JP2002202710A - Online instruction system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an online instruction system capable of making exchanges of question and answer efficient and improving the service quality relating to the question and answer. SOLUTION: A user terminal 1 acquires information on an identification name, concerning a position in a teaching material to be referred to by a user. When a request is transmitted from the user terminal 1 to a WWW server 3, the identification name acquired above is automatically added. The WWW server 3 refers to a teaching material position information database, and thereby acquires a teaching material name, a chapter, a clause, and an item corresponding to the received identification name. Thus, the teaching material name, chapter, clause, and item are set beforehand in the data (for example, a question entry form) requested by the user. The question contents are registered in a Q and A database, together with these preset information, and transmitted to a system managing terminal 2 used by a system answerer. Therefore, the answerer can correctly grasp to which part of the teaching material the question content is related.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an online education system for performing education using a data communication network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional online education system using the Internet or the like, a student learns with reference to teaching materials provided by a web interface, and sends questions such as questions or the like generated during learning as e-mails or questions. They were sent to education service providers by telephone or facsimile communication. In addition, the answer to this question was returned to the student by the same means.

[0003]

When a question is asked by e-mail, telephone, or facsimile as in the prior art described above, when the format of the question is not determined, it is difficult to know which part of the teaching material the question is about. However, there is a problem that the educational service provider cannot give an accurate answer. Further, even if the format is determined, the student needs to write information for specifying the part, so that writing mistakes and omissions occur. When these problems occur, inquiries from the educational service provider side to the student side occur for confirmation, and both sides take time.

[0004] In addition, the experience, knowledge and know-how obtained by the respondent in the course of answering are not shared among the persons in charge, and new respondents must accumulate their own knowledge from scratch. However, there is a problem that service quality and productivity are hard to increase.

[0005] Also, since the learners do not know what questions other learners have asked in the past,
A similar question is repeatedly sent to the educational service provider side, and there is a problem that work of the educational service provider side and learning of the student side become inefficient.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide an online education system that can efficiently exchange questions and improve the quality of service related to answering questions. I do.

[0007]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention distributes teaching material contents to a user terminal used by a student and receives a question related to the teaching material content from the user terminal. An online education system for transmitting the answer to the user terminal, wherein the position information acquiring means for acquiring position information indicating the position of the part referred to by the student in the teaching material content; A position information adding unit that automatically adds the position information obtained by the position information obtaining unit to the question data, and an answer that the respondent uses the position information added by the position information adding unit together with the question data. An online education system comprising a question display means for transmitting to a user terminal.

Further, in the online education system according to the present invention, the question display means transmits a portion corresponding to the added location information in the teaching material content to the respondent terminal. .

Further, in the online education system of the present invention, a question registering means for registering data of the question to which the position information is added by the position information adding means in a question answering database; Answer registration means for registering in a database.

[0010] In the online education system of the present invention, based on data of a question from a student, another question similar to the question is extracted from the question answer database and transmitted to the user terminal. It is characterized by having.

Further, in the online education system according to the present invention, the related question presenting means extracts the other question by searching the question answer database based on a word included in the title of the question from the student. It is characterized by doing.

In the online education system according to the present invention, the question display means extracts, in addition to the question, another question close to the question from the question answer database and transmits the question to the answerer terminal. It is characterized by.

[0013] In the online education system of the present invention, the question display means extracts the other question by searching the question answer database based on a word included in the title of the question from the student. It is characterized by the following.

In the online education system according to the present invention, an answer to the question is received from the respondent terminal, and the user terminal used by the student as a message addressed to the student who asked the question is transmitted to the user terminal. It is characterized by having a message management means for transmitting.

The present invention also provides an online education system for distributing teaching material contents to a user terminal used by a student, receiving a question related to the teaching material content from the user terminal, and transmitting an answer to the user terminal. A method for acquiring position information indicating a position of a part referred to by the student in the teaching material content, and a method for acquiring position data indicating the position of a part referred to by the student in the position information acquiring step. A position information adding step of automatically adding position information; and a question displaying step of transmitting the position information added in the position information adding step to a respondent terminal used by a respondent together with question data. The gist is an online education method characterized by the following.

The present invention also provides an online education system for distributing teaching material contents to a user terminal used by a student, receiving a question related to the teaching material content from the user terminal, and transmitting an answer to the user terminal. A computer program of the system,
A position information obtaining step of obtaining position information indicating a position of a part referred to by the student in the teaching material content; and automatically adding the position information obtained in the position information obtaining step to data of a question from the student. And a question displaying step of transmitting the position information added in the position information adding step to the respondent terminal used by the respondent together with the question data. A gist is a computer-readable recording medium on which a computer program is recorded.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a main configuration of the online education system according to the embodiment and an outline of the operation thereof. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a user terminal used by a student of education, 2 denotes a system management terminal (respondent terminal) used by respondents who answer questions from the student, and 3 denotes a user terminal 1 and system management. W for providing a service by a web interface to terminal 2
A WW (World Wide Web) server 4, a management database containing management data in the education system, and 5, teaching material contents provided from the WWW server 3 to the user terminal 1.

The user terminal 1 and the system management terminal 2 are connected to the WWW server 3 via the network 11.
It is connected to the. Further, the teaching material contents 5 are attached to the WWW server. Management database 4
Is provided on the management server 12 connected to the WWW server 3, and includes database software 41 having a data management function and a data storage unit 42 for storing data. The data storage unit 42 stores a Q & A database (question answer database), a message database, and a teaching material position information database. The contents of these databases will be described later in detail. The management server 12 includes the WWW server 3
That mediates the coordination process between the database and the database software 41
W-DB (database) cooperation software 13 is provided.

Next, an outline of characteristic processing of the online education system will be described with reference to FIG. (1) First, the user terminal 1 acquires the position information of the teaching material referred to by the student. Here, the position information is an identification name that is labeled for a part such as a chapter, section, or section in the teaching material. (2) When transmitting any request from the user terminal 1 to the WWW server 3, the position information (identification name) obtained above is automatically added. (3) The WWW server that has received the request to which the position information has been added searches the teaching material position information database held in the data storage unit 42 via the WWW-DB cooperation software 13 and the database software 41, and receives it. Teaching material name (or equivalent identification information) corresponding to the identified name
Get the chapter number, section number, and section number. (4) Then, the WWW server 3 adds these teaching material names, chapter numbers,
The section number and the section number are set, and these are returned to the user terminal 1. This allows the user terminal 1 to display data in which the position referred to by the student is automatically set. Further, the input form displayed on the user terminal 1 side can set, for example, a teaching material name, a chapter number, a section number, and a section number as default arguments.

(5) When the data returned to the user terminal in (4) above is an input form for question registration, the student clicks a registration button to obtain the teaching material name, chapter, section, Question data including item information can be registered in the Q & A database of the data storage unit 42. As a result, the position information for specifying which part in the teaching material the question is related to is written without fail in the Q & A database.

(6) When the respondent operates the system management terminal 2, the unanswered question registered in the Q & A database is displayed on the system management terminal 2. At this time, not only the content of the question but also the position information of the teaching material is displayed together. Further, the contents of the teaching material at the position may be displayed together with the position information of the teaching material. Therefore, the question answerer can easily and undoubtedly know which part of the teaching material the question is related to, and the time and effort required for answering can be reduced. (7) Then, the question respondent answers the question with Q &
Register in the A database and the message database. At this time, the identification information of the original questioner is automatically written into the message database as the destination of the message. (8) The student can display the message addressed to him / her (such as the answer registered in (7) above) on the user terminal 1 and refer to it.

Although not shown, before the student registers the question, the other students can search the Q & A database using words included in the title of the question as search conditions, for example. The performed similar question or related question can be displayed on the user terminal 1.
As a result, the student can solve the question simply by referring to the similar question in the past, and the student may not need to register a new question in the Q & A database. In other words, there is an advantage that the work volume of the question respondent can be reduced, and the student can immediately answer the question without waiting for an answer.

Also, although not shown, before the respondent displays a certain question on the system management terminal 2 and prepares an answer, for example, the Q & A database is searched using words included in the title of the question as search conditions. By searching, past similar questions or related questions can be displayed on the system management terminal 2. This allows respondents to:
Knowledge can be shared with other respondents, and answers can be created efficiently. In addition, there is an advantage that the skill level of the respondent can be promptly improved by such knowledge sharing.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a network configuration and a functional configuration on the network of the online education system. As shown in FIG. 2, this system is configured using three networks 11A, 11B, and 11C. The network 11A is a network (WAN, Wide Area Network) for access from unspecified terminals, such as a dial-up network using a public telephone network or the Internet. The network 11B is composed of the networks 11A and 11
C (LAN, Local Ar)
ea Network). The network 11C is a network (LAN) that houses a server that provides various services of the online education system. The networks 11B and 11C are protected from external access according to the security level required for each network.

The user terminal 1 receives the service of the online education system via the network 11A.

A WWW data providing means 201 is connected to the network 11B, and the WWW data providing means 201 holds public information 202. This WW
The W data providing unit provides the public information 202 to an unspecified terminal through a web interface. In addition, the inter-network communication means 203 is connected to the network 1
It has a function of controlling communication between 1A and 11B.

Between networks 11B and 11C,
There are an encrypted communication means 204, a communication data control means 205, and a virus detection means / virus removal means 206.

The network 11C is provided with a system management terminal 2, a WWW server 3, and a management server 12. WWW server 3 is WWW data providing means 2
13 and teaching material contents 5. The management server 12 has a data communication unit / data management unit 214 and a management database 4. This data communication means
The data management means 214 includes the WWW-DB shown in FIG.
The functions of the cooperation software 13 and the database software 41 are included.

Further, a user authentication means 212 is provided in the network 11C. The user authentication unit 212 performs a user authentication process using a student ID, a password, and the like. In addition,
The network 11C includes a license management unit 207,
The system monitoring unit 208, the application screen conversion unit / application operation conversion unit 209, and the data communication unit / application providing unit 210 are connected. Data communication means / application providing means 210
Holds user data 211.

Next, main management data in the online education system will be described. Each of the Q & A database, the message database, and the teaching material position information database also shown in FIG. 1 has a tabular data structure of a relational database. Hereinafter, the data items of these databases will be described with reference to FIGS. In these figures, the data type “longinteger” is integer data of a predetermined size, “time” is date and time data expressed with a predetermined precision, and “nlcharacter” is a predetermined language (for example, Japanese, Chinese). , Korean, etc.). The size of the “nlcharacter” type data is appended in bytes.

FIG. 3 is a table listing the data items constituting the table of the Q & A database. In the table of the Q & A database, a record (row) exists for each question registered by the student. The “management number” of 1 is integer data allocated for convenience to identify a record of this table, and is a primary key of this table. "Teaching material ID" of No. 2 is integer data for identifying a specific teaching material to be asked. The “chapter number” of 3, the “section number” of 4, and the “item number” of 5 are integer data representing a portion related to the question in the teaching material. The 6 “public flag”
This question is integer data indicating whether or not this question is open to anyone other than the questioner. "0" indicates that the question is not disclosed, and "1" indicates that it is open. The “inquiry user MID” of No. 7 is integer data for identifying a student who asks a question. The “question content” of 8 and the “answer content” of 9 are character data representing the content of the question and the answer, respectively.

The "public question title" 10 is character data representing the title of this question. Eleven "public question contents" and 12 "public answer contents"
This is character data representing the contents for making the question and answer public. The "inquiry date" 13 and the "answer date" 14 are date and time data representing the date when the question and the answer were made, respectively. Fifteen “answer creator” is character data representing the name and the like of the person who created the answer to this question. The “answered flag” of 16 is character data indicating the status of whether an answer to this question has already been created. The “number of accesses” of No. 17 is character data representing the number of times that the content of this question has been accessed for reference or the like by the student. The "deletion flag" 18 is character data for indicating that this record is logically deleted. Nineteen “remarks” are character data representing other items related to this question.

FIG. 4 is a table listing the data items constituting the table of the message database. The table of this message database contains message 1
There is a record for each case. The “management number” of 1 is integer data allocated for convenience to identify a record of this table, and is a primary key of this table. The “destination user MID” of No. 2 is integer data for identifying a student who is a destination of this message. 3 "Titles" and 4
The "contents" are character data representing the title and contents of this message, respectively. The “read flag” of No. 5 is character data indicating whether or not this message has already been read by the student who is the destination. The “send date” of No. 6 is date and time data indicating the date when this message was sent. The "deletion flag" of No. 7 is character data for expressing the fact when this record is logically deleted. The 8 “Remarks”
Character data representing other items related to this message.

FIG. 5 is a table listing the data items constituting the table of the teaching material position information database. In the table of the teaching material position database, there is a record for each piece of position information in the teaching material. Here, the position information is the teaching material ID /
It is a correspondence relationship between a combination of a chapter number, a section number, and an item number and a position information identifier. The “management number” of 1 is integer data allocated for convenience to identify a record of this table, and is a primary key of this table. The “position information identification name” of No. 2 is an identification name (label) given to a position represented by the following items 3 to 6. "Teaching material ID" of No. 3 is integer data for identifying a specific teaching material. 4
"Chapter number", 5 "Section number" and 6 "Section number"
This is integer data representing a specific part in the above teaching material. "Remarks" of 7 is character data representing other items related to the position information.

Next, a mechanism for acquiring the position information of the teaching material in the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 6 is a reference diagram showing a mechanism for acquiring position information of a teaching material in the online education system according to the embodiment. FIG. 6 (a)
Shows a procedure until the location information is acquired in the user terminal 1, and FIG.
The procedure for handing over to the WW server 3 will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the user terminal is provided with a browser function 61, a script execution processing system 52, and a memory 60. The memory 60 has a script storage area 61 and a variable storage area 62.

First, as shown in (1) of FIG.
A request for teaching material content is sent from the browser function 51 of the user terminal 1 to the WWW server 3. In response to this request, the WWW server 3 returns the data of the teaching material content as shown in (2). This teaching material content includes data to be displayed on the browser screen and data of a script to be executed on the user terminal 1. The display data is used for display on the screen, and the script data is stored in the script storage area 6 in the memory 60.
1 is stored.

Then, as shown in (3), the script execution processing system 52 reads and executes this script. The script sent from the WWW server 3 describes a process for securing an internal variable in the variable storage area 62 on the memory 60 and a process for setting the value of the internal variable to the latest information on the teaching material reference position. Therefore, by executing the script, the position information is written in the variable storage area 62 as shown in (4). Each time a student clicks on a linkable object to refer to a particular location in the teaching material, the value of the internal variable is updated.

As shown in (5) of FIG. 6 (b), when any request (for example, calling of a question input screen or calling of a Q & A search screen) is transmitted from the user terminal 1 to the WWW server 3. In the script processing, the reference position information in the teaching material read from the variable storage area 62 is automatically added to the request message by WWW
It is sent to the server 3 side. At this time, the position information is added to the request message in the form of, for example, argument information in a URL (Uniform Resource Locator).

The browser function 51 and the script execution processing system 52 shown in FIG. 6 operate cooperatively. Also, the script is, for example, “Java Scri
pt "or the like.

Next, a detailed processing procedure in this online education system will be described with reference to FIGS. In these processing procedures, it is assumed that user authentication for the student and the question answerer has already been completed. During the processing procedure, when necessary, the student ID and the respondent ID are transmitted from the terminal to the WWW server as a part of the URL or as cookie information, but the exchange relating to this is omitted in the drawing. .

(Acquisition of Position Information of Part Referred by Student) FIG. 7 is a ladder diagram showing a sequence of processing for specifying the position of the part referred to by the student and storing the position information. . Hereinafter, description will be made step by step with reference to FIG. Step S100: First, the URL of the teaching material is sent from the user terminal of the student to the WWW server that provides the teaching material.
Is sent. Step S102: The WWW server executes step S10
0 receives the request sent and the requested URL
Is read from the storage device. Step S104: The teaching material content read in step S102 is transmitted from the WWW server to the user terminal and displayed on the user terminal. The data transmitted at this time includes, in addition to data representing textbook contents, still images, moving images, audio, and the like, a processing script for performing processing to be described later on the user terminal side.

Step S106: The processing script in the teaching material content transmitted in step S104 is stored in the script storage area in the user terminal, and the script execution processing system starts executing the processing script. Step S108: As processing in the processing script, an area for storing teaching material position information is secured in a variable storage area in the user terminal. Step S110: The area of the teaching material position information secured in step S108 is initialized.

Step S112: When the student designates a part to be viewed by clicking a specific part in the table of contents or a figure in the teaching material, a request including the URL of the link of the part is sent from the user terminal side to the WWW server Sent to the side. Step S114: The WWW server performs step S11.
2 receives the request transmitted, and reads the data of the requested teaching material content from the storage device. Step S116: The teaching material content read in step S114 is transmitted from the WWW server to the user terminal and displayed on the user terminal. Step S118: After transmitting the request in step S112, the user terminal, as a process in the above-described processing script, stores the position information of the location requested this time for reference by the student, and the position of the teaching material position information in the variable storage area. Save to area. The specific value stored here is data corresponding to the “location information identifier” shown in FIG.

(“Q & A using stored location information”
FIG. 8 uses the position information acquired in the process of FIG. 7 to preset the teaching material type and the position information therein in a form for information search (in this example, “Q & A search”). FIG. 6 is a ladder diagram showing a processing sequence for storing the information. The processing sequence shown in FIG. 8 is based on the premise that the processing up to step S118 in FIG. 7 has already been performed and the teaching material position information has been saved. Hereinafter, description will be made step by step with reference to FIG.

Step S200: The student clicks the button to execute the function of "Q & A search". Step S202: As processing of the processing script stored in the script storage area, information of the teaching material position information stored in the variable storage area is added to the URL associated with the button clicked in step S200 as an argument. Step S204: The URL to which the teaching material position information has been added in step S202 is transmitted from the user terminal to the WWW server.

Step S206: The teaching material content data is read on the WWW server side based on the URL transmitted in step S204. Step S208: The identification name (identification label) of the teaching material position information added to the URL transmitted in step S204 is extracted. Step S210: The identification name extracted in step S208 is passed from the WWW server to the WWW-DB cooperation software for searching the teaching material position information database.

Step S212: A database search statement (for example, SQL (Structured Query Language) containing the identifier passed in step S210 as a search condition
) Is generated in the WWW-DB cooperation software. Step S214: A search instruction is issued from the WWW-DB cooperation software to the DB software using the search text generated in step S212. Step S216: Based on the instruction performed in step S214, a search process for extracting data matching the identification name from the teaching material position information database is performed. Step S218: The result of the search processing in step S216 is notified from the DB software to the WWW-DB cooperation software. Step S220: The search result notified in step S218 includes information of the teaching material name, the chapter number, the section number, and the item number corresponding to the identification name. WWW-D
The B link software generates search condition input form data including these pieces of information.

Step S222: The data of the input form generated in step S220 is passed to the WWW server. Step S224: The data of this input form is WWW
The page is transmitted from the server to the user terminal, and the “Q & A search” page is displayed on the user terminal. Step S226: The student displays “Q & A” on this page.
A keyword or the like serving as a search condition for "search" is set.

As described above, steps S200 to S22
By executing the procedure shown in FIG. 4, the user terminal displays a "Q & A search" page in which the teaching material name, the chapter number, the section number, and the item number are initially set. This eliminates the need for the student to input these pieces of information, and saves time and effort and prevents the student from inputting errors.

(Process of Registering Answer to Question from Student in Database) FIG. 9 shows a process of transmitting an answer to a question sent from a student and a process of automatically registering the answer in the database. 3 is a ladder diagram showing a first half of the sequence of FIG. FIG. 10 is a ladder diagram showing the latter half of the sequence. Hereinafter, description will be made step by step with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10.

First, the following steps S300 to S318
In, processing for displaying a list of questions from students for the respondent is performed. Step S300: A request for a list page of questions (inquiries) from the student is transmitted from the system management terminal to the WWW server. Step S304: Based on the request transmitted in step S300, the WWW server requests data of a list of questions from the WWW-DB cooperation software.

Step S306: Based on the request in step S304, the WWW-DB cooperation software generates a database search sentence for acquiring question list data. Step S308: The WWW-DB cooperation software issues a search instruction to the DB software based on the search sentence generated in step S306. Step S310: The DB software searches the Q & A database based on the search instruction from the WWW-DB cooperation software in step S308. Step S312: Then, the result of the search processing in step S310 is notified from the DB software to the WWW-DB cooperation software. Step S314: Using the search result notified in step S312, the WWW-DB cooperation software generates data for displaying a list of question titles.

Step S316: The data generated in step S314 is transmitted from WWW-DB linking software to WWW.
Passed to the server. Step S318: The data is transmitted from the WWW server to the system management terminal, and a list page such as a question title is displayed on the system management terminal.

Next, the following steps S330 to S350
In, a specific question is selected from the list displayed above, and processing for displaying the content of the question for the respondent is performed. Step S330: The respondent selects and clicks a question to be answered from the displayed list. Step S332: In response to the click operation in step S330, the URL to which information specifying the question is added is transmitted from the system management terminal to the WWW server. Step S334: Based on the position information associated with the question selected in step S330, the teaching material content at that position is read. Step S336: Based on the URL transmitted in step S332, the WWW server requests the data of the question content designated by the respondent to the WWW-DB cooperation software.

Step S338: Based on the request in step S336, the WWW-DB cooperation software generates a database search sentence for acquiring question content data. Step S340: Based on the search sentence generated in step S338, the WWW-DB cooperation software issues a search instruction to the DB software. Step S342: The DB software searches the Q & A database based on the search instruction from the WWW-DB cooperation software in step S340. Step S344: The result of the search processing in step S342 is notified from the DB software to the WWW-DB cooperation software. Step S346: Using the search result notified in step S344, the WWW-DB cooperation software generates screen data including a display of a question content and an input form for inputting an answer to the question. Step S348: The data generated in step S346 is passed from the WWW-DB cooperation software to the WWW server. Step S350: The data is transmitted from the WWW server to the system management terminal. Step S334
The teaching material content read in is transmitted together. As a result, a screen including the content of the question, the content of the teaching material related to the question, and the answer input form is displayed on the system management terminal.

Finally, the following steps S360 to S39
At 0, a process of registering the answer to the question content displayed above in the database is performed. Step S360: The respondent inputs the answer to the question in the answer input form. Step S362: Then, the respondent clicks the answer button on the screen. Step S364: Then, the answer data input in step S360 is transmitted from the system management terminal to the WWW server. Step S368: Based on the data transmitted in step S364, the WWW server instructs the WWW-DB cooperation software to register the data of the question content and the answer content.

Step S370: Based on the instruction in step S368, the WWW-DB cooperation software executes a registration statement for registering data (for example, UPD in SQL).
ATE statement or INSERT statement). Step S372: According to the registration statement generated in step S370, a registration instruction is issued from the WWW-DB cooperation software to the DB software. Step S374: The DB software performs a process of registering the data in the Q & A database and the message database based on the instruction in step S372.

Step S376: In order to display the list of questions again on the system management terminal, the WWW server
The data of the list of questions is requested to the W-DB cooperation software. Step S378: Based on the request in step S376, the WWW-DB cooperation software generates a database search sentence for acquiring question list data. Step S380: The WWW-DB cooperation software issues a search instruction to the DB software based on the search sentence generated in step S378. Step S382: The DB software searches the Q & A database based on the search instruction from the WWW-DB cooperation software in step S380. Step S384: The result of the search processing in step S382 is notified from the DB software to the WWW-DB cooperation software. Step S386: Using the search result notified in step S384, the WWW-DB cooperation software generates data for displaying a list of question titles. Step S388: The data generated in step S386 is passed from the WWW-DB cooperation software to the WWW server. Step S390: Then, this data is transmitted from the WWW server to the system management terminal, and the page of the question list is displayed on the system management terminal.

(Question Input Using Stored Position Information) FIG. 11 shows a teaching material type and a form in the form for a student to input a question by using the position information acquired in the process of FIG. FIG. 9 is a ladder diagram illustrating a processing sequence for setting position information in advance. FIG.
The processing sequence shown in FIG. 1 is based on the premise that the processing up to step S118 in FIG. 7 has already been performed and the teaching material position information has been stored. Hereinafter, description will be made step by step with reference to FIG.

Step S400: The student clicks the button to execute the function of inputting a question (inquiry). Step S402: As processing of the processing script stored in the script storage area, information of the teaching material position information stored in the variable storage area is added to the URL associated with the button clicked in step S400 as an argument. Step S404: The URL to which the teaching material position information has been added in step S402 is transmitted from the user terminal to the WWW server.

Step S406: Based on the URL transmitted in step S404, the WWW server reads the teaching material content data. Step S408: The identification name (identification label) of the teaching material position information added to the URL transmitted in step S404 is extracted. Step S410: The identification name extracted in step S408 is passed from the WWW server to the WWW-DB cooperation software for searching the teaching material position information database.

Step S412: A database search sentence including the identification name passed in step S410 as a search condition is generated in the WWW-DB cooperation software. Step S414: A search instruction is issued from the WWW-DB cooperation software to the DB software using the search sentence generated in step S412. Step S416: Based on the instruction performed in step S414, a search process for extracting data matching the above-mentioned identification name from the teaching material position information database is performed. Step S418: The result of the search processing in step S416 is notified from the DB software to the WWW-DB cooperation software. Step S420: The search result notified in step S418 includes information of the teaching material name, the chapter number, the section number, and the item number corresponding to the identification name. WWW-D
The B cooperation software generates data of a question input form including these pieces of information.

Step S422: The input form data generated in step S420 is passed to the WWW server. Step S424: The data of this input form is WWW
Sent from the server to the user terminal, a question input page is displayed on the user terminal. Step S426: The student sets the title of the question, the content of the question, and the like on this page.

By performing the above procedure,
The user terminal displays a question input page in which the teaching material name, chapter number, section number, and section number are initially set. This eliminates the need for the student to input such information and saves time and effort, and also prevents input mistakes or omissions by the student, so that the respondent can accurately grasp the content of the question.

(Processing of Input Question) FIG.
FIG. 5 is a ladder diagram illustrating a sequence of processing performed on a question input by a student following the processing illustrated in FIG. Hereinafter, description will be made step by step with reference to FIG. Step S500: The student clicks the button to transmit the question title and the question content. Step S502: When the click in step S500 is performed, the data including the question title and the question content input in step S426 in FIG. 11 is transmitted from the user terminal to the WWW server. Step S506: The WWW server performs step S50.
The question title included in the data transmitted in step 2 is taken out, and the WWW-DB cooperation software is instructed to perform word division of the question title.

Step S508: Based on the instruction in step S506, the WWW-DB cooperation software performs word division of the passed question title. Specifically, for example,
This word division is performed by performing a morphological analysis process of a natural language with reference to a word dictionary and grammar rules. Step S510: A search sentence for extracting data including the word obtained as a result of the word division in step S508 in the question title from the Q & A database is generated. Step S512: A search instruction is issued from the WWW-DB cooperation software to the DB software based on the search text generated in step S510. Step S514: Based on the search instruction in step S512, the DB software performs a process of searching the Q & A database. Step S516: The result of the search in step S514 is notified from the DB software to the WWW-DB cooperation software. Step S518: The WWW-DB cooperation software generates data of the question title list screen extracted as a result of the search.

Step S520: The data generated in step S518 is passed from the WWW-DB cooperation software to the WWW server. Step S522: The data is transmitted from the WWW server to the user terminal, where the question title and the question content input by the student
The question title extracted by the search in 514 is displayed.

Here, when the student clicks on one of the extracted question titles to refer to the content of the similar question, the content of the question is displayed on the user terminal by the processing following step S524. Is done. Step S524: The student clicks one of the displayed question titles. Step S526: A request for the question content corresponding to the clicked question title is sent from the user terminal to the WWW server. The WWW server sends the WW
By cooperating with the W-DB cooperation software and the DB software, data of the corresponding question content is acquired and returned to the user terminal.

After the display in step S522,
Alternatively, after the display in step S526, if the student clicks the registration button to register his or her own question content, the question content is registered in the Q & A database by the process following step S528 below. Step S528: The student clicks the registration button. Step S530: Then, a request for registration of the question content is sent from the user terminal to the WWW server. In response, the WWW server performs a registration process by linking with WWW-DB link software and DB software.

(Process of Listing Past Questions for Question Respondent) FIG. 13 is a ladder diagram showing a process sequence for the question respondent to refer to the past question extracted from the Q & A database. The processing illustrated in FIG. 13 is performed subsequent to step S344 in FIG. Hereinafter, description will be made in order with reference to FIG.

Step S600: Step S34 in FIG.
WWW-DB using the search result notified in
The cooperation software generates screen data including a display of a question content and an input form for inputting an answer to the question. Step S602: The data generated in step S600 is passed from the WWW-DB cooperation software to the WWW server. Step S604: The data is transmitted from the WWW server to the system management terminal, and a screen including a question content and an answer input form is displayed on the system management terminal.

The following step S606 and subsequent steps are a sequence in which the respondent does not immediately input an answer in this situation, but refers to another question and answer. Step S606: The respondent clicks the reference candidate display button. Step S608: In response to the click in step S606, data requesting a list of reference candidates is transmitted from the system management terminal to the WWW server. Step S610: Based on the request of step S608,
The WWW server reads the contents of the question displayed in step S604, a list of reference candidates, and data of a screen on which an answer input form is put together. However, at this stage, reference candidates have not been specifically extracted yet. Step S612: The WWW server instructs the WWW-DB cooperation software to perform word division of the original question title. Step S614: Based on the instruction in step S612, the WWW-DB cooperation software performs word division of the passed question title. Step S616: A search sentence for extracting data including the word obtained as a result of the word division in step S614 in the question title from the Q & A database is generated. Step S618: Based on the search sentence generated in step S616, a search instruction is issued from the WWW-DB cooperation software to the DB software. Step S620: The DB software performs a process of searching the Q & A database based on the search instruction in step S618. Step S622: The result of the search in step S620 is notified from the DB software to the WWW-DB cooperation software. Step S624: The WWW-DB cooperation software generates data of the question title list screen extracted as a result of the search.

Step S626: The data generated in step S624 is passed from the WWW-DB cooperation software to the WWW server. Step S628: The data is transmitted from the WWW server to the user terminal, and the user terminal displays the original question content, the answer input form, and the question title (reference candidate) extracted by the search in step S620.

Step S630: If the respondent determines that the
One of the reference candidate question titles displayed at 628 is selected and clicked. Step S632: A new screen of the browser is opened in response to the click in step S630. Then, data of the question content of the reference destination selected by the respondent is requested from the system management terminal to the WWW server. In response to this request, the WWW server extracts the contents of the question from the Q & A database and returns it to the system management terminal by linking with the WWW-DB linking software and the DB software. Then, the content of the question is displayed on the system management terminal.

(Reference of Answer by Student) FIG. 14 is a ladder diagram showing the first half of the processing sequence for the original questioner to refer to the answer content input by the respondent. FIG. 15 is a ladder diagram showing the latter half of the sequence. Assuming that the answer information has already been registered in the Q & A database and the message database by the procedure shown in FIG.
It is possible to refer to the answer in the process of S748. Hereinafter, description will be made step by step with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15.

First, the following steps S700 to S720
Then, a process of displaying a list of message titles on the user terminal is performed. Step S700: The student clicks a button for executing a function of referring to the message. Step S702: A request for a list of message titles for the student is transmitted from the user terminal to the WWW server. Step S706: The ID of the student who made the request in step S702 is passed from the WWW server to the WWW-DB cooperation software.

Step S708: In the WWW-DB cooperation software, a search sentence for extracting a title of a message addressed to the student is generated using the student ID passed in step S706 as a search condition. Step S710: The WWW-DB cooperation software issues a search instruction to the DB software based on the search text generated in step S708. Step S712: Based on the instruction in step S710, the DB software performs a process of searching the message database. Step S714: The search result performed in step S712 is notified from the DB software to the WWW-DB cooperation software. Step S716: Using the search result in step S712, the WWW-DB cooperation software generates screen data of a message title list addressed to the requesting student.

Step S718: The data generated in step S716 is passed from the WWW-DB cooperation software to the WWW server. Step S720: The data is transmitted from the WWW server to the user terminal, and a list of message titles is displayed on the user terminal.

Next, the following steps S722 to S748
Then, a process of displaying the content of the message selected from the list on the user terminal is performed. Step S722: From the titles displayed in step S720, the student clicks on the title of the message to be referred to. Step S724: A request including the message ID corresponding to the title clicked in step S722 is transmitted from the user terminal to the WWW server. Step S728: The message ID transmitted in step S724 is passed from the WWW server to the WWW-DB cooperation software.

Step S730: The WWW-DB cooperation software updates the message (for example, the UPDATE statement in SQL) for registering a read flag (referenced flag) related to the message on the condition of the message ID passed in step S728. Generate. Step S732: The WWW-DB cooperation software issues a registration instruction to the DB software based on the update statement generated in step S730. Step S734: Based on the instruction issued in step S732, the DB software performs a process of registering the referred flag in the corresponding record of the message database. Step S736: The WWW-DB cooperation software generates a search sentence for acquiring the message content on condition of the message ID passed in step S728. Step S738: Based on the search sentence generated in step S736, the WWW-DB cooperation software issues a search instruction to the DB software. Step S740: Based on the instruction given in step S738, the DB software performs a process of searching the message database. Step S742: The result of the search performed in step S740 is notified from the DB software to the WWW-DB cooperation software. Step S744: Using the search result, WWW-D
The B link software generates screen data for displaying the message content.

Step S746: The data generated in step S744 is converted to W
It is passed to the WW server. Step S748: The data is transmitted from the WWW server to the user terminal, and the message content is displayed on the user terminal.

Finally, an example of a characteristic screen of the present online education system will be described. FIG. 16 is a reference diagram showing a screen for the student to input a question in the present system. The screen shown in FIG. 16 is a screen displayed on the user terminal in step S424 of the sequence in FIG. As described with reference to FIG. 11, when this screen is displayed, the position information of the learning material reference portion of the student has been acquired in advance, and the corresponding learning material name and chapter number are transmitted from the WWW server to the student terminal. The data of this screen is transmitted with the information of the section number and the section number set.

In FIG. 16, reference numeral 501 denotes a field in which the name of the teaching material is set in advance. Similarly, 5
In the field of 02, a section (chapter,
) Are preset. Therefore, there is no need for the student to input the names of the teaching materials and the position information, and the question can be transmitted simply by inputting the content of the question in the field 503 and pressing the button 504. The button 505 is used to stop asking a question and close this screen (window).

The above-mentioned online education system is realized using a computer. The process of the above-described processing is stored in a computer-readable recording medium in the form of a program, and the computer reads and executes the program to perform the above-described processing. Here, the computer-readable recording medium refers to a floppy (registered trademark) disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, a magnetic hard disk, a semiconductor memory, or the like.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and a design or the like may be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. included.

[0087]

As described above, according to the present invention, position information acquiring means for acquiring position information indicating the position of a part referred to by a student in the teaching material content;
The respondent uses the position information adding means for automatically adding the position information obtained by the position information obtaining means to the data of the question from the student and the position information added by the position information adding means together with the question data. Since there is provided a question display means for transmitting to the respondent terminal, which part of the teaching material the question content relates to is automatically transmitted to the question respondent without error. This reduces the time it takes for respondents to understand the content of the question,
Inquiry to the requester does not occur, and the trouble of the requester can be saved.

Further, according to the present invention, the question display means transmits not only the position information but also the teaching material content corresponding to the position to the respondent terminal together with the question. There is no need to refer to it separately, and the efficiency of question answering work can be further improved.

Further, according to the present invention, since the contents of the question and the contents of the answer to the question are registered in the question answer database, it is possible to accumulate the questions that have been asked in the past.

According to the present invention, another question close to the question is extracted from the question answer database and transmitted to the user terminal based on the data of the question from the student. Questions can be resolved by referring to past similar or related questions before registering. As a result, it is possible to reduce the amount of work performed by the question respondent, thereby improving efficiency, and to shorten the turnaround time for solving the question for the questioner.

Further, according to the present invention, the question display means extracts another question close to the question to be answered from the question answer database and transmits it to the answerer terminal. Answers can be created while referring to similar questions or related questions, which leads to more efficient work and improved quality of answer contents. That is, knowledge sharing between the persons in charge on the educational service provider side can be achieved.

Further, according to the present invention, the exchange of questions and answers from students can be completed within the same web interface as the provision of teaching material contents, for example. There is no need to support various communication means such as e-mail.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a main configuration of an online education system according to an embodiment of the present invention and an outline of its operation.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a network configuration and a functional configuration on the network of the online education system according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a table listing data items of a table of a Q & A database which is a component of the online education system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a table listing data items of a table of a message database which is a component of the online education system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a table listing data items of a table of a teaching material position information database which is a component of the online education system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a reference diagram showing a mechanism for acquiring position information of a teaching material in the online education system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a ladder diagram showing a processing sequence for saving position information of a teaching material in the online education system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a ladder diagram showing a processing sequence for setting position information in a search form in advance in the online education system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a ladder diagram showing a first half of a processing sequence for registering an answer to a question from a student in a database in the online education system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a ladder diagram showing a latter half of a processing sequence for registering an answer to a question from a student in a database in the online education system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a ladder diagram showing a processing sequence in which position information of teaching materials is set in advance in a form for a student to input a question in the online education system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a ladder diagram illustrating a processing sequence for searching for a question related to a question input by a student in the online education system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a ladder diagram showing a processing sequence for a question respondent to refer to a past question in the online education system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a ladder diagram showing the first half of a processing sequence for the original questioner to refer to the answer to the question in the online education system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a ladder diagram showing the second half of the processing sequence for the original questioner to refer to the answer to the question in the online education system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a reference diagram showing a screen for a student to input a question in the online education system according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 User terminal 2 System management terminal 3 WWW (World Wide Web) server 4 Management database 5 Teaching material contents 11 Network 12 Management server 13 WWW-DB (database) cooperation software 41 Database software 42 Data storage unit 51 Browser function 52 Script execution processing system 60 memory 61 script storage area 62 variable storage area 501 field (teaching material name) 502 field (section) 503 field (question contents) 504, 505 button

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G06F 17/60 502 G06F 17/60 502

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. An online education system for distributing teaching material content to a user terminal used by a student, receiving a question related to the teaching material content from the user terminal, and transmitting an answer to the user terminal. Position information obtaining means for obtaining position information indicating the position of the part referred to by the student in the teaching material content; and automatically adding the position information obtained by the position information obtaining means to data of a question from the student. Position information adding means for periodically adding, and question display means for transmitting the position information added by the position information adding means to a respondent terminal used by a respondent together with question data. And an online education system. 2. The question display means transmits a portion corresponding to the added location information in the teaching material content to the respondent terminal.
Online education system described in. 3. A question registering means for registering question data to which the location information has been added by the location information adding means in a question answer database; an answer registering means for registering an answer to the question in the question answer database; The online education system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: 4. A related question presentation means for extracting another question close to the question from the question answer database based on data of the question from the student and transmitting the question to the user terminal. Online education system described in. 5. The related question presenting unit extracts the another question by searching the question answer database based on a word included in a title of a question from a student. Online education system described in. 6. The question display unit according to claim 3, wherein, in addition to the question, another question close to the question is extracted from the question answer database and transmitted to the respondent terminal. Online education system as described in any of the above. 7. The question display unit according to claim 6, wherein the question display unit extracts the other question by searching the question answer database based on a word included in a title of the question from the student. Online education system described. 8. A message management means for receiving an answer to the question from the respondent terminal and transmitting the message to the user terminal used by the student as a message addressed to the student who asked the question. The online education management system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: 9. An online education method for distributing teaching material content to a user terminal used by a student, receiving a question regarding the teaching material content from the user terminal, and transmitting an answer to the user terminal. A position information obtaining step of obtaining position information indicating a position of a part referred to by the student in the teaching material content; and automatically adding the position information obtained in the position information obtaining step to data of a question from the student. And a question display step of transmitting the position information added in the position information adding step to a respondent terminal used by a respondent together with question data. And online teaching methods. 10. A computer program for an online education system that distributes teaching material contents to a user terminal used by a student, receives a question related to the teaching material content from the user terminal, and transmits an answer to the user terminal. A position information acquiring step of acquiring position information indicating a position of a part referred to by the student in the teaching material content; and the position acquired in the position information acquiring step in data of a question from the student. A position information adding step of automatically adding information; and a question displaying step of transmitting the position information added in the position information adding step to a respondent terminal used by the respondent together with question data. A computer program for causing a computer to execute the program. Computer readable recording medium that.