Method and system for monitoring and filtering data transmission
The present invention is a method and apparatus for monitoring and filtering data transmission for providing the creation of a secure “virtual classroom” through which teachers can use the internet to link their students to other classes and work collaboratively and create a “shared learning” environment. A collaborative community is created by a teacher or administrator who submits initial input data to a central storage and clearing center. A first filter system is employed to ascertain and control the entrance of class data in order to ensure that the entering party is duly authorized. Once the initial input data is accepted, a search engine permits the teacher to search for compatible shared classrooms. The dynamic filtering permits security to be controlled by a central location and ties the individual classrooms into a network. The dynamic filtering level component permits each classroom and each student to be monitored to a degree designated by the teacher and appropriate for the student. A flagging filter component scans all incoming and outgoing messages to permit review prior to release.
1. An apparatus for monitored and filtered communication in a shared learning environment, the shared learning environment including a plurality of validated groups that communicate among one another, each of the plurality of validated groups comprising at least one participant, and a person associated with at least one of the validated groups with the associated person having the ability to define the filtration for the participant, the apparatus comprising:
a central data storage center that receives group description data associated with a candidate group and stores the group description data;
a first filter that validates the group description data whereupon the associated candidate group is deemed acceptable for participation in the shared learning environment, wherein the candidate group associated with the validated group description data thereby becomes one of the plurality of validated groups; and
a second filter that monitors and scans communications between the plurality of validated groups, the second filter including at least a flagging filter that is capable of flagging communications between participants in validated groups for further filtration of the content of the flagged communications based, at least in part, on a portion of the group description data and on criteria other than message content and that forwards flagged communications for further inspection based on the filtration defined by the associated person for either the creator of the communication or the viewer of the communication.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the candidate group comprises a classroom and the at least one participant comprises at least one student, and wherein the group description data includes one or more of an identity of the associated person, a textual description of the classroom, an average age of the at least one student, one or more languages spoken by the at least one student, the number of students comprising the at least one student, and a description of the interests of the at least one student.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the group description data includes identification information regarding the associated person, and wherein the first filter validates an identity of the associated person.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein validation of the identity of the associated person includes ensuring that the associated person is authorized to represent the participants in the candidate group.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flagging filter includes one or more filtering levels at which communications between participants are filtered, and wherein each participant in a validated group is associated with a participant account, the participant account identifying one of the filtering levels at which the flagging filter flags communications associated with a participant associated with the participant account.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the associated person for each validated group sets the filtering level for each participant account.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein some or all of the group description data is used to create a profile having one or more group characteristics associated with each of the validated groups and wherein a search engine searches for another of the plurality of validated groups based on one or more of the one or more group characteristics.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a master word list associated with the flagging filter, wherein the flagging filter scans all communications between participants of validated groups and flags communications that include words on the master word list.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein all flagged communications are sent to the associated person for review prior to the flagged communications reaching their destination.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the communications are electronic mail messages and the destination is an inbox of a participant.
11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the communications are posts to a message board and the destination is the message board.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flagging filter scans communications between participants of validated groups and flags communications that include attachments, wherein all flagged communications are sent to the associated person or other monitor for review of the attachments prior to the flagged communications reaching their destination.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a log of all communications received by a participant.
14. A method for providing monitored and filtered communication in a shared learning environment, the shared learning environment including a plurality of validated groups that communicate among one another, each of the plurality of validated groups comprising at least one participant, and a person associated with at least one of the validated groups with the associated person having the ability to define the filtration for the participant, the method comprising:
receiving group description data from a candidate group;
validating, at a first filter, the group description data, whereupon the associated candidate group thereby becomes one of the plurality of validated groups; and
monitoring and scanning, at a second filter, communications between the plurality of validated groups, the second filter including at least a flagging filter that flags communications between participants in validated groups for further filtration of the content of the flagged communications based, at least in part, on a portion of the group description data and on criteria other than message content and that forwards flagged communications for further inspection based on the filtration defined by the associated person for either the creator of the communication or the viewer of the communication.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the candidate group comprises a classroom and the at least one participant comprises at least one student, and wherein the group description data includes one or more of an identity of the associated person, a textual description of the classroom, average age of the at least one student, one or more languages spoken by the at least one student, the number of students comprising the at least one student, and a description of the interests of the at least one student.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the group description data includes identification information regarding the associated person, and wherein validating the received group description data further comprises validating an identity of the associated person.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein validating of the identity of the associated person includes ensuring that the associated person is authorized to represent the participants in the candidate group.
18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the flagging filter includes one or more filtering levels at which communications between participants are filtered, and wherein each participant in a validated group is associated with a participant account, the participant account identifying one of the filtering levels at which the flagging filter flags communications associated with a participant associated with the participant account.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the associated person sets the filtering level for each participant account.
20. The method of claim 14 , wherein validating the received group description data further comprises, for each validated group, creating a profile having one or more group characteristics using some or all of the group description data for that group, and searching for another of the plurality of validated groups based on one or more of the one or more group characteristics.
21. The method of claim 14 , further comprising scanning, at the flagging filter, communications between participants of validated groups and flagging communications that include words on a master word list associated with the flagging filter.
22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising sending all flagged communications to the associated person for review prior to the flagged communications reaching their destination.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the communications are electronic mail messages and the destination is an inbox of a participant.
24. The method of claim 22 , wherein the communications are posts to a message board and the destination is the message board.
25. The method of claim 14 , wherein monitoring communications between the plurality of validated groups further comprising:
scanning, at the flagging filter, communications between participants of validated groups;
flagging communications that include attachments; and
sending all flagged communications to the associated person or other monitor for review of the attachments prior to the flagged communications reaching their destination.
26. The method of claim 14 , further comprising maintaining a log of all communications received by a participant.