Apparatus and methods for creation, collection, and dissemination of instructional content modules using mobile devices

1. A mobile handheld computing device comprising:

a local content store; a network interface;

one or more media playback components; one or more content capture components;

an instructional module agent comprising an authoring application and a playback application; and

a computer processor operative to implement the instructional module agent, operatively coupled to the one or more media playback components, the one or more content capture components, and the network interface, and communicatively coupled to the local content store;

wherein the authoring application is configured to allow an author to:

create and edit an one or more instructional modules, each instructional module comprising a first media playback step, a second media playback step, and a third media playback step;

use one of the content capture components to capture a first content, a second content, and a third content;

associate the first content with the first media playback step, the second content with the second media playback step, and the third content with the third media playback step;

configure a sequence for each of the one or more instructional modules, the sequence including a first branch from the first media playback step to the second media playback step and a second branch from the first media playback step to the third media playback step;

superimpose text and audio over video content of one or more of the first content, the second content, and the third content; and

select an access level for each user of other mobile devices of one or more of the first content, the second content, or the third content, the access level determining whether each user may edit one or more of the first content, the second content, or the third content;

set a permission level of each of the one or more instructional modules, each permission level determining a set of users that have access to each of the one or more instructional modules;

wherein the playback application is configured to:

play the first content associated with the first media playback step of the instructional module using the one or more media playback components;

receive data from a sensor of the mobile device, the data indicating an attribute of an object that is a subject of at least one of the one or more instructional modules;

compare the data from the sensor of the mobile device to predefined data;

select the first branch based on a result of the comparison; and

play the second content associated with the second media step in response to selecting the first branch;

wherein:

the instructional module agent is configured to respond to at least one of the creation and editing of the one or more instructional modules using the authoring application by automatically uploading at least a portion of the one or more instructional modules to a content repository of instructional modules stored on a plurality of computer servers, wherein uploading comprises using the network interface to transmit the instructional module via one or more data communication networks;

each of the plurality of computer servers comprises a distinct permission level, the plurality of computer servers arranged in a hierarchy based on each distinct permission level such that each of the plurality of computer servers has access to each of the plurality of computer servers having a lower distinct permission level;

each of the one or more instructional modules are uploaded to a particular one of the plurality of computer servers based on the permission level of a particular one of the one or more instructional modules matching the distinct permission level of the particular one of the plurality of computer servers;

the instructional module agent is configured to retrieve a plurality of the instructional modules from the content repository based on a permission level of the mobile handheld computing device; and

the plurality of the instructional modules are retrieved from a subset of the plurality of computer servers that have distinct permission levels that are less than or equal to the permission level of the mobile handheld computing device.

2. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein said one or more media playback components comprise a visual display configured to display text, images, and video.

3. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein said one or more media playback components comprise one or more audio speakers or a headphone jack configured to generate audible sounds.

4. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein said one or more content capture components comprise a microphone configured to receive audible sounds.

5. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein said one or more content capture components comprise a camera configured to capture at least one of images and video.

6. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein said one or more content capture components comprise a text input interface configured to receive text input.

7. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein the instructional module is stored in the local content store and wherein the playback application is further configured to:

retrieve, from the local content store, a media playback step of the instructional module;

retrieve, from the local content store, media associated with the retrieved media playback step; and

display or play the retrieved media using the one or more media playback components.

8. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein the instructional module is stored on another computer connected to one of the data communication networks and wherein the playback application is further configured to:

use the network interface to retrieve, from the other computer, a media playback step of the instructional module;

use the network interface to retrieve, from the other computer, media associated with the retrieved media playback step; and

display or play the retrieved media using the one or more media playback components.

9. The mobile computing device of claim 1 , wherein when the instructional module is authored using the authoring application, the instructional module agent is configured to:

receive a selection of one or more presentation groups of a plurality of presentation groups associated with the content repository of instructional modules; and

send the selection to the one or more computer servers during said automatic uploading of the authored instructional module to the content repository.

10. A method of creating an instructional module using a mobile handheld computing device, comprising:

defining a first media playback step, a second media playback step, and a third media playback step;

using a content capture component of the mobile device to capture a first content, a second content, and a third content;

associating the first content with the first media playback step, the second content with the second media playback step, and the third content with the third media playback step;

configuring a sequence for the instructional module, the sequence including a first branch from the first media playback step to the second media playback step and a second branch from the first media playback step to the third media playback step;

superimposing text and audio over video content of one or more of the first content, the second content, and the third content; and

setting an access level for each user of other mobile devices of one or more of the first content, the second content, or the third content, the access level determining whether each user may edit one or more of the first content, the second content, or the third content;

setting a permission level of the instructional module, the permission level determining a set of users that have access to the instructional module;

configuring a first condition for the first branch and a second condition for the second branch, each condition being based on a result of comparing data from a sensor of the mobile computing device to predefined data, the data from the sensor of the mobile computing device indicating an attribute of an object that is a subject of the instructional module;

responding to the creation of the instructional module by automatically uploading at least a portion of the instructional module to a content repository of instructional modules stored on a plurality of computer servers, wherein said uploading comprises using a network interface of the mobile device to transmit the instructional module via at least one data communication network, wherein:

each of the plurality of computer servers comprises a distinct permission level, the plurality of computer servers arranged in a hierarchy based on each distinct permission level such that each of the plurality of computer servers has access to each of the plurality of computer servers having a lower distinct permission level; and

the instructional module is uploaded to a particular one of the plurality of computer servers based on the permission level of the instructional module matching the distinct permission level of the particular one of the plurality of computer servers; and

retrieving a plurality of the instructional modules from the content repository based on a permission level of the mobile handheld computing device, wherein:

the plurality of the instructional modules are retrieved from a subset of the plurality of computer servers that have distinct permission levels that are less than or equal to the permission level of the mobile handheld computing device; and

the method is performed by the mobile computing device.