identifiers.

In an operation 505, a variable Curr Q id receives the index of the first question of the exercise. Then, controller 24 initiates an exercise execution loop.

This loop starts in an operation 510 with a function Displ () which displays the information relating to the current question of the exercise. Indeed, an exercise can include several questions. The progression in each exercise is conditioned by obtaining a correct answer to each current question, until there is no more question. Among the information relating to the current question, there is, where necessary, the resetting of the set and the interaction elements of the exercise, as described for each question in the second part of the question. 20. This reset can be omitted when the questions are scheduled to be chained.

This is the case, for example, when a first question plans to gather all the even cards, and the second question provides for example to collect all the cards of three: it is not necessary to put all the cards in their cards. location, and the ending position of a question can thus serve as a starting position for a next question.

An event detection sub-loop 515 is then started, in which the controller 24 waits for an action input by a user input interface to be performed. An example of such an action is the realization of a "drag-and-drop" of a card to a given location. As long as this operation 515 does not detect an action, nothing happens.

When an action is detected, a test is performed in an operation 520 to determine whether this action is a simple interaction action, such as click on a decor item, a help button, or a move operation. an interaction element, or if this action is an answer to a question, which must be checked.

In the first case, it is a question of modifying the graphical interface of the exercise and / or emitting a sound or another return to the user in response to the interaction. This is done by the Displ () function in a 525 operation.

In the second case, a function Upd_Glob_Var () is started in an operation 530. The exercises of the invention are intended to be executed in application environments mainly intended for display and presentation, such as the Flash or other environment of this type. Under these conditions, the programming possibilities are limited, and it is not possible to maintain global variables in a simple way. By global variable is meant any information that is useful for the exercise, such as the number of cards in an arrival zone, the sum of the values of cards placed in an arrival zone, etc.

This problem is bypassed by recalculating a chosen quantity of values to each interaction. Thus, calculating values corresponding to the global variables for each detected interaction makes it possible to compensate for the absence of global variables as such.

The values to be calculated for each interaction are defined by the exercise data. Thus, each exercise belongs to a type family, to which is associated a set of variables to calculate at each interaction. Types of exercises include:

- card exercises with immediate or delayed correction,

- button exercises with immediate or delayed correction,

- coloring exercises with immediate or delayed correction, and

- the exercises with text zone with immediate or deferred correction.

For immediate or delayed correction card exercises, the global variables that are calculated for each interaction include:

a table of card identifiers according to the location of each card,

- a table of the values of the cards according to the location of each card, - a sum of the values of the cards according to their location,

- etc.

For immediate or delayed correction button exercises, the global variables that are calculated for each interaction include:

a table of the values of the displayed buttons, classified by increasing identifier,

a table of the activation status of the displayed buttons, classified by increasing identifier,

- a number of activated / modified buttons, - etc.

For text box exercises, the global variables that are calculated for each interaction include:

- an array of strings displayed in each text box,

a number of non-empty text boxes,

- a current character,

- etc.

Once these variables are updated, a function Resp () determines in an operation 535 whether the detected interaction implies an answer to a question or not.

The detected interaction can be of several kinds. However, whatever the interaction, the interaction data has the effect of modifying the value data of a given element.

Indeed, the interaction can be to change the value of a card, or the state of a button, or to enter a text string. It then becomes clear that it is a question of changing the value data of a given element, that is to say the map, the text string or the button. When the interaction consists in associating a card with a given zone, the situation does not differ: it is the value data of the zone that are modified, to receive an identifier of the card in question.

If the detected interaction does not involve an answer, then it is a delayed correction exercise. It is therefore only to display the interaction, via the operation 525. Depending on the exercise this operation may include the verification of certain conditions depending on the exercise. For example, if the exercise is deferred, and the question is to gather cards with vowels written on it, the operation 525 can issue a message when a consonant is selected to assist the user.

In the case of an immediate correction exercise, any interaction is an answer, and is evaluated instantly. For example, in the screen shown on the Figure 1, the question is "Put in the net all the fish bearing even numbers". This exercise is an immediate correction card type exercise, for which every card in a net is checked if it is in the right place. In the case of a delayed correction exercise, it is the pressing of a specific button, indicating that the user has finished, which triggers the detection of a response.

Then, a function Test () is started in an operation 540 to correct the response. According to the variable Curr_Q_id, the function Test () will analyze if the answer that was made by the user is correct. For this, the function Test () will perform one or more tests described in the third part of the file 20, and designated by the variable Curr_Q_id. These tests may be based on the values of some of the interaction elements, or on value data indicating the association of two interacting elements between them. Here again, since the environment is mainly graphical, the Test () function will first parse the test formulas designated by the Curr_Q_id variable, in order to translate them into parsable code in the runtime environment.

Then, based on the global variables updated in operation 530 and transcribed tests, the function Test () determines whether the response (s) is correct.

In a practical way, various tests can be performed depending on the exercise:

• for a question which consists in calculating the sums of cards and writing it in a result card, it is the data of the value of this card which will be tested;

• for a question where the even cards must be united in a particular zone, it is the value data indicating the association card-zone which will be tested,

• for a question where a particular text must be written in a text box, it is the text data that will be tested,

• for a question where some buttons must be activated according to their value, it is the states of the buttons that will be tested, • etc.

Typically, the Test () function will include a larger number of tests for a delayed correction exercise than for an immediate correction exercise. Indeed in an immediate correction exercise, only one response is tested with each interaction, while a delayed-correction exercise the Test () function corrects all responses.

At the output of the Test () function, a value indicates whether the answer is correct or false. This value is tested in an operation 540. If there was an error, then the function Displ () is called to display a corresponding message in an operation 555, and the loop resumes in 510. As a variant, the operation 555 can completely reset the GUI, or just indicate the error.

If the answer is correct, the variable Curr_Q_id is incremented in an operation 560. This goes to the next question of the exercise. Then, a test is performed by an End () function in an operation 560 to determine if the exercise is complete.

This test can for example consist of analyzing whether the Curr Q id variable corresponds to a question index or not, or to look at the number of answers (and therefore questions) in the truth table.

If there remains a question, then the loop resumes in 510 with the display of the data relating to this question, and waiting for an answer.

Otherwise, the exercise ends in 570, with the optional issue of a congratulatory message to the user.

Claims

claims

An electronic personal learning device, comprising a controller (24) for controlling a display engine of a graphical interface, based on exercise data and as a function of interaction data entered by the user, via an input interface,

characterized in that the exercise data comprises:

A plurality of context item datasets, including for each set presentation data and value data,

A learning data set, including question data, test data and validation data,

the input interface (10) allowing the user to input interaction data, to move a context element or to modify the value data of a context element,

the controller (24) being arranged to select current question data, and, in response to interaction data designating at least one given context element, further arranged to:

Compute global variable data based on interaction data, contextual value data, and question data,

Selectively executing a test function, said test function comprising:

o the selection of test data and validation data designated by the current question data,

determining that the value data associated with the given context element satisfies the selected validation data, based on the computed global variable data and the selected test data, the transmission of a sound message and / or graph based on this determination, and selectively update the current question data and,

o Termination of the exercise based on current question data.

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller (24) is arranged to perform the test function when the interaction data indicates a response.

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller (24) is arranged to determine whether the interaction data indicates a response based on the question data.

Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the controller (24) is arranged to display an error message when the test function determines that the value data associated with the given context element satisfies not the determined validation data, based on the calculated global variable data and the determined test data.

5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the context elements are selected from the group consisting of a map, a button, a text box, and a card deposit area.

6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the question data comprises a textual indication and / or sound of the question.

7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the presentation data comprises graphical data.

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the presentation data comprises sound data.