FR2648926A1 - Method and device for the purpose of allowing a self-contained demonstration as well as individual basic education and individual training in the use of software - Google Patents

Abstract

Method and device for the purpose of allowing a self-contained demonstration, individual basic education and training in the use of software, characterised in that a personal computer-type microcomputer, containing the program which is the subject of the basic education, is coupled with an auxiliary medium for pre-recorded information, able to deliver, on the one hand, signals received by a microcomputer input corresponding to instructions built into the running of the program and substituting for the instructions entered by the keyboard by the action of the user, and in that the said information medium moreover delivers messages in clear received by the operator and commenting on the said running of the program.

Description

The present invention relates to a method, and a device allowing the implementation of this method, with a view to authorizing and facilitating autonomous demonstration as well as self-training and self-training in the practice of software by any user interested.

We know that the initiation and especially the training in the daily practice of a computer program (software or software) represents a sometimes repulsive task for people little initiated in the manipulation of computer programs; this task can constitute a blockage likely to handicap the professional capacities of people and specialists whose techniques are called upon to use computer assistance more and more commonly.

In current practice, initiation is generally done during internships during which an instructor provides trainees with the information and lessons that will enable them to acquire mastery of the program.

This procedure has obvious drawbacks.

If the initiation phase is to be made profitable, it must be provided by an instructor speaking to an audience of several people, which consequently limits the possibilities of personalizing teaching and training according to the possibilities and everyone's receptivity.

Furthermore, still for reasons of profitability, it is necessary to enclose the initiation and training in a homogeneous period of time representing a unit such as a day, half a day or several successive days.

Now it is clear that any initiation to a new technique requires, in order to be fully "understood" and "digested", a minimum of time and personal exercises.

And these drawbacks are all the more marked the more complex the software, that is to say, would precisely free people interested from otherwise tedious tasks.

 It is therefore desirable and there is a need for a learning and initiation technique allowing the interested persons to adapt slowly and over time to the reactions linked to the manipulation and mastery of the software being assimilated.

The only technique allowing this integration of learning over time consists in adopting a self-training from a manual or this autonomous learning, besides that it is not within the reach of all minds, remains particularly not very motivating by the absence of dialogues. and corrections in the event of handling errors possibly committed. It is moreover inconvenient to read a manual at the same time as handling the keyboard.

Similarly, the technical and commercial demonstration of software requires the immobilization of an expert, experienced in handling the software and able to emphasize the interest for the prospective purchaser, but these experts in limited numbers will rarely be available to allow respond to the request.

The present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks and will make it possible to set up and use a technique of autonomous learning or self-training both at the initiation and at the current practice of a software.

The invention therefore makes it possible to combine the advantages of independent and free training with that of teaching and training under the supervision of an instructor.

To this end, the invention relates firstly to a method for self-training and autonomous initiation to the practice of software, characterized in that one couples on a microcomputer of the personal computer type, containing the object program training, an auxiliary medium of pre-recorded information able to deliver on the one hand signals received by an input of the microcomputer and corresponding to instructions integrated into the program sequence and replacing the instructions entered by the keyboard under the action of the user, and in that said information medium also delivers clear messages received by the operator and commenting on said progress.

The invention secondly relates to a device for the implementation of the above method and consisting of a peripheral member capable of being connected to an input of a microcomputer, in particular a personal computer, in order to facilitate self-training and learning to practice a program, and the device is characterized in that it is constituted by an auxiliary support of pre-recorded information capable of delivering on the one hand signals received by an input of the microcomputer and corresponding to instructions integrated in the progress of the program, said instructions being substituted for instructions entered directly by the user by means of the manual keyboard, and in that said information medium is able to deliver clear messages received by the user, the message messages commenting on said progress of the program.

According to a more particular implementation of the device, the information medium consists of a magnetic tape reader comprising a first track for recording and producing sound signals corresponding to oral comments intended for the user, and a second track reserved for signals capable of being received by the microcomputer and corresponding to instructions which are integrated in particular as exercises in the progress of the program.

And more specifically the recording medium consists of a cassette player connected on the one hand to a sound generator such as a headset or speaker and on the other hand to a demodulator modulator capable of transforming the analog signals recorded on said second track in binary signals recognizable by the microcomputer.

According to another characteristic, said reader of pre-recorded information includes a sound recording function allowing the recording of verbal comments accompanying the recorded progress of the program.

And according to another variant, said pre-recorded information medium is capable of receiving at the same time and respectively on a first and a second track of a magnetic medium tape on the one hand a recording of verbal comments concerning the progress of the program and on the other hand, the signals corresponding to the instructions intended to replace in the course of the program the instructions received from the keyboard by manipulation of the operator; the two tracks being thus capable of being recorded simultaneously by the monitor proceeding at the same time to sending instructions from the keyboard, instructions which are recorded on the appropriate track of the recording medium, simultaneously with the accompanying comments.

Optionally, the sound track of the magnetic strip itself consists of two tracks allowing the delivery of sounds in stereophony.

According to another feature of the invention, the device further comprises an auxiliary program capable of being integrated into the computer, said program being able to receive the signals coming from the corresponding track of the auxiliary support of pre-recorded information and to translate them into signals corresponding to the fictitious keyboard manipulations supposed to be carried out by the operator.

And according to a more particular embodiment, said pre-recorded information medium comprises in the following instructions addressed to the computer empty zones corresponding to a handling time left free for the user.

Preferably still, said information medium includes a switch making it possible to suspend the progress of the information medium at any time to allow reflection or consultation by the user or an initiative of the latter, such as a test manipulation of the keyboard. .

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows which is given in relation to an embodiment presented by way of nonlimiting example and with reference to the appended drawings in which:
Figure 1 shows a block diagram of the devices used in the context of the present invention.

FIG. 2 represents a diagram of the functions applied and implemented in the context of the invention.

According to Figure 1 we see cue the device comprises a microcomputer such as a personal computer 1 of known type and on an input of which is coupled by the cable 2, the assembly 3 consisting of a cassette player 4 and a modulator demodulator 5.

The modulator-demodulator 5 also has an output in the form of a headset 6.

According to FIG. 2, we find the functions for reading the information medium 4 which sends signals from a track of the magnetic medium to the headphones 6 (through the modulator-demodulator 5) debiting the comments and messages received by the 'user.

From the second track of the magnetic recording medium, analog signals are received by the demodulator modulator 5, these signals being transformed into binary signals received by the microcomputer 1 further comprising a screen 7 and a keyboard 8.

The microcomputer 1 includes in memory a general program of the DOS operating system type, reference 9, a specific program of the invention reference 10 and the program which is the subject of teaching 11.

The signals received from the demodulator modulator 5 are therefore processed within the microcomputer and, thanks to the specific program 10, these signals are integrated into the course of the program, object of teaching 11, in the same way as if the signals correspondents came from the keyboard 8
In this way the user sees, displayed on the screen 7, the elements and representations which normally appear when the keyboard is correctly manipulated within the framework of the implementation of the program concerned.

At the same time the voice of the commentator received from the sound generator 6 exposes the user to the data which is being implemented, or the exercises in progress.

Thus the user combines his visual memory and his auditory memory to integrate and memorize the methods and manipulations necessary for mastering the software.

The reading process from the reader 4 can be suspended at any time each time the user wants to take over an operation and carry out the corresponding manipulation.

He can then go back to check (in case of failure and handling error) the point on which he may have shown himself to be faulty.

Likewise, the unfolding of the information medium optionally allows the track sending signals to the microcomputer to be left vacant, while the voice of the commentator continues, thus allowing the user to carry out the manipulations himself under the verbal conduct of the instructor.

The invention relates to the device in which the reader 4 is designed as a simple passive reader.

But the invention also relates for the purposes of the initial implementation of the method, a device in which the reader 4 is in turn and in parallel a signal recorder and receives respectively on each of the tracks of the information medium, the voice of the commentator and the signals coming from the microcomputer and corresponding to the manipulations of the monitor on the keyboard; this initial recording thus leading to the creation of the information medium capable of being subsequently duplicated to allow independent teaching each time multiplied by the duplication of the cassette.

Claims (8)

1 - Process for demonstration, self-training and autonomous initiation to the practice of software, characterized in that one couples on a microcomputer of the personal computer type, containing the program object of the training, an auxiliary medium of pre-recorded information capable of delirious on the one hand from the signals received by an input of the microcomputer and corresponding to instructions integrated in the progress of the program and replacing the instructions entered by the keyboard under the action of the user, and in that said information medium also delivers clear messages received by the operator and commenting on said sequence 2 - Device for implementing the method according to claim 1, consisting of a member peripheral (3) capable of being connected to an input of a microcomputer (1), in particular of a personal computer, in order to facilitate demonstration, self-training and learning issage of the practice of a program, characterized in that it is constituted by an auxiliary information carrier (4), prerecorded capable of delivering on the one hand signals received by an input of the microcomputer (1 ) and corresponding to instructions integrated into the program sequence, said instructions replacing instructions entered directly by the user by means of the manual keyboard (8), and in that said information medium (4) is capable of also deliver clear messages received by the user, said messages commenting on said progress of the program. 3 - Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the information medium consists of a reader (4) of magnetic tapes comprising a first track for recording and producing sound signals corresponding to oral comments intended for the user, and a second track reserved for signals able to be received by the microcomputer (1) and corresponding to instructions integrating in particular as exercises in the progress of the program. 4 - Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the recording medium consists of a cassette player (4), connected on the one hand to a sound generator, such as a headset (6) or high - speaker and on the other hand to a demodulator modulator (5) able to transform the analog signals recorded on said second track into binary signals recognizable by the microcomputer. 5 - Device according to claim 2 or claim 4, characterized in that said prerecorded information reader includes a sound recording function for recording verbal comments accompanying the recorded progress of the program. 6 - Device according to claim 5, characterized in that said pre-recorded information medium (4) is capable of receiving at the same time and respectively on a first and a second track of a magnetic carrier tape on the one hand a recording of verbal comments concerning the progress of the program and on the other hand the signals corresponding to the instructions intended to replace in the course of the program the instructions received from the keyboard by manipulation of the operator; the two tracks being thus capable of being recorded simultaneously by the monitor proceeding at the same time to sending instructions from the keyboard, instructions which are recorded on the appropriate track of the recording medium, simultaneously with the accompanying comments. 7 - Device according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that it further comprises an auxiliary program (10) capable of being integrated into the computer (1), said program being able to receive signals from of the corresponding track of the auxiliary medium of pre-recorded information and to translate them into signals corresponding to the fictitious manipulations of the keyboard supposed to be carried out by the operator. 8 - Device according to one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that said pre-recorded information medium comprises in the following instructions addressed to the computer empty areas corresponding to a manipulation time left free for the intention of the user. 9- Device according to one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that said information carrier comprises a switch for suspending at any time the course of the information carrier to allow reflection or consultation by the user or an initiative of the latter, such as a keyboard manipulation test.