Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02810398 2013-03-19
A METHOD, SYSTEM AND COMPUTER PROGRAM TO
VISUALISE, COMMUNICATE, ORGANISE, MONITOR, RETRIEVE AND ARCHIVE
EDUCATIONAL INPUTS AND LEARNING OUTPUTS
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a method and system and computer program for
visualising,
communicating, organising, monitoring, retrieving and archiving education or
teaching or
curriculum inputs and learning or development or performance outputs, and is
suitable for use in
the Early Childhood, Primary, Secondary, Tertiary and Private Training
Education sectors.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The invention can be constructed essentially as follows:
1) FORM: The diagrammatic representation is digitally formed using a computer
program,
and displayed on a digital or electronic or mobile device such as a PC,
Macintosh, laptop,
iPad, tablet, or other digital or electronic or mobile device. Preferred forms
of a
diagrammatic representation are exemplified as a tree diagram, as shown in
Figure 1, or a
web diagram, as shown in Figure 2.
2) INPUTS: Education or teaching or curriculum inputs can be based on an
education
framework or a set of objectives, as shown in Figure 6, which illustrates one
framework in
the Early Childhood Education (ECE) curriculum. There can be one or more fixed
inputs
that are diagrammatically represented, for example, as individual "roots" of a
tree, as
shown in Figure I a, or individual "lines" fanning out in a web, as shown in
Figure 2a. In
the example of the ECE curriculum, inputs can be represented by eight (8)
essential
learning skills as shown in Figure 1 a and Figure 2a. Other representations of
inputs from
the ECE curriculum can be learning goals, learning strands, learning
dispositions, or
learning areas, as further examples of inputs from an education framework.
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3) OUTCOMES AND OUTPUTS: Learning or development or performance outcomes in
the
diagrammatic representation are identified in output publications, by
educators, wherein:
output publications may contain one or more outcomes derived from an education
framework, as shown in Figure 6;
outcomes are visibly matched with corresponding inputs in the diagrammatic
representation;
4) OUTCOMES AND OUTPUTS: Outcomes identified in output publications are
diagrammatically represented as visible markers, for example as "leaves" on a
tree, as
shown in Figure id, or corresponding "dew drops" on a web, as shown in Figure
2d, where
a single marker represents a single specific outcome from within an output
publication.
5) TIME SCALE: The diagrammatic representation includes a chronological
ordering of
output publications and outcomes, wherein equal spaces in the diagrammatic
representation, for example, along each diagrammatic branch, as shown in
Figure lb, or
along each diagrammatic web line, as shown in Figure 2b, form a time axis.
6) HOLISTIC DISPLAY: The diagrammatic representation is a single view display
of a
learner's collection of education or teaching or curriculum inputs from an
education
framework or from a set of objectives, together with a display of a learner's
collection of
learning or development or performance outputs, as shown in Figure 1 and
Figure 2.
The invention comprises the following detailed features:
1) ACCESS TO INVENTION: Users of the invention, such as learners or educators
or
caregivers or administrators can access the invention following a registration
process and
after obtaining a user access name and password. Users can then be connected
directly to
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this invention through the internet. Figure 4b shows an interface with
selected registration
information for a learner.
2) ARCH WING OF INPUTS AND OUTPUTS: Input and output publications in the
diagrammatic representation can be indexed and archived in a data memory, by
an educator
or administrator, using a digital or electronic or mobile device.
3) ACCESS TO INPUTS: Learners, caregivers, educators, and administrators can
access
input publications represented in the diagrammatic form, for example,
diagrammatic roots
as shown in Figure la, or diagrammatic web lines as shown in Figure 2a, by
hyperlink from
a data memory using a digital or electronic or mobile device, to retrieve the
full description
of an input publication.
4) ACCESS TO OUTPUTS: Learners, caregivers, educators, and administrators can
access
outcomes and output publications represented in the diagrammatic form, for
example,
diagrammatic leaves as shown in Figure I d, or diagrammatic dew drops as shown
in Figure
2d, by hyperlink from a data memory using a digital or electronic or mobile
device, to
retrieve the full description of an output publication.
5) ACCESS TO INPUTS AND OUTPUTS: A learner or caregiver can use an interface
through which the said learner or caregiver is able to access only the said
learner's history
of inputs and outputs. Figure 4 is an example of such an interface for a
single learner.
6) ACCESS TO INPUTS AND OUTPUTS: An educator or administrator can use an
interface
through which the said educator or administrator is able to access one or more
learner's
history of inputs and outputs. Figure 7 is an example of such an interface for
one or more
learners.
7) MATCHING INPUTS AND OUTPUTS: The diagrammatic representation uses colours
or
grey shades or shapes or symbols to match outcome markers with corresponding
like
inputs. Figures la and id show like inputs and outcome markers respectively
using
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matching colours and/or shades. Figures 2a and 2d also show like inputs and
outcome
markers respectively using matching colours and/or shades.
8) TIME SCALE: The diagrammatic representation includes a chronological
ordering of
output publications and outcomes, wherein equal spaces in the diagrammatic
representation, for example, along each diagrammatic branch, as shown in
Figure lb, or
along each diagrammatic web line, as shown in Figure 2b, form a time axis. The
time axis
can be scaled to a fixed time period, for example, twelve (12) equal spaces to
represent
twelve (12) consecutive calendar months of outputs.
9) LAYERED OUTCOMES: Outputs from a previous fixed time period are represented
as
visually faded outcome markers, as shown in Figure lc and Figure 2c, to create
a
stratification effect below the current fixed time period of visually brighter
outcome
markers, as shown in Figure id and Figure 2d.
10) NEW LAYERS: If the time scale is set to represent twelve (12) months, then
a new layer
of outcome markers can start on the birth date of the learner, and all
previous layers are
then faded, to organise outcomes by stratified layers of the learner's age.
11) ACCESS TO LAYERS: Previous faded outcome markers are not directly
accessible, but
can be indirectly accessible if they are brought to the top layer, and
accessed in the
aforementioned manner. This can be done by selecting, for example, a learner's
younger
age from a select list enabled by the computer program. Figure 4a shows a drop
down menu
that can be accessed to move younger age layers to the top accessible layer.
12) MONITORING INPUTS AND OUTPUTS: Input and output publications in the
diagrammatic representation can be monitored by an educator or administrator,
using a
web based interface and a digital or electronic or mobile device. An educator
or
administrator can use an interface to produce summary reports, such as
tallies, of one or
more input or output publications in the diagrammatic representation, for one
or more
learner over any selected time period, as shown in Figure 3. Figure 3 in
particular illustrates
the example of graphically plotting collective outcomes of fifty (50) learners
over a time
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period of twelve (12) months against one Early Childhood Education framework
of eight
(8) general educational input themes.
13) MODIFYING INPUTS AND OUTPUTS: Input publications, output publications or
outcome markers in the diagrammatic representation, for one or more learners,
can be
modified, added or deleted by an educator or administrator, using a web based
interface
and a digital or electronic or mobile device. Figure 5 shows an example of an
interface that
an educator or administrator can use for a learner.
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A METHOD, SYSTEM AND COMPUTER PROGRAM TO
VISUALISE, COMMUNICATE, ORGANISE, MONITOR, RETRIEVE AND ARCHIVE
EDUCATIONAL INPUTS AND LEARNING OUTPUTS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In education curricula, there are fundamental requirements for reporting and
assessment of
learning and development outcomes that are derived from inputs in an education
framework. An
example of this in the early childhood education (ECE) industry can be an
output publication for
a learner, such as a learning story, written by an educator. Learning stories
have been identified by
academic researchers as a valid means to record and assess learning and
development for preschool
children (for example Blaiklock 2008, Carr and Podmore et al 2000, Carr 2001,
Can 1998, Can
and Lee 2012, Clandinin and Connelly 1990, Engel 2000, Genishi 1992, Podmore
and Carr 1999,
Witherell and Noddings 1991).
On average, children participating in ECE may receive between twelve (12) and
twenty four (24)
professionally written publications about them, by educators, per year.
Publications can be
typically reports or summative reviews or assessments or observations or
learning stories. Over
the first five years of preschool this can equate to around 60 to 120 or more
discrete output
publications in a child's learning and development portfolio, with each
publication potentially
highlighting one or more learning outcomes such as an emerging or developing
skill or talent or
interest or disposition or learning achievement.
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A current problem is that caregivers and educators cannot easily or
holistically visualise and
communicate learning outcomes for a learner or group of learners from an
entire collection of
output publications, and furthermore, cannot easily or holistically connect
outcomes for a learner
or group of learners from past output publications with current output
publications, for purposes
of potentially grouping and finding patterns of outcomes, strengths or
opportunities for
development.
This invention attempts to solve the problem by providing a holistic
visualisation and
communication of a learner's learning or developmental or performance outputs,
published by
educators. It does this by diagrammatically linking education or teaching or
curriculum inputs with
learning or development or performance outputs and uses further functions
enabled by a computer
program, such as visual matching of like inputs and outputs, chronological
ordering of outputs,
stratification of outputs, hyperlinking and storing files in a data memory, to
visualise,
communicate, organise, monitor, retrieve, and archive said inputs and outputs.
References:
Blaiklock, K. 2008. A critique of the use of Learning Stories to assess the
learning dispositions of
young children. New Zealand Research in Early Childhood Education, 11, 77-87.
Carr M. 2001. Assessment in early childhood settings, Book, Sage Publications
Ltd.
Can M. 1998. Assessing children's experiences in early childhood: Final Report
to the Ministry
of Education. Wellington. Ministry of Education.
Can, M., May, H., and Podmore, V. N. with Cubey, P., Hatherly, A., &
Macartney, B. 2000.
Learning and teaching stories: Action research on evaluation in early
childhood. Wellington:
New Zealand Council for Educational Research and Ministry of Education. ERIC
447930
Can, M., and Lee, W., 2012. Learning Stories: Constructing Learner Identities
in Early Education,
Book, Sage Publications Ltd.
Clandirtin J. and Connelly F. 1990. Narrative experience and the study of
curriculum Cambridge
Journal of Education 20 (3), pp. 241-253.
Engel S. 2000. The stories children tell: Making sense of the narratives of
childhood. New York:
W. H. Freeman and Company.
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Genishi C. 1992. Ways of assessing children and curriculum: Stories of early
childhood practice.
New York Teachers College Press.
Podmore V. and Can M. 1999. Learning and teaching stories: New approaches to
assessment and
evaluation. Paper presented at the AARENZARE Conference on Research in
Education,
Melbourne.
Witherell C. and Noddings N. 1991. Stories lives tell: Narrative and dialogue
in education. New
York Teachers College press.
STATEMENT OF INVENTION
In broad terms, one form of the invention provides a method of visualising,
communicating,
organising, monitoring, retrieving and archiving educational or teaching or
curriculum inputs as
well as learning or development or performance outputs, including the steps
of:
creating a diagrammatic representation that is digitally formed and displayed
on a digital or
electronic or mobile device such as a PC, Macintosh, laptop, iPad, tablet, or
other digital
or electronic or mobile device;
storing in computer memory and displaying one or more education or teaching or
curriculum
inputs in the diagrammatic representation that are based on an educational
framework or a
set of objectives;
storing in computer memory one or more learning or development or performance
output
publications in the diagrammatic representation;
displaying output publications as one or more outcome markers in the
diagrammatic
representation;
ensuring each outcome marker can be derived from a corresponding input in the
diagrammatic
representation;
using colours or grey shades or shapes or symbols to match outcome markers
with
corresponding like inputs in the diagrammatic representation;
populating the diagrammatic representation with a time scale of equal
divisions for
chronological ordering of outputs;
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organising chronological outputs in the diagrammatic representation into
groups of a selected
fixed period within the time scale;
displaying chronological outputs, in the aforementioned groups of selected
fixed periods, as
stratified layers in the diagrammatic representation;
enabling a learner or caregiver or educator or administrator to retrieve input
and output
publications in the diagrammatic representation;
enabling an educator or administrator to monitor and produce summary reports
of one or more
input publications, output publications or outcomes in the diagrammatic
representation for
one or more learners; and
enabling an educator or administrator to add, modify or delete input
publications, output
publications or outcome markers in the diagrammatic representation for one or
more
learners.
In broad terms, another form of the invention provides a system for
visualising, communicating,
organising, monitoring, retrieving and archiving educational or teaching or
curriculum inputs as
well as learning or development or performance outputs, including a data
memory:
configured to store registration and access information for users of the
invention, such as
learners or educators or caregivers or administrators;
configured to store a diagrammatic representation that is digitally formed and
displayed on a
digital or electronic or mobile device such as a PC, Macintosh, laptop, iPad,
tablet, or other
digital or electronic or mobile device;
configured to store and display one or more education or teaching or
curriculum inputs in the
diagrammatic representation;
configured to store one or more learning or development or performance outputs
and outcomes
in the diagrammatic representation;
configured to index and display one or more learning or development or
performance outcomes
as visual markers in the diagrammatic representation;
configured to index and display colours or grey shades or shapes or symbols to
match outcome
markers with corresponding like inputs in the diagrammatic representation;
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configured to index the diagrammatic representation with a time scale of equal
divisions for
chronological ordering of outputs;
configured to store outputs in the diagrammatic representation into groups of
a selected fixed
period within the time scale;
configured to display outputs, in groups of selected fixed periods, as
stratified layers in the
diagrammatic representation;
configured to enable a learner or educator or caregiver or administrator to
retrieve input and
output publications in the diagrammatic representation;
configured to enable an educator or administrator to monitor and produce
summary reports of
one or more input publications, output publications or outcomes in the
diagrammatic
representation for one or more learners; and
configured to enable an educator or administrator to add, modify or delete
input publications,
output publications or outcome markers in the diagrammatic representation for
one or more
learners.
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A METHOD, SYSTEM AND COMPUTER PROGRAM TO
VISUALISE, COMMUNICATE, ORGANISE, MONITOR, RETRIEVE AND ARCHIVE
EDUCATIONAL INPUTS AND LEARNING OUTPUTS
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
Preferred forms of the invention will now be described with reference to the
accompanying figures
in which:
Figure 1 (a,b,c,d) shows a diagrammatic representation in which one form of
the invention may be
implemented;
Figure 2 (a,b,c,d) shows a diagrammatic representation in which one form of
the invention may be
implemented;
Figure 3 shows a preferred mode for the use of the invention;
Figure 4 (a,b) shows a preferred mode for the use of the invention;
Figure 5 shows a preferred mode for the use of the invention;
Figure 6 shows a preferred mode for the use of the invention; and
Figure 7 shows a preferred mode for the use of the invention.
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