GB2178214A

GB2178214A - A multi-programme teaching device or toy

Info

Publication number: GB2178214A
Application number: GB08514662A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Melvyn Roy Smart
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-06-11
Filing date: 1985-06-11
Publication date: 1987-02-04
Also published as: GB8514662D0

Abstract

A multi-programme teaching device or educational toy comprises a main body I, on the face of which are a number of content points 5. The leads 2 and 3 can be applied to pegs 9, 10 inserted in chosen contact points, which are all connected to a circuit board contained within the device. The circuit board is crossed by a member of circuits in which the connection between one line and the next is effected in a random way. By applying the leads to any two contact points across the full face of the device which are connected, a circuit is completed which activates a light-bulb. Reference numbers 6 and letters 7 are used to identify contact points to students undertaking multiple-choice exercises. The circuit board can be removed from the device and replaced in rotated or inverted positions to provide a large number of different permutations. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Multi-programme teaching machine This invention relates to a multi-programme teaching machine or educational toy.

The concept of the teaching machine is well known. Its most important attribute is its ability to respond to the individual pupil by giving immediate confirmation of the correctness, or incorrectness, of the pupil's own response to the programmed material. The use of electric circuitry to do this is not new.

Existing electronic devices, however, have certain weaknesses. Those that are less expensive tend to be so simple that the circuitry can be quickly memorized and the number of variants available is limited. Those that offer a greater range and flexibility tend to be expensive. In either case they are unlikely to be widely used in the classroom.

According to the present invention there is provided a square circuit-board with random connections joining up the connecting points of a grid, the connections running from left to right or from right to left, a separate incomplete circuit comprising an electric battery and an electric light-bulb or sound making device with loose connecting leads, the whole encased in such a way that the light-bulb is visible and the connecting points can be touched. The application of the loose connecting leads to those connecting points which are joined on the circuit board completes a circuit and activates the light-bulb or other device. By making use of the full width of the circuit-board, by rotating it through various degrees, and by inverting it, the machine provides hundreds of different programmes.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows in perspective the machine ready for use.

Figure 2 shows the internal lay-out of the machine.

Figure 3 shows a plan of the wiring of the square circuit-board.

Figure 4 shows the circuit-board rotated through 180 degrees.

Figure 5 shows the circuit-board inverted.

Figure 6 shows the circuit-board inverted and rotated through 180 degrees.

Figure 7 shows the circuit-board rotated through 90 degrees.

Figure 8 shows the circuit-board rotated through 270 degrees.

Figure 9 shows the circuit-board inverted and rotated through 90 degrees.

Figure 10 shows the circuit board inverted and rotated through 270 degrees.

Referring to the drawing the device comprises an outer casing 1, from one end of which protrude the connecting leads 2 and 3. At this end there is a transparent panel 4, through which the light-bulb is visible. Connecting points with the circuit board 5 are provided at the intersections of a grid. The panels 6 and 7 show the numbers and letters for grid reference. The rows of holes 8 allow the pegs 9 and 10 to be placed so as to indicate which rows are being used.

By releasing the fixing screws 11 it is possible to remove the lid of the outer casing. The square circuit-board 12 is firmly held by the framework in such a way that it can be easily lifted out, rotated through 90, 180 and 270 degrees, and inverted. The dry cell/electric battery 13 is stored in a cavity and is linked by electrical wiring to the light-bulb 14. The connecting leads 2 and 3 are connected to the other connecting points of the dry cell and the light-bulb.

At the beginning of the game or assignment the pupil/player identifies the vertical lines of the grid being used in the game or assignment and places the pegs 9 and 10 as markers. The crocodile grip on connecting lead 2 is fixed on the first connecting point of the left hand vertical line. The pupil/player then attempts to find the connecting point in the right hand vertical line, which will complete the circuit and make the light-bulb 14 light up. The pupil/player achieves this by correctly answering a problem. When that problem has been correctly solved, the crocodile grip is moved to the second connecting point on the left hand vertical line and the second problem is attempted. After the second comes the third, and so on down all of the ten connecting points in the line.

When a game or assignment has been completed using vertical lines A and B, for example, another game or assignment can be started using lines A and C, for which the combinations and connections would be different. In the circuit as shown in Fig. 3: Al goes to B9 A2 goes to B7 A3 goes to B10 A4 goes to B5 A5 goes to B8 A6 goes to B1 A7 goes to B4 A8 goes to B2 A9 goes to B6 A10 goes to B3 These would be the connections for a programme using lines A and B. In a programme using lines A and C: Al goes to C2 A2 goes to C8 A3 goes to C4 A4 goes to C3 A5 goes to C10 A6 goes to C5 A7 goes to C9 A8 goes to C1 A9 goes to C7 A10 goes to C6 Further different combinations/programmes are available by using the full width of the board.

They are as follows: 1.A and D 13.B and H 25.D and G 37.F and J 2.A and E 14.B and I 26.D and H 38.G and H 3.A and F 15.B and J 27.D and I 39.G and I 4.A and G 16.C and D 28.D and J 40.G and J 5.A and H 17.C and E 29.E and F 41.H and I 6.A and I 18.C and F 30.E and G 42.H and J 7.A and J 19.C and G 31.E and H 43.1 and J 8.B and C 20.C and H 32.E and I 9.B and D 21.C and 1 33.E and J 10.B and E 22.C and J 34.F and G 11.B and F 23.D and E 35.F and H 12.B and G 24.D and F 36.F and I Altogether 45 different programmes of ten problems each are provided by using all the possible combinations of vertical lines.

If the machine is now opened and the circuit-board is rotated through 180 degrees as shown in Fig. 4 a further 45 different programmes are available.

If the machine is opened again and the circuit-board is inverted as shown in Fig. 5 a further 45 different programmes are available.

If the machine is opened and the circuit-board is inverted and rotated through 180 degrees as shown in Fig. 6 a further 45 different programmes are available.

In total the board provides 180 different programmes in this mode of operation.

A second mode of operation can be employed by rotating the circuit-board through 90 degrees as shown in Fig. 7, by 270 degrees as shown in Fig. 8; or by inverting the circuit board and rotating it through 90 degrees as shown in Fig. 9 or by 270 degrees as shown in Fig. 10. In this mode the pupil/player works down the vertical line attempting to find the correct connecting point on the horizontal line below. The four positions listed above provide a further 40 programmes of nine problems each. But it is also possible to combine points on the vertical line with horizontal lines once or twice removed, or even further. This makes possible 40 programmes of 8 problems each, 40 programmes of 7 problems each, 40 programmes of 6 problems each, and so on.

A third mode of operation involves using the circuit-board in the positions shown in Figs.

3,4,5 and 6. In this mode the pupil/player tries to follow a path across the board. There are ten complete paths in each of the four positions making a further 40 programmes of ten problems each.

These three modes of operation together provide 220 programmes of ten problems each, forty programmes of nine problems each, forty programmes of eight problems each, forty programmes of seven problems each, forty programmes of six problems each, forty programmes of five programmes each, and smaller ones if required. In the 5-9 problem range there are 200 possible programmes, making an overall total of 420 programmes in these three modes.

Claims

1. A multi-programme teaching machine containing a square circuit board pierced by contact points, which are distributed at the intersections of a grid in such a way that, when the board is rotated through its axes of symmetry or is inverted or inverted and rotated through its axes of symmetry, the pattern of distribution of the contact points remain the same, the board being crossed by a number of discrete incomplete circuits in which the connection between one line and the next is effected in a random way, except that the connection is never made along the axis. All of the contact points are connected up in one of the circuits and no contact point is connected to more than one circuit.

2. A multi-programme teaching machine as in Claim 1 wherein the circuit board is of any shape possessing several axes of symmetry and is therefore capable of being rotated or inverted or inverted and rotated.

3. A multi-programme teaching machine as in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the distribution of contact points is based on any pattern capable of being rotated or inverted or inverted and rotated.