METHOD AND SYSTEM TO ADAPT COMPUTER-BASED INSTRUCTION BASED ON HEURISTICS
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method for adapting a lesson. The method comprises for a given learner, forming an expectation of the learner's performance in answering questions of a lesson; adapting the lesson a first time based on the expectation; evaluating the learner's actual performance in answering questions of the adapted lesson; and selectively adapting the lesson a second time if a difference between the expectation and the actual performance is greater than a threshold.
1 . A method, comprising:
assigning an Effectiveness Factor to a lesson, the effectiveness factor being indicative of a teaching efficacy of the lesson;
forming an expectation of a learner's performance in answering questions of the lesson;
evaluating the learner's actual performance; and
selectively adjusting the Effectiveness Factor of the lesson based on a performance heuristic.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the performance heuristic is based on the actual performance of other learner's in answering questions of the lesson.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein evaluating the learner's actual performance is based on the Effectiveness Factor assigned to the lesson.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing lessons that have an Effectiveness Factor below a threshold.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying key lessons based on a relative performance of learners across lessons.
6 . A method, comprising:
providing a plurality of lessons to teach a curriculum;
assessing a learner's mastery quotient for subject matter the lessons are designed to teach;
making a set of selected lessons available to the learner based on the learner's mastery quotient;
updating the learner's mastery quotient based on the learner's responses to questions during a lesson; and
selectively changing the set by adding and removing lessons based on the updated learner's mastery quotient; wherein the learner's mastery quotient is based on scores calculated for the learner from the learner's responses to questions posed during a lesson, and on a value associated with the lesson.
7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising allowing the learner the freedom to select any lesson from the set.
8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein each score is calculated based on a plurality of metrics relating to the learner's interaction with the lesson when answering the question.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the metrics are selected from the group consisting of interactions, mistakes while answering, types of mistakes, assistance provided, self corrections, use of reset, closeness to correct, and responsiveness.
10 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising selectively adjusting the value of a lesson based on the scores.
11 . A method, comprising:
for a given learner, forming an expectation of the learner's performance in answering questions of a lesson;
adapting the lesson a first time based on the expectation;
evaluating the learner's actual performance in answering questions of the adapted lesson; and
selectively adapting the lesson a second time if a difference between the expectation and the actual performance is greater than a threshold.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein evaluating the learner's actual performance is based on a heuristic.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the heuristic comprises a performance score based on a plurality of metrics associated with the learner.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the metrics are selected from the group consisting of interactions, mistakes while answering, types of mistakes, assistance provided, self corrections, use of reset, closeness to correct, and responsiveness.
15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein adapting the lesson the second time is performed while the lesson is running.
16 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising adjusting the performance score based on a value associated with the lesson
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the value comprises an Effectiveness Factor for the lesson.
18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the value comprises a Completeness Factor associated with the lesson based on a micro-objective the lesson is designed to teach.
19 . The method of claim 11 , which is performed by a client device.
20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising sending at least some of the metrics to a server which computes lesson adaptation control parameters to control adaption of the lesson.
21 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising receiving the lesson updates from the server.
22 . A system, comprising:
an authentication mechanism to authenticate a learner;
a learner profile database to store a learner profile for the learner; and
an analysis engine to calculate at least one Effectiveness Factor for a lesson based student performance data.
23 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the adaptation manager calculates a lesson-independent Micro-Objective score based on the Effectiveness Factors.
24 . The system of claim 23 , wherein the student performance data is received from a client device and comprises metrics for the learner.
25 . The system of claim 23 , wherein the student performance data is received from multiple client devices and comprises metrics for multiple learners.
26 . A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which when executed on a client machine causes the client machine to perform a method, comprising:
for a given learner, forming an expectation of the learner's performance in answering questions of a lesson;
adapting the lesson a first time based on the prediction;
evaluating the learner's actual performance in answering questions of the adapted lesson; and
selectively adapting the lesson a second time if a difference between the expectation and the actual performance is greater than a threshold.
27 . The computer-readable medium of claim 26 , wherein evaluating the learner's actual performance is based on a heuristic.
28 . The computer-readable medium of claim 27 , wherein the heuristic comprises a performance score based on a plurality of metrics associated with the learner.
29 . The computer-readable medium of claim 27 , wherein the metrics are selected from the group of interactions, mistakes while answering, types of mistakes, assistance provided, self corrections, use of reset, closeness to correct, and responsiveness.
30 . The computer-readable medium of claim 26 , wherein adapting the lesson the second time is performed while the lesson is running.
31 . The computer-readable medium of claim 28 , wherein the method further comprises adjusting the performance score based on a value associated with the lesson
32 . The computer-readable medium of claim 31 , wherein the value provides a measure of difficulty associated with the lesson.
33 . The computer-readable medium of claim 31 , wherein the value provides a measure of importance associated with the lesson within the context of a curriculum.
34 . The computer-readable medium of claim 26 , wherein the method is performed by a client device.
35 . The computer-readable medium of claim 34 , the method further comprises sending at least some of the metrics to a server which computes lesson adaptation control parameters to control adaption of the lesson.
36 . The computer-readable medium of claim 35 , the method further comprises receiving the lesson updates from the server.