CA1206748A - Interactive teaching system - Google Patents
Interactive teaching systemInfo
- Publication number
- CA1206748A CA1206748A CA000457248A CA457248A CA1206748A CA 1206748 A CA1206748 A CA 1206748A CA 000457248 A CA000457248 A CA 000457248A CA 457248 A CA457248 A CA 457248A CA 1206748 A CA1206748 A CA 1206748A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- television
- sequences
- video
- consequence
- testing
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Abstract
An audiovisual display system utilizes the video recorded instruction material and a television at the student location. Video information depicts a sequence of events leading to a choice of alternative actions followed by an indication of the possible alternatives. The system allows the user to select his choice of alternatives by tuning his television monitor to the station corresponding to that alternative. The likely outcome of the user's selection is depicted by video information broadcast on the various channels. The programs on each channel are timed to coincide with the master instruction cycle which may be broadcast on one or more channels.
Description
6'7~
Background of the Invention This invention relates -~o audio visual teaching systems and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for utilizing televisions for interactive testing purposes.
Audio visual teaching or testing systems in the prior art have generally fallen into two distinct categories.
The first category includes simple motion picture or videotape programs offering instruction for the benefit of students and permitting students to experience, through the medium of video projection, a wide variety of subject matter. The second general class of prior art audio visual ~eaching equipment utilizes still projection or motion video projection of events leading to a question which must be answered by the student. Such equipment mayj for example, be computer controlled such that, when a student has made his choice, the equipment notifies the student as to whether his choice was correct or incorrect and often arranges the teaching set to conform wi~h the student's learning progress. Both of these forms of audio visual equipment have serious limitations. The simple video projections, although it may be engrossing to the student, permits no interaction whatsoever, so that it is impossible to determine a student's retention utilizing the equipment or to have the student in~eract with the equipment. Since interaction requires a degree of involvement of the students in a learning process, simple video projection is only partially successful for educational purposes.
The second form o~ audio visual teaching equipment permits a certain degree of interaction. The limitation in this case, however, is the fact that, when a student makes an incorrect choice, the equipment notifies him that this choice is incorrect and either repeats the previous question or permits him to proceed to new questions. This type of interaction is similar to the effect on the child 74~
or telling the child, for example, that it is unsafe to enter a busy street. The child may accept this statement, but the mere sta~ement can never have the effect that seeing the accident occur in the busy street can have.
Thus, although there is a certain degree of feedback in such equipment, the feedback is a simple positive or negative response, and does not reinforce the student's learning through experience. A further form of audio visual equipment is disclosed in my prior patent, No.
4,170,832, issued October 16, 1979, relating to an interactive teaching machine having integral means for presenting a plurality of programs. ~n response to the scenario presented in the prerecorded video information, a student may select any one of the alternatives by manipulating the device to access a program stored in the machine.
The pr~sent invention provides a method and apparatus for implementing an interactive teaching technique via a household television set and a television broadcast station(s). Thus the inventive aspects described and claimed in my previous patent can be made available to a broad range of students withou~ requiring that each student have a specially adapted video machine.
Summary of the Invention The present invention alleviates difficulties in the prior art apparatus for audio visual teaching ~y utilizing the engrossing medium of television presentation to not only present alternative choices to the user, but to allow the user, by selection of a particular station, to view the li~ely consequences of his choice. The only equipment a user need have is a television. A broadcast station or stations 11 broadcasts film sequences followed by an indication of possible alternatives. The selection of alternatives by the user is affected by the selection of the appropriate channel 21, 23, 25, 27, 29. Each channel corresponds to a possible alternative and broadcasts video ~2~6~
information corresponding to the likely outcome of the associated alternative selected by the user. The video information broadcast on each channel 21, 23, 25, 27, 29 is tim~ed to correlate wlth the presentation of the educational scenario.
It may be helpful to a complete understanding of the invention to cite an example~ If the equipment of this invention were utilized in training medical users, the initial or introductory motion video sequence could depict an emergency room in a hospital with an entering patient. During this introductory sequence, an indication sequence presenting certain diagnostic tests are administered on the patient and the user is apprised, through the video sequence of the outcome of the diagnostic tests. At the completion of the initial sequence, plural choices of actions, such as the administration of plural different medications, can be presented on the television for the user. The video projection then pauses and the user selects the channel 21, 23, 25, 27, 29 corresponding to the medication which he deems appropriate for treating the patient~ After he has made his selection, the video program on the selected channel presents the likely consequences of that selectionO If, for example, the medication which the user selects is seriously incorrect7 a consequence sequence on the channel associated with that incorrect selection could depict the patient convulsing and dying. If, on the other hand, the medication has no effect on the patient's condition, the scene which would be depicted would show neither improvement nor degradation in the patient's condition. If the user selected a medication which assisted the patient, the selected scene would show such improvement.
The invention has application in almost every field of learning, it having been found that the television medium is engrossing and readily available to the user, holds his 74~
awareness longer than almost any form of instruction, is available in almost every home, and can reinforce the user's learning by allowing him to experience, through motion video sequences, the consequences of his choices.
The advantages of this invention are best understood through the following detailed description which references the drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a block diagram of a system incorporating the present invention, wherein a plurality of channels are broadcast by a single transmission station; and Figure 2 is a block diagram of a transmission system incorporating the present invention, wherein transmission is accomplished by a plurality of broadcast stations.
Detailed Description 1S As shown in Figure 1, transmission station 11 may broadcast a signal to a plurality of mediums which may be displayed at televisions 13, 15, 17J and 19. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, station 11 broadcasts on five separate channels. For example, the transmission to television 15 comprises a separate transmission on each of channels 21, 23, 25, 27, and 29. Video information depicting the scenario to be tested upon may be transmitted on one or more of stations 219 23, 25, 27, or 29. If only one station depicts that scenario, a user at television 15 would initially tune the television to that station. At the completion of the testing scenario, (i.e., completion of the introductory and indication sequences) the video in~ormation would depict a plurality of alternatives to a user, such as a student. Each alternative would correspond to a separate television channel~ ~y selecting the channel corresponding to the desired alternative, the user would indicate his choice.
For example, the testing scenario might be presented on channel 25. Upon completion of that scenario the possible alternatives might be indicated by tuning the television to channel 21, 23, 27, or 29. Af~er a brief ~6~
delay to allow the user to make his choice, the video information could be transmitted on channels 21, 23, 27l and 29, corresponding to the likely consequences of the choices associated with those channels.
The video information associated with channels 21, 23, 27, and 29 would therefore be synchronized with the video information transmitted on channel 25 in order to allow the depiction of the likely consequence to occur a short period after the conclusion of the testing scenario on channel 25. The length of the delay between the conclusion of the testing scenario and the beginning of the consequence scenario on each channel is a matter of design choice and may be eliminated or selected in view of the complexity of the scenario presented and the sophistication of the users likely to utilize the system. Channel synchronization may be accomplished by any of a number of commercially available processors such as the programmable digital processor, PDP-11 produced by Digital Equipment Corporation.
It should also be recognized that a testing scenario may be presented on more than one channel. Indeed, it is anticipated that a common testing scenario may be broadcast on each channel in order to eliminate the need for resetting the television channel select switch after each choice.
The connection between transmission station 11 and television 15 is accomplished by a plurality of wires each accommodating an individual channel. Connection 31 is a single wire depiction of each o~ those separate connections between station 11 and television 15.
As an alternative to the hardwired connections between station 11 and television 15, radio frequency signals on a plurality of discreet channels may be broadcast by station 11 and received at the television used by the user. As shown in Figure 1, signals from station 11 may be broadcast in a plurality of channels at television ~2~
frequencies and received at television 13. The signals from station 11 to antenna 31, via connection 33, may include a plurality of discreet signals, each of which is broadcast at a separate television frequencyO A user at S television 13 will receive those signals via receive antenna 35 and connection 37. Presentation of the testing scenario and presentation of the possible alternatives will proceed as described in connection with television 15.
As a further alternative to the embodiments previously described, the signals from station 11 may be broadcast by microwave transmission antenna 39 via connection 41. As with the embodiments previously described, the signals broadcast by microwave transmission station 39 may include a plurality of discreet signals, each of which corresponds to a separate television channel. Microwave receive station 43 ma~ be adapted to receive the signal ~rom station 11 and convert that signal into a plurality of discreet television channels which are communicated to and may be selected by users at televisions 17 and 19.
In the embodiment illustrated at Figure 1, a single television broadcast station 11 is adapted to broadcast on a plurality of discreet ~elevision channels. The embodiment illustrated at Figure 2 depicts a construction ~5 wherein a separate broadcast station transmits the video information contained in each discreet channel.
The embodiment illustrated in Figure 2 includes television transmit stations 49, 51, 53, 55, and 57.
Those stations transmit a signal which is received at television 59 via transmission antennas 61, 63, 65, 67, and 69, respectively. For convenience, the signals transmitted from transmission antennas 61, 63, 65, 67, and 69 are represented by a single signal path 71 directed to televisions 59 and 73 via receive antenna 75. The multichannel signal received at antenna 75 is communicated to televisions 59 and 73 via connections 77 and 79, respectively.
12~6~
As with the embodiment illustrated at Figure 1, transmission of the consequence scenario should be correlated to transmission of the teaching scenario. As also described in connection with Figure 1, each of the channels may transmit the teaching scenario.
It should be noted that regardless of the ~ransmission scheme selected, the user at the television station will perceive the testing and consequence scenarios ln the same fashion.
As will be recognized by one skilled in the art, various modifications o~ the transmission scheme may be implemented without departing ~rom the scope of the present invention which is described in the appended claims.
Background of the Invention This invention relates -~o audio visual teaching systems and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for utilizing televisions for interactive testing purposes.
Audio visual teaching or testing systems in the prior art have generally fallen into two distinct categories.
The first category includes simple motion picture or videotape programs offering instruction for the benefit of students and permitting students to experience, through the medium of video projection, a wide variety of subject matter. The second general class of prior art audio visual ~eaching equipment utilizes still projection or motion video projection of events leading to a question which must be answered by the student. Such equipment mayj for example, be computer controlled such that, when a student has made his choice, the equipment notifies the student as to whether his choice was correct or incorrect and often arranges the teaching set to conform wi~h the student's learning progress. Both of these forms of audio visual equipment have serious limitations. The simple video projections, although it may be engrossing to the student, permits no interaction whatsoever, so that it is impossible to determine a student's retention utilizing the equipment or to have the student in~eract with the equipment. Since interaction requires a degree of involvement of the students in a learning process, simple video projection is only partially successful for educational purposes.
The second form o~ audio visual teaching equipment permits a certain degree of interaction. The limitation in this case, however, is the fact that, when a student makes an incorrect choice, the equipment notifies him that this choice is incorrect and either repeats the previous question or permits him to proceed to new questions. This type of interaction is similar to the effect on the child 74~
or telling the child, for example, that it is unsafe to enter a busy street. The child may accept this statement, but the mere sta~ement can never have the effect that seeing the accident occur in the busy street can have.
Thus, although there is a certain degree of feedback in such equipment, the feedback is a simple positive or negative response, and does not reinforce the student's learning through experience. A further form of audio visual equipment is disclosed in my prior patent, No.
4,170,832, issued October 16, 1979, relating to an interactive teaching machine having integral means for presenting a plurality of programs. ~n response to the scenario presented in the prerecorded video information, a student may select any one of the alternatives by manipulating the device to access a program stored in the machine.
The pr~sent invention provides a method and apparatus for implementing an interactive teaching technique via a household television set and a television broadcast station(s). Thus the inventive aspects described and claimed in my previous patent can be made available to a broad range of students withou~ requiring that each student have a specially adapted video machine.
Summary of the Invention The present invention alleviates difficulties in the prior art apparatus for audio visual teaching ~y utilizing the engrossing medium of television presentation to not only present alternative choices to the user, but to allow the user, by selection of a particular station, to view the li~ely consequences of his choice. The only equipment a user need have is a television. A broadcast station or stations 11 broadcasts film sequences followed by an indication of possible alternatives. The selection of alternatives by the user is affected by the selection of the appropriate channel 21, 23, 25, 27, 29. Each channel corresponds to a possible alternative and broadcasts video ~2~6~
information corresponding to the likely outcome of the associated alternative selected by the user. The video information broadcast on each channel 21, 23, 25, 27, 29 is tim~ed to correlate wlth the presentation of the educational scenario.
It may be helpful to a complete understanding of the invention to cite an example~ If the equipment of this invention were utilized in training medical users, the initial or introductory motion video sequence could depict an emergency room in a hospital with an entering patient. During this introductory sequence, an indication sequence presenting certain diagnostic tests are administered on the patient and the user is apprised, through the video sequence of the outcome of the diagnostic tests. At the completion of the initial sequence, plural choices of actions, such as the administration of plural different medications, can be presented on the television for the user. The video projection then pauses and the user selects the channel 21, 23, 25, 27, 29 corresponding to the medication which he deems appropriate for treating the patient~ After he has made his selection, the video program on the selected channel presents the likely consequences of that selectionO If, for example, the medication which the user selects is seriously incorrect7 a consequence sequence on the channel associated with that incorrect selection could depict the patient convulsing and dying. If, on the other hand, the medication has no effect on the patient's condition, the scene which would be depicted would show neither improvement nor degradation in the patient's condition. If the user selected a medication which assisted the patient, the selected scene would show such improvement.
The invention has application in almost every field of learning, it having been found that the television medium is engrossing and readily available to the user, holds his 74~
awareness longer than almost any form of instruction, is available in almost every home, and can reinforce the user's learning by allowing him to experience, through motion video sequences, the consequences of his choices.
The advantages of this invention are best understood through the following detailed description which references the drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a block diagram of a system incorporating the present invention, wherein a plurality of channels are broadcast by a single transmission station; and Figure 2 is a block diagram of a transmission system incorporating the present invention, wherein transmission is accomplished by a plurality of broadcast stations.
Detailed Description 1S As shown in Figure 1, transmission station 11 may broadcast a signal to a plurality of mediums which may be displayed at televisions 13, 15, 17J and 19. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, station 11 broadcasts on five separate channels. For example, the transmission to television 15 comprises a separate transmission on each of channels 21, 23, 25, 27, and 29. Video information depicting the scenario to be tested upon may be transmitted on one or more of stations 219 23, 25, 27, or 29. If only one station depicts that scenario, a user at television 15 would initially tune the television to that station. At the completion of the testing scenario, (i.e., completion of the introductory and indication sequences) the video in~ormation would depict a plurality of alternatives to a user, such as a student. Each alternative would correspond to a separate television channel~ ~y selecting the channel corresponding to the desired alternative, the user would indicate his choice.
For example, the testing scenario might be presented on channel 25. Upon completion of that scenario the possible alternatives might be indicated by tuning the television to channel 21, 23, 27, or 29. Af~er a brief ~6~
delay to allow the user to make his choice, the video information could be transmitted on channels 21, 23, 27l and 29, corresponding to the likely consequences of the choices associated with those channels.
The video information associated with channels 21, 23, 27, and 29 would therefore be synchronized with the video information transmitted on channel 25 in order to allow the depiction of the likely consequence to occur a short period after the conclusion of the testing scenario on channel 25. The length of the delay between the conclusion of the testing scenario and the beginning of the consequence scenario on each channel is a matter of design choice and may be eliminated or selected in view of the complexity of the scenario presented and the sophistication of the users likely to utilize the system. Channel synchronization may be accomplished by any of a number of commercially available processors such as the programmable digital processor, PDP-11 produced by Digital Equipment Corporation.
It should also be recognized that a testing scenario may be presented on more than one channel. Indeed, it is anticipated that a common testing scenario may be broadcast on each channel in order to eliminate the need for resetting the television channel select switch after each choice.
The connection between transmission station 11 and television 15 is accomplished by a plurality of wires each accommodating an individual channel. Connection 31 is a single wire depiction of each o~ those separate connections between station 11 and television 15.
As an alternative to the hardwired connections between station 11 and television 15, radio frequency signals on a plurality of discreet channels may be broadcast by station 11 and received at the television used by the user. As shown in Figure 1, signals from station 11 may be broadcast in a plurality of channels at television ~2~
frequencies and received at television 13. The signals from station 11 to antenna 31, via connection 33, may include a plurality of discreet signals, each of which is broadcast at a separate television frequencyO A user at S television 13 will receive those signals via receive antenna 35 and connection 37. Presentation of the testing scenario and presentation of the possible alternatives will proceed as described in connection with television 15.
As a further alternative to the embodiments previously described, the signals from station 11 may be broadcast by microwave transmission antenna 39 via connection 41. As with the embodiments previously described, the signals broadcast by microwave transmission station 39 may include a plurality of discreet signals, each of which corresponds to a separate television channel. Microwave receive station 43 ma~ be adapted to receive the signal ~rom station 11 and convert that signal into a plurality of discreet television channels which are communicated to and may be selected by users at televisions 17 and 19.
In the embodiment illustrated at Figure 1, a single television broadcast station 11 is adapted to broadcast on a plurality of discreet ~elevision channels. The embodiment illustrated at Figure 2 depicts a construction ~5 wherein a separate broadcast station transmits the video information contained in each discreet channel.
The embodiment illustrated in Figure 2 includes television transmit stations 49, 51, 53, 55, and 57.
Those stations transmit a signal which is received at television 59 via transmission antennas 61, 63, 65, 67, and 69, respectively. For convenience, the signals transmitted from transmission antennas 61, 63, 65, 67, and 69 are represented by a single signal path 71 directed to televisions 59 and 73 via receive antenna 75. The multichannel signal received at antenna 75 is communicated to televisions 59 and 73 via connections 77 and 79, respectively.
12~6~
As with the embodiment illustrated at Figure 1, transmission of the consequence scenario should be correlated to transmission of the teaching scenario. As also described in connection with Figure 1, each of the channels may transmit the teaching scenario.
It should be noted that regardless of the ~ransmission scheme selected, the user at the television station will perceive the testing and consequence scenarios ln the same fashion.
As will be recognized by one skilled in the art, various modifications o~ the transmission scheme may be implemented without departing ~rom the scope of the present invention which is described in the appended claims.
Claims (4)
1. An interactive video display system comprising:
video information transmission means for transmitting correlated video sequences on a plurality of discreet channels, at least one of said channels including video information depicting a testing sequence leading to an identification of alternative choices, the consequences of said choices corresponding to distinct video consequence sequence, each of said sequences being depicted on a dedicated channel; and video information reception means adapted to receive said correlated video consequence sequences on a plurality of channels, and to communicate said correlated video consequence sequences to a television such that a user of the system may indicate his choice by tuning said television to the corresponding channel.
video information transmission means for transmitting correlated video sequences on a plurality of discreet channels, at least one of said channels including video information depicting a testing sequence leading to an identification of alternative choices, the consequences of said choices corresponding to distinct video consequence sequence, each of said sequences being depicted on a dedicated channel; and video information reception means adapted to receive said correlated video consequence sequences on a plurality of channels, and to communicate said correlated video consequence sequences to a television such that a user of the system may indicate his choice by tuning said television to the corresponding channel.
2. The system as recited in Claim 1 wherein said transmission means 11 includes a plurality of television transmit stations.
3. An interactive video testing method, wherein the consequences of the user's response to a video testing scenario are demonstrated to the user on a television, said method comprising:
transmitting a video testing sequence on at least one channel, said testing sequence leading to identification of alternative choices;
transmitting plural consequence sequences following transmission of said testing sequences, each of said consequence sequences transmitted on a discreet channel and corresponding to the likely consequences of the choice associated with that channel;
receiving said testing and said consequence sequences;
communicating said testing and said consequence sequences to a television; and displaying said testing and said consequence sequences on a television screen.
transmitting a video testing sequence on at least one channel, said testing sequence leading to identification of alternative choices;
transmitting plural consequence sequences following transmission of said testing sequences, each of said consequence sequences transmitted on a discreet channel and corresponding to the likely consequences of the choice associated with that channel;
receiving said testing and said consequence sequences;
communicating said testing and said consequence sequences to a television; and displaying said testing and said consequence sequences on a television screen.
4. The method as recited in Claim 3 wherein the step of transmitting plural consequences includes the step of transmitting each consequence from a dedicated transmit station.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US50727683A | 1983-06-23 | 1983-06-23 | |
| US507,276 | 1983-06-23 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1206748A true CA1206748A (en) | 1986-07-02 |
Family
ID=24017973
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000457248A Expired CA1206748A (en) | 1983-06-23 | 1984-06-22 | Interactive teaching system |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPS6014587A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1206748A (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5432525A (en) * | 1989-07-26 | 1995-07-11 | Hitachi, Ltd. | Multimedia telemeeting terminal device, terminal device system and manipulation method thereof |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPH03108890A (en) * | 1989-06-09 | 1991-05-09 | Yagi Antenna Co Ltd | Education system utilizing two-way catv |
-
1984
- 1984-06-13 JP JP12289184A patent/JPS6014587A/en active Pending
- 1984-06-22 CA CA000457248A patent/CA1206748A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5432525A (en) * | 1989-07-26 | 1995-07-11 | Hitachi, Ltd. | Multimedia telemeeting terminal device, terminal device system and manipulation method thereof |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| JPS6014587A (en) | 1985-01-25 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry | ||
| MKEX | Expiry |
Effective date: 20040622 |