Method and apparatus for improving math skills

Abstract

A method and apparatus for improving math skills is provided. The method and apparatus present groups of problems to a student in a sequential manner, and award points to the student when the student enters a correct response. Statistics regard the student's performance are recorded and may be viewed in a variety of selectable formats so that parents, teachers, and other interested parties can track the students progress.

1 . An apparatus for tracking an individual's progress in learning a subject matter, the apparatus comprising:
 at least one display device,   at least one input device,   at least one processing unit, and   at least one memory device that stores a plurality of instructions, which, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the at least one processing unit to operate with the at least one input device and the at least one display device to:
 (a) generate a first assessment question within the subject matter, 
 (b) display the first assessment question, 
 (c) receive a response to the first assessment question from the individual, 
 (d) determine whether the individual has correctly answered the first assessment question, 
 (e) store a quantifiable assessment in association with the individual based on whether the individual has correctly answered the first assessment question, 
 (f) store at least two characteristics of the first assessment question in association with the quantifiable assessment, 
 (g) based on the quantifiable assessment, generate a second assessment question within the subject matter, 
 (h) display the second assessment question, 
 (i) receive a response to the second assessment question from the individual, 
 (j) determine whether the individual has correctly answered the second assessment question, 
 (k) alter the stored quantifiable assessment based on whether the individual has correctly answered the second assessment question, 
 (l) store at least two characteristics of the second assessment question in association with the quantifiable assessment, and 
 (m) display a 3-dimensional graph including a first axis, a second axis, and a third axis, at least one of said first axis and said second axis relating to one of the two or more characteristics of the first or second assessment questions, and said third axis relating to the stored quantifiable assessment. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the subject matter includes mathematics. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least two characteristics of the first assessment question include a number of digits in a first operand of the first assessment question and a number of digits in a second operand of the first assessment question, and wherein the first axis represents the number of digits in the first operand and the second axis represents the number of digits in the second operand. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the third axis relates also represents data selected from the group consisting of: a number of assessment questions answered, a number of correct responses to assessment questions, a number of incorrect responses to assessment questions, an average time required for each correct response to assessment questions, and an average time for each incorrect response to assessment questions. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processing unit to generate the second assessment question based on at least one of whether the determination is that the individual has correctly answered the first assessment question, an amount of time spent answering the first assessment question, and whether the individual skipped the first assessment question. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processing unit to generate the second assessment question as more difficult than the first assessment question if the determination is that the individual has correctly answered the first assessment question. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processing unit to generate the second assessment question as less difficult than the first assessment question if the determination is that the individual has incorrectly answered the first assessment question 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processing unit to generate the second assessment question based on at least one of the at least two characteristics of the first assessment question. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processing unit to generate the second assessment question based, at least in part, on an amount of time the individual spent answering the first assessment question. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processing unit to operate with the at least one input device to enable a user to indicate which of the at least two characteristics of the first assessment question to associate with each axis of the 3-dimensional graph. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the user is different from the individual that provided answers to the first assessment question and the second assessment question. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the at least one processing unit to operate with the at least one input device to enable the user to change data associated with one of the axes of the 3-dimensional graph. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , which is a portable device, and which includes at least one network interface device to enable communications with at least one server device. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the portable device communicates with the network interface device using a wired connection, a wireless connection, or a combination wired/wireless combination. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , which includes at least one network interface device to enable communication with at least one other client device in a peer-to-peer environment. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processing unit to operate with the at least one network interface device to display the first assessment question and the second assessment question based on data received from the server via the at least one network interface device. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , which is configured for use in a non-classroom setting. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , which enables at least one supervisor to determine at least one optimal learning path based on the stored quantifiable assessment. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , which can operate as at least one of a standalone device and a client device in communication with a server. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , which is configured for use in a non-classroom setting. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the subject matter includes educational material not directly associated with a school curriculum. 
     
     
         22 . An apparatus for tracking an individual's progress in learning a subject matter, the apparatus comprising:
 at least one display device,   at least one input device,   at least one processing unit, and   at least one memory device that stores a plurality of instructions, which, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the at least one processing unit to operate with the at least one input device and the at least one display device to:
 (a) generate at least one assessment question within the subject matter, 
 (b) display each of the at least one assessment question, 
 (c) receive a response to each displayed assessment question, 
 (d) determine whether the individual has correctly answered the at least one displayed assessment question, 
 (e) store an indication of the individual's understanding of the subject matter based on the determination of whether the individual has correctly answered the at least one displayed assessment question, 
 (f) store at least two characteristics of the at least one assessment question, 
 (g) based on the stored indication of the individual's understanding of the subject matter, display a 3-dimensional graph including a first axis, a second axis, and a third axis, at least one of said first axis and said second axis relating to one of the two or more characteristics of the at least one assessment question, and said third axis indicating the individual's understanding of the subject matter. 
   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processing unit to store the indication of the individual's understanding of the subject matter based on at least one of whether the determination is that the individual has correctly answered the first assessment question, an amount of time spent answering the first assessment question, and whether the individual skipped the first assessment question. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processing unit to operate with the at least one input device to enable a user to select which of the at least two characteristics to associate with at least one of the first axis and the second axis. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processing unit to operate with the at least one input device to enable a user to indicate a desired mechanism for determining the indication of the individual's understanding of the subject matter. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the desired mechanism includes a determination based on the quantity of assessment questions answered correctly and a difficulty of those assessment questions. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , which is a portable device, and which includes at least one network interface device to enable communications with at least one server device. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the portable device communicates with the network interface device using a wired connection, a wireless connection, or a combination wired/wireless combination. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , which includes at least one network interface device to enable communication with at least one other client device in a peer-to-peer environment. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processing unit to operate with the at least one network interface device to display the at least one assessment question based on data received from the server via the at least one network interface device. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processing unit to operate with the at least one network interface device to store the indication of the individual's understanding of the subject matter based on data received from the server via the network interface device. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processing unit to operate with the at least one network interface device to display the 3-dimensional graph based on data received from the server via the network interface device. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one assessment question is associated with a second section, and wherein the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processing unit to store the indication of the individual's understanding based on the determination of whether the individual has correctly answered the at least one displayed assessment question and also based on responses the individual provided during a previous, first session. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the subject matter includes educational material in association with a school curriculum. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , which enables at least one supervisor to determine at least one optimal learning path based on the stored quantifiable assessment. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , which can operate as at least one of a standalone device and a client device in communication with a server. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , which is configured for use in a non-classroom setting. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the subject matter includes educational material not directly associated with a school curriculum.