Displaying a plurality of quick links on a user interface

Abstract

A computer-implemented method of providing a user interface for a user to interact with educational content. The method includes displaying a navigation panel (22) for a user to select a functional page from amongst a plurality of functional pages, wherein the educational content is distributed amongst the plurality of functional pages; displaying a plurality of quick links (24), each quick link of the plurality of quick links corresponding to one of the functional pages of the plurality of functional pages; receiving a user input, the user input received by a user selecting one of the quick links; and directing the user to the functional page corresponding to the selected quick link, wherein the functional pages are selected from a list of functional pages including: class routine, syllabus, attendance, subject, online course, notice board, event calendar, accounting, users, library, dashboard, chat, my file, workbook, assignments, resources, and live class.

Description

FIELD

[01] The subject-matter of the present disclosure relates to a computer-implemented method of providing a user interface for a user to interact with educational content, a transitory, or non-transitory, computer-readable medium, and a system. BACKGROUND

[02] Systems for providing educational content typically display such educational content to users logged on to the system at a user terminal. The educational content may include features such as assignments for a user, a chat feature, and attendance records. Typically, such educational content is difficult to find placing undue burden on a user of the system.

[03] It is an aim of the subject-matter of the present disclosure to improve on the prior art. SUMMARY According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer-implemented method of providing a user interface for a user to interact with educational content, the computer-implemented method comprising: displaying a navigation panel for a user to select a functional page from amongst a plurality of functional pages, wherein the educational content is distributed amongst the plurality of functional pages; displaying a plurality of quick links, each quick link of the plurality of quick links corresponding to one of the functional pages of the plurality of functional pages; receiving a user input, the user input received by a user selecting one of the quick links; and directing the user to the functional page corresponding to the selected quick link, wherein the functional pages are selected from a list of functional pages including: class routine, syllabus, attendance, subject, online course, notice board, event calendar, accounting, users, library, dashboard, chat, my file, workbook, assignments, resources, and live class. In an embodiment, when the functional page is the live class, the method further comprises: displaying to the user a class streamed from a remote device. In an embodiment, when the functional page is attendance, the method further comprises: displaying an attendance count based on a number of users who have registered for that day; or displaying an attendance count based on a number of days on a particular course that the user has registered for. In an embodiment, the functional pages is the chat, the method further comprises: displaying a chat window to the user; displaying content entered by another user on a remote device in the chat window; receiving content entered by the user in the chat window; and sending the content as a signal to the remote device. In an embodiment, when the functional page is users, the method further comprises: displaying a plurality of other registered users; displaying an interaction feature for each user, each interaction feature enabling interaction between the user and one or more of the other registered users; receiving an input from the user via at least one of the interaction features; and sending the input to one or more of the other registered users associated with the at least one interaction features that has received the input. In an embodiment, when the functional page is assignments, the method further comprises: displaying one or more assignments associated with the user; displaying an assignment user input for each of the one or more assignments associated with the user; receiving an assignment input via the assignment user input, wherein the assignment input is selected from a list of assignment inputs including: an answer for the or each assignment, a mark for the or each assignment, and a comment for the or each assignment. According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transitory, or non-transitory, computer-readable medium, having instructions stored thereon that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the computer-implemented method of any preceding aspect or embodiment. According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system including: a central device having a processor and storage, wherein the storage comprises the non-transitory computer-readable medium from the preceding aspect; and a user terminal.

[04] These and other aspects of the present invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiment(s) described hereinafter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[05] The embodiments of the present inventions may be best understood with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

[06] Figure 1 shows a system according to one or more embodiments;

[07] Figure 2 shows a user interface displayed on a user terminal of the system from Figure 1; and

[08] Figure 3 shows a flow chart summarising a computer-implemented method of providing a user interface for a user to interact with educational content, according to one or more embodiments. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[09] At least some of the example embodiments described herein may be constructed, partially or wholly, using dedicated special-purpose hardware. Terms such as ‘component’, ‘module’ or ‘unit’ used herein may include, but are not limited to, a hardware device, such as circuitry in the form of discrete or integrated components, a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), which performs certain tasks or provides the associated functionality. In some embodiments, the described elements may be configured to reside on a tangible, persistent, addressable storage medium and may be configured to execute on one or more processors. These functional elements may in some embodiments include, by way of example, components, such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components and task components, processes, functions, attributes, procedures, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuitry, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, and variables. Although the example embodiments have been described with reference to the components, modules and units discussed herein, such functional elements may be combined into fewer elements or separated into additional elements. Various combinations of optional features have been described herein, and it will be appreciated that described features may be combined in any suitable combination. In particular, the features of any one example embodiment may be combined with features of any other embodiment, as appropriate, except where such combinations are mutually exclusive. Throughout this specification, the term “comprising” or “comprises” means including the component(s) specified but not to the exclusion of the presence of others.

[10] With reference to Figure 1, a system 10, according to one or more embodiments, includes a central device 12 including a processor 14 and storage 16. The storage 16 may comprise a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor 14, cause the processor 14 to perform any method described herein.

[11] The system 10 includes one or more user terminals 18_1, 18_2, 18_3. The user terminals may include a display 19_1, 19_2, 19_3, a processor, and storage (neither of which is shown). The display 19_1, 19_2, 19_3, may be a touch screen enabling entry of user inputs. The user devices 18_1, 18_2, 18_3, are in communication with the central device 12.

[12] With reference to Figure 2, in summary, the instructions on the central device 12 perform a computer-implemented method of providing a user interface 20 for a user to interact with educational content. The user interface is specifically displayed on one or more of the user terminals 18_1, 18_2,18_3. The method comprises at least the following steps. A navigation panel 22 is displayed for a user to select a functional page from amongst a plurality of functional pages. The educational content is distributed amongst the plurality of functional pages. In other words, the plurality of functional pages may each comprise an element of educational content. The method also comprises displaying a plurality of quick links 24, each quick link of the plurality of quick links corresponding to one of the functional pages of the plurality of functional pages. The quick links may differ from the navigation panel because they direct a user directly to the functional page with a click of a quick link. The quick links may be rendered as icons and may include text. In contrast, the navigation panel may include drop down menus, where a user can click through to a functional page of interest. In this way, the quick links allow a user to navigate quickly to the functional page of interest. The method may comprise receiving a user input, the user input received by a user selecting one of the quick links. The method may then comprise directing the user to the functional page corresponding to the selected quick link.

[13] Whilst not displayed in the attached figures, the method may comprise, before displaying the user interface 20, displaying a log-in screen to a user on the user terminal 18_1, 18_2, 18_3. The method may then comprise receiving log in credentials through the log-in screen and determining a permission level for the user who has entered their log in credentials from a repository of users. The permission level may be a permission level associated with a role selected from a list of roles including: a teacher, a principle, a student, a parent, and a librarian.

[14] Then, the method may comprise limiting the functional pages displayed in the navigation panel based on the permission level and limiting the displayed quick links to quick links corresponding to the functional pages associated with the permission level. In this way, the user interface for each permission level of user will be different. The user interface 20 shown in Figure 2 is one for a parent user, or a user having a parent’s permission level.

[15] In addition, the functional content for each user may be different, even if they have the same permission level and the same functional pages. For example, a set of classes and / or lectures available to one student may be different between students depending on which classes they have enrolled in.

[16] The functional pages may be selected from a list of functional pages including: class routine, syllabus, attendance, subject, online course, notice board, event calendar, accounting, users, library, dashboard, chat, my file, workbook, assignments, resources, and live class.

[17] As described above, the quick links may change for each user permission level. For instance, a librarian may be no quick links. A teacher may have quick links for class routine, syllabus, attendance, subject, online course, exam, notice board, event calendar, users, library, dashboard, chat, assignments, and live class. A principal user may have quick links for class routine, syllabus, attendance, subject, online course, exam, notice board, event calendar, accounting, users, library, dashboard, and chat. A parent user may have quick links for class routine, syllabus, attendance, subject, online course exam, notice board, event calendar, accounting, library, dashboard, chat, my file, work book, assignments, and resources. A student user may have quick links for class routine, syllabus, attendance, subject, online course, exam, notice board, event calendar, accounting, library, dashboard, chat, my file, work book, assignments, resources, and live class.

[18] Whilst not all functional pages are described in detail, some of the more important ones are explained below.

[19] When the functional page is the live class, the method further comprises: displaying to the user a class streamed from a remote device. The remote device may be another one of the user terminals 18_1, 18_2, 18_3.

[20] When the functional page is attendance, the method further comprises: displaying an attendance count based on a number of users who have registered for that day; or displaying an attendance count based on a number of days on a particular course that the user has registered for.

[21] When the functional pages is the chat, the method further comprises: displaying a chat window to the user on the user terminal 18_1, 18_2, 18_3, where the user has logged in. The method may further comprise displaying content entered by another user on a remote device in the chat window. Again, the remote device may be another one of the user terminals 18_1, 18_2, 18_3, where the other user has logged in to. In addition, the method may comprise: receiving content entered by the user in the chat window, and sending the content as a signal to the remote device. In this way, the users logged in to the respective user terminals 18_1, 18_2, 18_3, can communicate with one another via chat. The content sent between user terminals 18_1, 18_2, 18_3, may be text, links, and media content including images, videos, and the like.

[22] When the functional page is users, the method further comprises: displaying a plurality of other registered users; displaying an interaction feature for each user, each interaction feature enabling interaction between the user and one or more of the other registered users; receiving an input from the user via at least one of the interaction features; and sending the input to one or more of the other registered users associated with the at least one interaction features that has received the input. The interaction features may include sending items to the other user, messaging the other user, etc.

[23] When the functional page is assignments, the method further comprises: displaying one or more assignments associated with the user; displaying an assignment user input for each of the one or more assignments associated with the user; receiving an assignment input via the assignment user input, wherein the assignment input is selected from a list of assignment inputs including: an answer for the or each assignment, a mark for the or each assignment, and a comment for the or each assignment.

[24] With reference to Figure 3, the method may be summarised as a computer-implemented method of providing a user interface for a user to interact with educational content, the computer-implemented method comprising: displaying S1 a navigation panel for a user to select a functional page from amongst a plurality of functional pages, wherein the educational content is distributed amongst the plurality of functional pages; displaying S2 a plurality of quick links, each quick link of the plurality of quick links corresponding to one of the functional pages of the plurality of functional pages; receiving S3 a user input, the user input received by a user selecting one of the quick links; and directing S4 the user to the functional page corresponding to the selected quick link.

[25] While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive; the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments.

[26] Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a 5 plurality. A single processor or other unit may fulfil the functions of several items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measured cannot be used to advantage. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope. 10

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of providing a user interface for a user to interact with educational content, the computer-implemented method comprising:displaying a navigation panel for a user to select a functional page from amongst a plurality of functional pages, wherein the educational content is distributed amongst the plurality of functional pages;displaying a plurality of quick links, each quick link of the plurality of quick links corresponding to one of the functional pages of the plurality of functional pages;receiving a user input, the user input received by a user selecting one of the quick links; anddirecting the user to the functional page corresponding to the selected quick link,wherein the functional pages are selected from a list of functional pages including: class routine, syllabus, attendance, subject, online course, notice board, event calendar, accounting, users, library, dashboard, chat, my file, workbook, assignments, resources, and live class.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein when the functional page is the live class, the method further comprises:displaying to the user a class streamed from a remote device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein when the functional page is attendance, the method further comprises:displaying an attendance count based on a number of users who have registered for that day; ordisplaying an attendance count based on a number of days on a particular course that the user has registered for.

4. The computer-implemented method of any preceding claim, wherein the functional pages is the chat, the method further comprises:displaying a chat window to the user;displaying content entered by another user on a remote device in the chat window;9 receiving content entered by the user in the chat window; and sending the content as a signal to the remote device.

5. The computer-implemented method of any preceding claim, wherein when the functional page is users, the method further comprises:displaying a plurality of other registered users;displaying an interaction feature for each user, each interaction feature enabling interaction between the user and one or more of the other registered users;receiving an input from the user via at least one of the interaction features; andsending the input to one or more of the other registered users associated with the at least one interaction features that has received the input.

6. The computer-implemented method of any preceding claim, wherein when the functional page is assignments, the method further comprises:displaying one or more assignments associated with the user;displaying an assignment user input for each of the one or more assignments associated with the user;receiving an assignment input via the assignment user input,wherein the assignment input is selected from a list of assignment inputs including: an answer for the or each assignment, a mark for the or each assignment, and a comment for the or each assignment.

7. A transitory, or non-transitory, computer-readable medium, having instructions stored thereon that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the computer-implemented method of any preceding claim.

8. A system including:a central device having a processor and storage, wherein the storage comprises the non-transitory computer-readable medium from Claim 7; anda user terminal.

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