Systems and methods for analyzing learner's roles and performance and for intelligently adapting the delivery of education

Abstract

A computer-aided educational system and method to further a student's understanding of a subject matter through analyzing data captured in an electronic learning system so as to determine correlation data corresponding to variables or trends which are determined to enhance, optimize, and/or improve one's learning abilities or understanding of educational content. The system and method generates reports based on the correlation data, develops statistical models that highlight learning and behavioral trends, and/or provides recommendations for adapting the learning system based on the correlation data and statistical models.

1 . An electronic learning system comprising:
 a) a plurality of computing devices that communicate over a network with a learning management system;   b) at least one server configured to:
 (i) provide the learning management system over the network; 
 (ii) communicate with the plurality of computing devices; 
 (iii) store information for the learning management system, the information associated with at least one of e-learning environment data, organizational data and usage data, the information comprising aggregate data based on interactions between a plurality of users and the learning management system via the computing devices; and 
 (iv) implement at least one analytics engine, wherein the analytics engine is configured to analyze the at least one of the e-learning environment data, the organizational data, and the usage data, identify usage patterns based at least in part on the aggregate data, the usage patterns including at least one positive correlation between academic performance and an interaction with the learning management system based at least in part on the usage data, to generate at least one report on at least one of statistical trends and measureables, and to recommend to at least one of the plurality of users at least one tool provided by the learning management system based at least in part on academic performance of the at least one user and the positive correlation between academic performance and an interaction with the learning management system. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one positive correlation data corresponds to at least one variable that enhances an educational experience for at least one of the plurality of users. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one positive correlation data corresponds to factors relating to at least one of user demographic information, user behavioral characteristics, user learning preferences, user teaching preferences, educational delivery mechanisms. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the analytics engine determines at least one negative correlation data within the learning management system. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one negative correlation data corresponds to at least one variable that acts as a detriment to an educational experience for at least one of the plurality of users. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one negative correlation data corresponds to factors relating to at least one of user demographic information, user behavioral characteristics, user learning preferences, user teaching preferences, educational delivery mechanisms. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one generated report is in the form of at least one of: a mosaic plot, a heat diagram, a correlogram, a pie chart, a tree diagram, and a chart. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one report identifies specific learning users that are performing at a level below a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one report identifies subject matter in an educational curriculum which was not adequately understood by learning users. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one report communicates the learning delivery mechanism to which at least one specific learning user responds better than other learning delivery mechanisms. 
     
     
         12 . A computer program product for providing an electronic learning system, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:
 providing the learning management system to a plurality of computing devices over the network, wherein to provide the learning management system includes to communicate with the plurality of computing devices;   storing information for the learning management system, the information associated with at least one of e-learning environment data, organizational data and usage data, the information comprising aggregate data based on interactions between a plurality of users and the learning management system via the computing devices,   implementing at least one analytics engine, wherein the analytics engine is configured to analyze the at least one of the e-learning environment data, the organizational data, and the usage data, identify usage patterns based on the aggregate data, the usage patterns including at least one positive correlation between academic performance and an interaction with the learning management system based at least in part on the usage data, to generate at least one report on at least one of statistical trends and measureables, and to recommend to at least one of the plurality of users at least one tool provided by the learning management system based at least in part on academic performance of the at least one user and the positive correlation between academic performance and an interaction with the learning management system.   
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one positive correlation data that corresponds to at least one variable that enhances an educational experience for at least one of the plurality of users. 
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one positive correlation data corresponds to factors relating to at least one of user demographic information, user behavioral characteristics, user learning preferences, user teaching preferences, educational delivery mechanisms. 
     
     
         15 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein the analytics engine determines at least one negative correlation data within the learning management system. 
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one negative correlation data corresponds to at least one variable that acts as a detriment to an educational experience for at least one of the plurality of users. 
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one negative correlation data corresponds to factors relating to at least one of user demographic information, user behavioral characteristics, user learning preferences, user teaching preferences, educational delivery mechanisms. 
     
     
         18 .- 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A method for analyzing information captured in an electronic learning system, the method comprising:
 a) identifying a plurality of users associated with a learning management system;   b) providing, over a network, the learning management system to a plurality of computing devices associated with the plurality of users associated with the learning management system;   c) storing information associated with at least one of e-learning environment data, organizational data, and usage data, the information comprising aggregate data based on interactions between a plurality of users and the learning management system via the computing devices;   d) implementing an analytics engine, wherein the analytics engine is configured to analyze the at least one of the e-learning environment data, the organizational data, and the usage data, identify usage patterns based at least in part on the aggregate data, the usage patterns including at least one positive correlation between academic performance and an interaction with the learning management system based at least in part on the usage data, to generate at least one report on at least one of statistical trends and measureables, and to recommend to at least one of the plurality of users at least one tool provided by the learning management system based at least in part on academic performance of the at least one user and the positive correlation between academic performance and an interaction with the learning management system.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the analytics engine analyzes data and determines correlation data that corresponds to an interaction between at least two variables of an electronic learning system. 
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein based on the correlation data, the analytics engine further recommends mechanisms for enhancing at least one of the plurality of user's interaction with learning management system. 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the interactions comprise the times of electronic submissions of quizzes by the plurality of users and the responses submitted within the quizzes, and wherein the usage pattern identifies a concern regarding academic integrity in connection with plurality of students that submitted corresponding quizzes based at least in part on whether the quizzes are submitted within a threshold amount of time and whether a correlation among the responses to the quizzes exceeds a preset correlation threshold.