Online classroom system and method for conducting breakout groups

Abstract

Systems and methods for online classroom instruction are described that facilitate the learning and application of course information in an active and synchronous learning environment. Data obtained from monitoring or testing students is used to guide the learning process by providing student-specific questions in quizzes and exams and for forming and conducting breakout groups. The instructor can monitor the breakout groups using a visual display and can rearrange the groups during class. Students and teachers may view all of the students in class using a scrolling display of the student's video feeds.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for providing an active-learning class using a plurality of electronic devices in a computer network, where the plurality of electronic devices includes a first electronic device operated by an instructor, a plurality of second electronic devices each operated by one student of a plurality of students, and one or more servers, said method comprising:
 assessing a performance of each student of the plurality of students during the class, where the performance of each student is assessed by one or more electronic devices of the plurality of electronic devices using one or more inputs into the second electronic device operated by each student;   assigning each student of the plurality of students to one breakout group (BOG) of a plurality of BOGs, where the assigning is performed by one or more electronic devices of the plurality of electronic devices based on the performance of the plurality of students relative to each other;   storing, on the server, a shared workspace for each BOG; and   providing, over the network, each student computer of the plurality of student computers with the shared workspace, where the shared workspace corresponds to the BOG to which the student is assigned,   such that all students within each BOG can communicate with each other through the shared workspace of their BOG.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , where said shared workspace has a corresponding shared one or more electronic documents, such that all students within each BOG can communicate with each other through the shared one or more electronic documents of their BOG. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , where the performance of least one student of the plurality of students is assessed during class and prior to providing the shared workspace. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , where the performance of least one student of the plurality of students is determined from an interaction with the first electronic device operated by the instructor, or from an interaction with at least one second electronic device operated by another student. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , where the performance of least one student of the plurality of students is determined from one or more questions asked during a lecture; the amount of keyboard or microphone activity, responses to polls, or chat entries. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , where the performance of least one student of the plurality of students is determined from an interaction with another student of the plurality of students in a previous BOG. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , where the performance of least one student of the plurality of students is determined from audio interactions with other members of a previous BOG. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , where the performance of least one student of the plurality of students is determined from interaction with a shared workspace of a previous BOG. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , where the performance of least one student of the plurality of students is determined from a specific combination of students in one or more previous BOGs having a large amount of group interaction. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , where the method further includes providing a quiz to each student, and where the performance of least one student of the plurality of students is determined from of answers to the quiz. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , where the quiz items are coded to assess a specific capability, and where the performance is a measure of capabilities. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , where each BOG includes a task having a predetermined required performance capability, and where the assigning students includes assigning students based on the predetermined required performance capability and the student's performance on relevant material. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , where the capability is a skill that is an analytical skill, a critical thinking skill, a self-management skill, a personal interaction skill, a learning skill, a problem solving skill, or a communication skill. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , where the assigning students includes assigning students based on their performance relative to the predetermined required performance capability. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , where the task of each BOG requires that at least one person in the BOG have previously mastered at least one relevant capability, and where the assigning assigns at least one student having the predetermined required performance capability. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , where the task requires that each student of each BOG has comparable levels of the relevant capabilities, and where the assigning assigns students of comparable levels of prior performance of the task-relevant capabilities. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , where the performance is assessed after providing the shared workspace, where the performance is determined from the student's microphone activity, the student's whiteboard activity, or the student's cursor activity in shared whiteboard. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising using the first electronic device to monitor the plurality of breakout sections. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising operating the first electronic device to move one student of the plurality of students to another BOG of the plurality of BOGs. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , where said plurality of BOGs is a first plurality of BOGs, where the shared workspace is a first shared workspace, and where said method further includes, after the conclusion of first plurality of BOGs,
 assigning each student of the plurality of students to one BOG of a second plurality of BOGs, where the assigning is performed by one or more electronic devices of the plurality of electronic devices based on the performance of the plurality of students relative to each other;   storing, on the server, a second shared workspace for each BOG of the second plurality of BOGs; and   providing, over the network, each student computer of the plurality of student computers with the second shared workspace, where the second shared workspace corresponds to the BOG of the second plurality of BOGs to which the student is assigned,   such that all students within each BOG of the second plurality of BOGs can communicate with each other through the shared second workspace of their BOG.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , where said second shared workspace has a corresponding shared one or more electronic documents, such that all students within each BOG of said second plurality of BOGs can communicate with each other through the shared one or more electronic documents of their BOG of said second plurality of BOGs. 
     
     
         22 . An apparatus for providing an active-learning class using a plurality of electronic devices in a computer network, where the plurality of electronic devices includes a first electronic device operated by an instructor, a plurality of second electronic devices each operated by a corresponding student of a plurality of students, and one or more servers, said apparatus comprising:
 one or more processors of at least one electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices programmed to
 assess a performance of each student of the plurality of students during the class, where the performance of each student is assessed using one or more inputs into the second electronic device operated by each student; 
 assign each student of the plurality of students to one breakout group (BOG) of a plurality of BOGs, where the students are assigned based on the performance of the plurality of students relative to each other; 
 store, on the server, a shared workspace for each BOG; and 
 provide, over the network, each student computer of the plurality of student computers with the shared workspace, where the shared workspace corresponds to the BOG to which the student is assigned, 
   such that all students within each BOG can communicate with each other through the shared workspace of their BOG.   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , where said shared workspace has a corresponding shared one or more electronic documents, such that all students within each BOG can communicate with each other through the shared one or more electronic documents of their BOG. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , where the performance of least one student of the plurality of students is assessed during class and prior to providing the shared workspace. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , where the performance of least one student of the plurality of students is determined from an interaction with the first electronic device operated by the instructor, or from an interaction with at least one second electronic device operated by another student. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , where the performance of least one student of the plurality of students is determined from one or more questions asked during a lecture; the amount of keyboard or microphone activity, responses to polls, or chat entries. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , where the performance of least one student of the plurality of students is determined from an interaction with another student of the plurality of students in a previous BOG. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , where the performance of least one student of the plurality of students is determined from audio interactions with other members of a previous BOG. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , where the performance of least one student of the plurality of students is determined from interaction with a shared workspace of a previous BOG. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , where the performance of least one student of the plurality of students is determined from a specific combination of students in one or more previous BOGs having a large amount of group interaction. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , where said one or more processors are further programmed to
 provide a quiz to each student, and where the performance of least one student of the plurality of students is determined from of answers to the quiz.   
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , where the quiz items are coded to assess a specific capability, and where the performance is a measure of capabilities. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 33 , where each BOG includes a task having a predetermined required performance capability, and where said one or more processors are further programmed to assign students includes assigning students based on the predetermined required performance capability and the student's performance on relevant material. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 33 , where the capability is a skill that is an analytical skill, a critical thinking skill, a self-management skill, a personal interaction skill, a learning skill, a problem solving skill, or a communication skill. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , where said one or more processors are further programmed to assign students based on their performance relative to the predetermined required performance capability. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 36 , where the task of each BOG requires that at least one person in the BOG have previously mastered at least one relevant capability, and where said one or more processors are further programmed to assign at least one student having the predetermined required performance capability. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 36 , where the task requires that each student of each BOG has comparable levels of the relevant capabilities, and said one or more processors are further programmed to assign students of comparable levels of prior performance of the task-relevant capabilities. 
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , where the performance is assessed after providing the shared workspace, where the performance is determined from the student's microphone activity, the student's whiteboard activity, or the student's cursor activity in shared whiteboard. 
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , said one or more processors are further programmed for the first electronic device to monitor the plurality of breakout sections. 
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 41 , said one or more processors are further programmed to operate the first electronic device to move one student of the plurality of students to another BOG of the plurality of BOGs. 
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , where said plurality of BOGS is a first plurality of BOGs, where the shared workspace is a first shared workspace, and where said one or more processors are further programmed to, after the conclusion of first plurality of BOGs,
 assign each student of the plurality of students to one BOG of a plurality of second BOGs, where the students are assigned based on the performance of the plurality of students relative to each other;   store, on the server, a second shared workspace for each BOG of the second plurality of BOGs; and   provide, over the network, each student computer of the plurality of student computers with the second shared workspace, where the shared workspace corresponds to the BOG of the second plurality of BOGs to which the student is assigned,   such that all students within each BOG of the second plurality of BOGs can communication with each other through the shared second workspace of their BOG.   
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , where said second shared workspace has a corresponding shared one or more electronic documents, such that all students within each BOG of said second plurality of BOGs can communicate with each other through the shared one or more electronic documents of their BOG of said second plurality of BOGs.