Language-learning content managing system, audio-reproducing player program, and audio-reproducing player

Abstract

To provide a language-learning content managing system that allows a learner, a language-learning content provider and an organization to which a learner belongs to grasp a situation of learning of the learner.SOLUTION: A language-learning content managing system 1, for managing a language-learning content Ca1 and a progress of learning of a learner La1 who learns the language-learning contents Ca1, comprises a language-learning content provider-related information storing section 11, an organization-related information storing section 12, a learner-related information storing section 13, and a control section 15. The control section 15 is configured to output learning progress-related information of a language-learning content Ca1 being provided by a publishing company Pa to a terminal Tpa of a publishing company Pa that is a language-learning content provider and learning progress-related information of a language-learning content Ca1 provided by a school Sa to a terminal Tsa of a school Sa that is an organization or a terminal Ta1 of a learner La1 belonging to the school Sa.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a language learning content management system, an audio playback player program, and an audio playback player. [Background technology]

[0002] English education at school teaches the four skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing. Furthermore, since the introduction of the listening test in the National Center Test, audio has come to accompany textbooks, and we are now entering an era where textbooks without audio do not sell. Meanwhile, with the spread of smartphones and tablets, an increasing number of learners do not own computers. Audio CDs that come with textbooks cannot be played on smartphones and tablets. Also, even if the audio is downloaded from a website, it may not be possible to play it on the smartphone or tablet's original music app. Some publishers have responded by developing audio players that allow only their own content to be listened to, by providing podcasts on free music sites, or by providing two-dimensional barcodes on books that allow the audio to be listened to, but these efforts vary and are not convenient for learners.

[0003] Furthermore, speaking and listening, two of the four skills, can only be acquired through repeated practice using native audio. In other words, speaking and listening cannot be acquired through learning that focuses on reading and grammar at school or cram school. Therefore, speaking and listening can only be improved through the learner's independent study. However, schools only provide face-to-face communication lessons. Also, it is difficult for schools to conduct speaking and listening tests in regular tests, etc., and it is therefore impossible to grasp the progress of learners' independent study. Schools need to grasp the speaking and listening abilities of learners through private certification exams, etc.

[0004] In recent years, an increasing number of schools have been introducing e-learning materials for students to study independently. However, many students who are required to use e-learning materials in addition to textbooks and multiple supplementary reading materials also attend cram schools, which places a heavy burden on them and makes it difficult for them to select appropriate materials from the many available materials according to their progress.

[0005] Furthermore, it is difficult for language learning content providers, such as publishers, who provide the language learning content, to obtain information on improvements, problems, and the learners' impressions of the language learning content, which is mainly used for self-study. Therefore, there is a demand for the language learning content providers to obtain information on the learning content from the language learning content users in order to improve the language learning content. To address this, there is known an information processing device that provides the learning content provider with information related to the learning content owned by the learner. For example, see Patent Document 1.

[0006] The information processing device described in Patent Document 1 includes a content providing unit that provides content to a content user (learner), a data generating unit that generates individual data including information related to the content provided to the content user, and a feedback unit that provides a part or all of the information included in the individual data to the content provider. The individual data includes at least one of information related to a search for the content, information related to a purchase of the content, information related to a use of the content, and information related to an evaluation of the content. The information processing device configured in this manner can be managed by the content user in a unified manner as the individual data including information related to the content, and can feed back useful information included in the individual data information to the content provider. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-148878 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] When a learner using the language learning content is a student or the like belonging to an organization such as a school, the information processing device provides the learning content provider with information related to the language learning content used by the learner in self-study, but does not provide the information to the organization to which the learner belongs. Therefore, the organization does not know information related to the language learning content, including the learner using the language learning content, the type of the language learning content used by the learner, and information related to the learning progress of the students using the language learning content. For this reason, the organization may not be able to provide appropriate education according to the learning progress of learners who are self-studying using the language learning content and learners who are not self-studying using the language learning content.

[0009] Furthermore, the information processing device is configured so that when the learner provides learning progress-related information, etc. directly to the learning content provider, information including the learner's personal information is transmitted to the learning content provider.

[0010] Furthermore, the information processing device can coexist with a number of content provision formats, such as video, text, and applications, and information such as usage history and evaluation is provided to the content user as the content user uses the content. However, there is no description of how the content user evaluates the content using the information processing device.

[0011] Furthermore, in school classes, once a student has studied a material, they are considered to have mastered it and move on to the next content. Teachers instruct the students to prepare and review the textbook. However, English textbooks do not include Japanese translations. Therefore, the students must attend classes to check whether their translations are correct when preparing and reviewing. If a student is absent from school, he or she must ask other students who attended the class to provide materials in order to check the translation. Furthermore, the teacher cannot grasp the progress of the students' preparation and review. Furthermore, the multiple supplementary reading materials distributed are not used in class.

[0012] Digital textbooks, which are digitized versions of textbook content, have a function for reading out example sentences in a voice by tapping on the example sentence, but this function is for personal study. In other words, even if the teacher uses the digital textbook for lessons, he or she cannot grasp the progress of the students' preparation and review using the digital textbook. If the textbooks, reference books, and supplementary reading materials that were distributed to the students for study but not used are used as e-learning materials, the teacher can grasp the progress of the students' preparation and review using the e-learning materials.

[0013] The object of the present invention is to provide a language learning content provider that provides language learning content, including school textbooks and supplementary readers, to learners and organizations, a language learning content management system that provides the organizations and learners with at least a portion of information, including information related to the learning progress of the language learning content, and an audio playback player program and an audio playback player that output information to the language learning content management system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] The inventor has studied a language learning content provider that provides language learning content, including school textbooks and supplementary readers, to learners and organizations, a language learning content management system that provides the organizations and learners with information related to the learning progress of the language learning content, and an audio playback player program and an audio playback player that output information to the language learning content management system. As a result of extensive research, the inventor has come up with the following configuration.

[0015] The language learning content management system according to the present invention is a language learning content management system that manages language learning content and the learning progress of a learner who learns using said language learning content. The language learning content management system does not have language learning content created by a provider of the language learning content management system, and includes a language learning content provider related information storage unit that stores, for each language learning content provider, at least one language learning content provided by each of a plurality of language learning content providers, information on the language learning content provider and language learning content provider related information including content recipient related information related to at least one organization that provided the language learning content, and information related to an organization to which at least one of the learners belongs, and information on the affiliation of the learner who belongs to the organization. The system has an organization-related information storage unit that stores organization-related information for each organization, including learner basic information and provided content-related information related to the language learning content to be provided to the learners belonging to the organization; a learner-related information storage unit that stores learner-related information for each learner, including learner identification information, language learning content-related information related to the language learning content being studied by the learner, and learning progress-related information related to the progress of the language learning content being studied by the learner; and a control unit that manages the language learning content, the language learning content provider-related information, the organization-related information, and the learner-related information.

[0016] The control unit is configured to be capable of outputting, to a terminal of the language learning content provider, learning progress related information of a learner who is learning using language learning content provided by the language learning content provider, based on the language learning content provider-related information, the organization-related information, and the learner-related information. The control unit is also configured to be capable of outputting, to at least one of a terminal of the organization or a terminal of the learner, learning progress related information of a learner who is learning using language learning content provided by the organization to learners belonging to the organization, and learning progress related information of an arbitrary range of learners who are learning using the same language learning content as the language learning content provided by the organization, based on the language learning content provider-related information, the organization-related information, and the learner-related information.

[0017] The above-mentioned language learning content management system manages the language learning content provider-related information including the content provision target-related information, organization-related information including the learner basic information of the learner to which the learner belongs and the provided content-related information, and learner-related information including the learner's identification information, the language learning content-related information, and the learning progress-related information. The control unit of the language learning content management system can associate the language learning content provider-related information, the organization-related information, and the learner-related information with each other. Thus, the language learning content provider can obtain the learning progress-related information of the learner who is studying the provided language learning content by associating the organization-related information and the learner-related information with the language learning content provider-related information by the control unit. In addition, the organization and the learner can obtain the learning progress-related information of the language learning content that the learner is studying and the learning progress-related information of any range of learners among the learners who are studying the language learning content by associating the language learning content provider-related information and the learner-related information with the organization-related information by the control unit. In this way, by linking language learning content provider-related information, organization-related information, and learner-related information, it is possible to provide at least a portion of the information, including information related to the learning progress of the language learning content, not only to learners who are studying language learning content including school textbooks, supplementary readers, etc., but also to language learning content providers who provide the language learning content to learners and organizations, the organizations, and the learners.

[0018] The language learning content management system of the present invention preferably includes the following configuration: The control unit identifies the learners to whom the language learning content is to be provided by at least matching the content provision target related information in the language learning content provider related information storage unit with the learner related information in the learner related information storage unit. Alternatively, the control unit identifies the learners to whom the language learning content is to be provided by at least matching the provided content related information included in the organization related information in the organization related information storage unit with the affiliated learner basic information included in the organization related information in the organization related information storage unit. Alternatively, the control unit identifies the learners to whom the language learning content is to be provided by at least matching the content provision target related information in the language learning content provider related information storage unit with the organization related information in the organization related information storage unit. Alternatively, the control unit identifies the learners to whom the language learning content is to be provided by at least matching the provided content related information included in the organization related information in the organization related information storage unit with the learner related information in the learner related information storage unit. The control unit is configured to be able to output the language learning content to a terminal of the learner based on learner-related information of the identified learner.

[0019] In the above configuration, the control unit can associate the content target related information in the language learning content provider related information storage unit with the learner related information in the learner related information storage unit, and the content target related information included in the organization related information in the organization related information storage unit with the affiliated learner basic information which is the organization related information in the organization related information storage unit. The control unit identifies learners who are targets of the language learning content by at least matching the content target related information in the language learning content storage unit with the learner related information in the learner related information, by at least matching information in the organization related information, by matching at least the content target related information in the language learning content provider related information storage unit with the affiliated learner basic information which is the organization related information in the organization related information storage unit, or by matching at least the content target related information included in the organization related information in the organization related information storage unit with the learner related information in the learner related information storage unit. Therefore, the control unit can provide the language learning content to the learner who is the target of the language learning content without providing the personal information of the learner to the language learning content provider, which makes it possible to provide the language learning content to learners who belong to an organization that has acquired the language learning content, including school textbooks, supplementary readers, etc.

[0020] The language learning content management system of the present invention preferably includes the following configuration: The control unit identifies the learner who provided the language learning content by at least matching the content recipient-related information in the language learning content storage unit with the learner-related information in the learner-related information storage unit. Alternatively, the control unit identifies the learner who provided the language learning content by at least matching the provided content-related information included in the organization-related information in the organization-related information storage unit with the affiliated learner basic information in the organization-related information storage unit. Alternatively, the control unit identifies the learner who provided the language learning content by at least matching the content recipient-related information in the language learning content provider-related information storage unit with the organization-related information in the learner-related information storage unit. Alternatively, the control unit identifies the learner who provided the language learning content by at least matching the content recipient-related information included in the organization-related information in the organization-related information storage unit with the learner-related information in the learner-related information storage unit. The control unit is configured to be able to output learning progress related information for the language learning content to at least one of a terminal of the language learning content provider, a terminal of the identified organization, and a terminal of the identified learner.

[0021] In the above configuration, the control unit can associate the language learning content provider related information with the learner related information, and the content recipient related information with the organization related information. The control unit identifies the learners who belong to the organization to which the language learning content is provided by at least matching the content recipient related information in the language learning content storage unit with the learner related information in the learner related information storage unit, matching the provided content related information included in at least the organization related information in the organization related information storage unit with the affiliated learner basic information in the organization related information storage unit, matching at least the content recipient related information in the language learning content provider related information storage unit with the organization related information in the learner related information storage unit, or matching at least the organization related information in the organization related information storage unit with the learner related information in the learner related information storage unit. Thus, the control unit can provide the language learning content provider with learning progress information of the learner who is the recipient of the language learning content without providing personal information of the learner to the language learning content provider. This makes it possible to provide information related to the learning progress of the language learning content to language learning content providers, including school textbooks, supplementary readers, etc., organizations that have received the language learning content, and learners affiliated with them.

[0022] Furthermore, it is preferable that the language learning content management system of the present invention includes the following configuration: The language learning content provider-related information, the organization-related information, and the learner-related information each have attribute information for a predetermined date and time. When the predetermined date and time is reached, the control unit classifies the language learning content provider-related information, the organization-related information, and the learner-related information into past language learning content, past language learning content provider-related information, past organization-related information, and past learner-related information.

[0023] A learner belonging to Class 1-A in a school last year is different from a learner belonging to Class 1-A in the current year. Therefore, the language learning content, the language learning content provider related information, the organization related information, and the learner related information are different for each attribute information of date and time such as a year. Furthermore, when the name of an organization is fixed, the language learning content, the language learning content provider related information, the organization related information, and the learner related information need to distinguish, for example, last year from this year. In the above configuration, the language learning content management system is configured to distinguish, for example, when the language learning content used is changed due to a change in the learning period in the organization, between the language learning content used before the change in the learning period and the language learning content used after the change in the learning period. Furthermore, the language learning content management system can manage the learner related information of the learner generated before the change in the learning period and the learner related information of the learner generated after the change in the learning period by distinguishing them in one learner related information. This allows language learning content providers and organizations to which the learners belong to understand the learning status of the learners in the language learning content based on the learner-related information.

[0024] The language learning content management system of the present invention preferably includes the following configuration: The language learning content includes at least one of example sentence information including example sentences related to a learning language and identification information of the example sentences, and audio information related to the learning language, identification information of the audio information, and index information including information related to a playback unit that is a playback range specifying a start point and an end point for playback in the audio information.

[0025] In the above-mentioned configuration, the language learning content management system manages language learning content including at least one of example sentence information, audio information, and index information. Therefore, the language learning content management system allows the organization to select the language learning content suitable for the learning purpose based on the configuration of the language learning content. Also, the organization can manage the learning progress related information of the learners belonging to the organization based on the configuration of the language learning content. This allows language learning content providers and organizations to which learners belong to understand the learning progress of the learners in the language learning content based on the learner-related information.

[0026] The language learning content management system of the present invention preferably includes the following configuration. When the organization creates at least a part of the language learning content, the control unit stores the language learning content created by the organization and language learning content provider related information including information on the organization that provides the language learning content and content recipient related information related to at least one organization to which the language learning content is to be provided in a language learning content provider related information storage unit. Furthermore, the control unit adds the language learning content related information of the language learning content created by the organization to the organization related information of the organization that provides the language learning content. The control unit identifies the learners to whom the language learning content is to be provided by at least matching the content recipient related information in the language learning content provider related information storage unit with the learner related information in the learner related information storage unit. Alternatively, the control unit identifies the learners to whom the language learning content is to be provided by at least matching the provided content related information included in the organization related information in the organization related information storage unit with the affiliated learner basic information included in the organization related information in the organization related information storage unit. The control unit identifies learners to whom language learning content is to be provided by at least matching the content provision target related information in the language learning content provider related information storage unit with the organization related information in the organization related information storage unit. The control unit also identifies learners to whom the language learning content is to be provided by at least matching organization related information of an organization that is a provider of the language learning content in the organization related information storage unit with the learner related information in the learner related information storage unit. The identification control unit is configured to be able to output the language learning content created by the organization to a terminal of the identified learner.

[0027] In the above configuration, the control unit can identify the learners to whom the language learning content is to be provided by at least matching the content recipient-related information in the language learning content provider-related information storage unit with the learner-related information in the learner-related information storage unit, matching at least the content recipient-related information included in the organization-related information in the organization-related information storage unit with the basic information of the affiliated learners that is the organization-related information in the organization-related information storage unit, matching at least the content recipient-related information in the language learning content storage unit with the basic information of the affiliated learners that is the organization-related information in the organization-related information storage unit, or matching at least the content recipient-related information included in the organization-related information in the organization-related information storage unit with the learner-related information in the learner-related information storage unit. Thus, the control unit can provide the language learning content to the learners to whom the language learning content is to be provided without providing personal information of the learners to the organization that is the language learning content provider. This allows the language learning content to be provided to learners who belong to an organization that has acquired language learning content including school textbooks, supplementary readers, etc.

[0028] Furthermore, it is preferable that the language learning content management system of the present invention includes the following configuration: The control unit is configured to be capable of outputting learning progress related information of a learner who is studying using language learning content specified by an organization conducting an entrance examination to a terminal of an organization conducting an entrance examination based on the language learning content provider related information, the organization related information, and the learner related information. When a learner who has a score equal to or higher than that specified by the organization conducting the entrance examination in the language learning content specified by the organization conducting the entrance examination takes the entrance examination at the organization conducting the entrance examination, the control unit notifies the learner taking the entrance examination that at least a part of the entrance examination can be exempted.

[0029] In the above configuration, the control unit can output learning progress related information and exam exemption results of the learner taking the entrance exam to a terminal of an organization that conducts the entrance exam. The control unit also notifies the terminal of the learner taking the entrance exam of the exemption results for at least a part of the entrance exam. This allows the organization that conducts the entrance exam to grasp the learner's learning progress in the language learning content based on the learner-related information and the learner-related information via the language learning content management system, and notify the learner of information related to the entrance exam.

[0030] The audio player according to the present invention preferably includes the following configuration. The audio player is provided by a provider that offers a language learning content management system. The audio player is a shared platform capable of playing all of the language learning contents provided by the multiple language learning content providers. The audio player has at least one of the following functions: an audio playback function for playing the audio of the language learning content having audio information related to a learning language and index information including information capable of identifying the audio information and information identifying a playback unit that is a playback range that specifies a start point and an end point to be played in the audio information; and a synthetic voice playback function for playing example sentence information of the language learning content that does not have audio information and includes example sentences and information identifying the example sentences, using synthetic voice generated by voice synthesis.

[0031] In the above configuration, the audio player is configured as a shared platform capable of playing all language learning contents provided by language learning content providers using a language learning content management system. The audio player can play at least one of the language learning contents having audio information and index information, or the language learning contents having no audio information but including example sentence information. The audio player can also output information related to the learner's learning progress in the language learning content to the language learning content management system. This allows language learning content providers and organizations to which the learner belongs to to grasp the learner's learning progress in the language learning content by using the audio player.

[0032] The audio playback player program according to the present invention preferably includes the following configuration. The audio playback player program is a program that causes a learner's terminal to function as an audio playback player. The audio playback player program causes a computer to function as an audio playback player having a terminal storage unit that stores the language learning content, a terminal operation unit that outputs a signal to play or stop playing audio information contained in the language learning content and a signal to acquire a voice uttered by a learner, and a terminal control unit that includes at least one of the following functions: if the language learning content selected by the learner has the index information, playing the audio information for each of the playback units based on the index information, acquiring the voice uttered by the learner as learner voice information based on the played audio information, and calculating a matching rate between the played audio information and the learner voice information; and if the language learning content selected by the learner does not have the index information, outputting synthetic voice based on the example sentence information, acquiring the voice uttered by the learner as learner voice information based on the synthetic voice, and calculating a matching rate between the synthetic voice and the learner voice information. The terminal control unit calculates the speaking ability of the learner based on the calculated match rate, and stores the calculated speaking ability in the learner-related information storage unit of the language learning content management system as the learning progress-related information.

[0033] In the above-mentioned configuration, the audio player program causes a computer to function as an audio player, which is an audio playback device capable of evaluating the speaking ability of the learner. The audio player program can cause a computer to function so as to evaluate the speaking ability of the learner based on the matching rate between the learner's voice information and a synthetic voice based on example sentence information even if the language learning content does not have voice information, and to store the evaluation in the learner-related information held by the language learning content management system. This allows a language learning content provider and an organization to which the learner belongs to understand the learning situation of the learner regarding speaking based on the learner-related information including the speaking evaluation.

[0034] The audio player according to the present invention preferably includes the following configuration: The audio player has a terminal storage unit that stores the language learning content, a terminal operation unit that outputs a signal to play or stop playing audio information contained in the language learning content and a signal to acquire a voice uttered by a learner, and a terminal control unit that includes at least one of the following functions: if the language learning content selected by the learner has the index information, playing the audio information for each of the playback units based on the index information, acquiring the voice uttered by the learner as learner voice information based on the played audio information, and calculating a matching rate between the played audio information and the learner voice information, and if the language learning content selected by the learner does not have the index information, outputting a synthetic voice based on the example sentence information, acquiring the voice uttered by the learner as learner voice information based on the synthetic voice, and calculating a matching rate between the synthetic voice and the learner voice information. The terminal control unit calculates the speaking ability of the learner based on the calculated match rate, and stores it as the learning progress related information in the learner related information storage unit of the language learning content management system.

[0035] In the above configuration, the audio player is a computer that functions as an audio player. The audio player evaluates the speaking ability of the learner based on the matching rate between the learner's voice information and a synthetic voice based on example sentence information even if the language learning content does not have voice information, and stores the evaluation result in the learner-related information held by the language learning content management system. This allows the language learning content provider and the organization to which the learner belongs to understand the learning situation of the learner regarding speaking based on the learner-related information.

[0036] The terminology used in this specification is used for the purpose of defining particular embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the invention.

[0037] As used herein, "and / or" includes all combinations of one or more of the associated listed members.

[0038] As used herein, the use of "including," "comprising," or "having" and variations thereof identify the presence of stated features, steps, elements, components, and / or equivalents thereof, but may include one or more of the steps, operations, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0039] As used herein, the terms "attached," "connected," "coupled," and / or the like are used broadly to encompass both "direct and indirect" attachments, connections, and couplings. Furthermore, "connected" and "coupled" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections or couplings, but can include direct, indirect, or electrical connections or couplings.

[0040] In this specification, embodiments of a language learning content management system, an audio playback player program, and an audio playback player that output information to the language learning content management system according to the present invention will be described.

[0041] In the following description, numerous specific examples are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific examples.

[0042] The following disclosure is therefore to be considered as illustrative of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated in the following drawings or description.

[0043] [Language learning content] In this specification, language learning content refers to textbooks, reference books, supplementary reading materials, etc. used in language learning, or teaching materials attached to the reference books and supplementary reading materials, etc. The language learning content includes programs, applications, digital textbooks, digital books, digital reference books, digital supplementary reading materials, etc., which include at least audio information such as words and sentences read by native speakers, video information, index information, example sentence information, text information related to the language to be learned, and image information. The language learning content includes not only what is recorded on a recording medium but also data stored in a server connected to the Internet, etc. The language learning content is configured to be provided via the Internet, etc. Note that the language learning content includes not only language learning content purchased from a publisher but also language learning content provided free of charge or transferred by a publisher. Note that if the language learning content is a book and audio is sold separately, the language learning content provider can store both the example sentence information and the index information in the language learning content provider related information storage unit. This allows a learner who purchases the audio to learn using the audio based on the index information. Students who have not purchased the audio can study using synthesized audio based on the example sentence information.

[0044] [Index information] In this specification, index information means information related to the sound of the language to be studied. The index information includes information that can identify the sound information, text information such as sentences and words related to the sound information, and information that identifies a playback unit that is a playback range that specifies a start point and an end point of playback in the sound information. For example, in an audio playback device, the index information is composed of information that identifies the sound information including the name of a language learning content corresponding to at least one of an artist name or an album, a chapter name in the language learning content corresponding to a title name, and the type of sound components for each playback unit ("example sentence", "word", "meaning"), etc. The playback unit includes a number and identification information for making each component into a playback unit, time information indicating the range of the playback unit, image information, video information, etc.

[0045] The index information relating to an image file or a video file includes the image file name, the video file name, the URL of the image file or the video file, etc. The index information is a text document in a file format.

[0046] [Example sentence information] In this specification, example sentence information means character information such as sentences, Japanese sentences, and words in a language that is the subject of language learning. Example sentence information includes information that can identify the example sentence information, such as the name of the language learning content to which the example sentence information belongs, the position in the language learning content, and the type. For example sentence information, for example, in an audio playback device, is composed of information that identifies example sentence information, such as the name of the language learning content corresponding to at least one of the artist name or album, the chapter name in the language learning content corresponding to the title name, information about example sentences and words that are the subject of language learning, the type of components of the example sentence ("word", "meaning"), image information, video information, and the like. Note that example sentence information related to an image file or video file includes the image file name, the video file name, the URL of the image file or the video file, and the like. In other words, example sentence information is a text document in a file format that includes information on example sentences described in books and information related to the example sentences. When the example sentence information is played back using a synthetic voice playback function such as a voice playback player, it includes character information such as words and information identifying a playback unit, which is the playback range specifying the start and end points to be played back using the synthetic voice playback function.

[0047] [Student] In this specification, a learner means a user of the language learning content who is learning a language using the language learning content. Also, a learner means a person who learns a language using the language learning content by using a language learning content management system and an audio player, which is an audio playback device. The learner includes a person who belongs to an organization for learning such as a school, a preparatory school, or a cram school, and a person who belongs to an organization for non-learning such as a government agency or a company. The learner also includes a person who does not belong to an organization for learning such as a school, a preparatory school, or a cram school, and a person who belongs to an organization for non-learning such as a government agency or a company. Also, a learner may belong to multiple organizations such as a school and a cram school. The language learning content management system of the present invention is used by at least one learner. Identification of each learner is managed by a learner ID number.

[0048] [Language learning content provider] In this specification, the language learning content provider refers to publishers, learning material companies, schools, preparatory schools, cram schools, companies, and commercial organizations such as companies commissioned to create language learning content, public government agencies, and non-profit organizations such as NPOs that create language learning content, as well as publishers, schools, preparatory schools, cram schools, and commercial organizations such as companies commissioned to create language learning content, public government agencies, and non-profit organizations such as NPOs that provide language learning content obtained from outside to third parties. A language learning content provider provides at least one or more language learning contents to third parties. The language learning content management system of the present invention is used by at least one language learning content provider. The identification of each content provider is managed by a content provider ID. Note that organizations such as schools, preparatory schools, and learners can also create content for their affiliated learners, and in a broad sense, can be content providers for learners. However, in the following embodiment, organizations are not included in the content provider. Also, even if an organization creates content, it is preferable to manage it by organization ID rather than content provider ID.

[0049] [Organization] In this specification, an organization refers to a school, board of education, preparatory school, cram school, commercial organization such as a company, public agency, or non-profit organization such as an NPO, which is composed of multiple members to which at least one learner belongs. In addition, if a language learning content provider recognizes a recipient of language learning content as an organization, it becomes an organization. An organization manages the learners who belong to it. The language learning content management system of the present invention is used by at least one organization. An organization can assign learning tasks to at least one learner and send and receive messages. Each organization is managed by an organization ID.

[0050] [Audio player as a sharing platform] This is an audio player that is compatible with all language learning content, including language learning content with audio information selected by an organization for its learners, and language learning content without audio information. In the case of language learning content with audio information, the audio player plays playback units that are part of the audio information using index information, and in the case of language learning content without audio information, plays synthetic audio synthesized using example sentence information. The audio player (shared platform) having an audio player program has a function of transmitting learning progress-related information of learners belonging to an organization, obtained by studying language learning content, to a language learning content management system, and a function of displaying learning progress-related information obtained from the language learning content management system on the screen of the audio player.

[0051] [Information for language learning content providers] In this specification, the language learning content provider related information is information including basic information about the language learning content provider and content recipient related information, which is information related to the recipient of the language learning content. Each of the language learning content provider related information has attribute information for a specific date and time.

[0052] [Basic information about language learning content providers] In this specification, basic information of a language learning content provider refers to information including the name, location, and contact information for identifying the language learning content provider (such as a publisher or learning material company), the change history of the above information, and the content name (including the content). The identification of each content provider is managed by a content provider ID.

[0053] [Content related information] In this specification, the information related to the recipient of the content refers to information related to the organization to which the language learning content is provided. The information related to the recipient of the content includes the name of the language learning content provided by a language learning content provider such as a publisher, the name, location, contact information, academic year, department course name, etc. of the organization providing the language learning content, information including the classification, job function name, job type name, etc. of the recipient of the content, and the change history of the information.

[0054] [Organization related information] In this specification, organization-related information means information including basic information of an organization, learner basic information related to learners belonging to the organization, and content-related information related to language learning content provided to each learner belonging to the organization. The organization-related information also includes information related to assignments created by the organization and comments from instructors, etc. The organization-related information is information created by the control unit. The organization-related information includes, for example, a language learning content distribution list, content-provided-recipient-related information input from the terminal of the language learning content provider, which is information by organization, learning course, and grade that provided the language learning content. The organization-related information includes, for example, a learner list, and learner basic information input from the terminal of the learner, which is information by organization, learning course, and grade that provided the language learning content. Note that if the organization to which the learner belongs participates in the language learning content management system and creates a learner list, the learner list created by the organization may be used instead of the learner list created by the control unit. The organization-related information includes attribute information for a specific date and time, and the organization-related information includes attribute information for a specific date and time.

[0055] [Organization basic information] In this specification, basic information of an organization means information related to the organization including the name, classification, location, contact information, names of various departments and courses, etc. of the organization, and the change history of the above information, etc. Each organization is managed by an organization ID.

[0056] [Basic information of affiliated students] In this specification, the basic information of affiliated learners refers to information including the name, various academic courses, grade, year of admission, etc. of learners affiliated with an organization, and change history of the above information, etc. It is preferable that personal information such as the name, grade, year of admission, etc. of the basic information of affiliated learners can be registered, added, deleted, and viewed only from the school terminal.

[0057] [Information related to the provided content] In this specification, information related to the provided content refers to information including the language learning content provided to each learner belonging to the organization, the provider of the language learning content, the name, type, subject, serial number, etc. of the language learning content, the learner to whom the language learning content was provided, the time of provision, etc., and the change history of the information.

[0058] [Student-related information] In this specification, learner-related information refers to information including the learner's identification information, language learning content-related information related to the language learning content the learner is learning, and learning progress-related information related to the progress of the language learning content the learner is learning.

[0059] [Student Identification Information] In this specification, the identification information of a learner includes information such as the learner's name, date of birth, address, contact details, learner ID number, age, gender, etc., the name of the organization to which the learner belongs, the grade within the organization, the name of the department or course within the organization, etc., and the change history of the above information.

[0060] [Language learning content related information] In this specification, information related to language learning content includes the language learning content that the learner is studying, the name of the provider of the language learning content, the content name, type, subject, serial number, time of acquisition, information related to the recipients of the content, and the change history of the information.

[0061] [Information related to learning progress] In this specification, the learning progress related information means a learner ID, a usage history of the language learning content used by the learner, a unit studied using the language learning content, contents, number of times of study, grades and number of times of study, cumulative grades, etc., a speaking evaluation result, a listening evaluation result, etc. The learning progress related information includes a history of changes to the above information. The learner's identification information, the language learning content related information, and the learning progress related information are collectively called a chart, and a learner ID number is assigned to the information. The learning progress related information is transmitted from the learner's terminal and stored in the language learning management system. The learning progress related information is created as a learning progress divided into a predetermined learning period for each learner on the learner's terminal that functions as an audio playback player. The learning progress related information may be created for each language learning content. In this case, the learning progress related information is configured to be distinguishable by the name of the corresponding language learning content, etc. The learning progress related information is also a collective term for the learning progress related information created for each language learning content. The learning progress related information does not include personal information of the learner.

[0062] [Processed learning progress information] In this specification, processed learning progress related information means learning progress related information that has been processed into information in a form and content suitable for use, viewing, processing, etc. by language learning content providers, organizations, and learners based on learner progress information collected from individual learner's terminals. The language learning content management system is configured to enable viewing or distribution of learning progress related information that has been separately created in response to requests from language learning content providers, organizations, and learners.

[0063] For example, the language learning content management system periodically distributes to the language learning content provider, "learning progress related information on the top 10% average, bottom 10% average, and overall average by prefecture, organization, or grade for each language learning content," and to the school that is the organization or the learner that belongs to the organization, "learning progress related information on the top 10% average, bottom 10% average, and overall average by school, grade, or class," "learning progress related information on the top 10% average, bottom 10% average, and overall average of the total teaching materials by grade or class," and "individual learning progress information of learners within the school," among other processed learning progress related information for the language learning content provider. Note that the learning progress related information of each individual learner is stored on the learner's terminal, so it is desirable to display the individual learner's progress information in the various processed learning progress related information.

[0064] The language learning content management system periodically distributes to the organization (company) "learning progress related information regarding the top 10% average, bottom 10% average, and overall average by content and job type," and periodically distributes to learners affiliated with schools processed learning progress related information for the organization, such as "learning progress related information regarding the top 10% average, bottom 10% average, and overall average of TOTAL teaching materials by content and job type," and "information related to individual learning progress of learners within the company."

[0065] [The organization requested] In this specification, "requested by the organization" means that the organization has requested the language learning content provider to purchase the language learning content or to provide it free of charge. Effect of the Invention

[0066] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a language learning content provider that provides language learning content based on school textbooks and supplementary readers as e-learning materials to learners and organizations can provide the organizations and learners with information related to the learning progress of the language learning content. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0067] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the relationship between a language learning content management system and each terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the language learning content management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing how information is differentiated at the change of periods in the language learning content management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration for identifying learners to whom language learning content will be provided or learners who have provided language learning content in the language learning content management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a first control for outputting language learning content to a learner's terminal in the language learning content management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a second control for outputting processed learning progress information to a publisher's terminal in the language learning content management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a third control for outputting language learning content related information to a learner in the language learning content management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a fourth control for outputting original language learning content created by a school to a learner's terminal in the language learning content management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of index information included in language learning content. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of example sentence information included in the language learning content. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a control block diagram of an audio playback player according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12]FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing a judgment method in a speaking evaluation in the audio playback player according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of a display screen on which the details of language learning content including index information are displayed in the audio playback player according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram of a display screen on which language learning content not having index information is displayed in the audio playback player according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a flowchart of a fifth control for determining speaking ability regardless of the presence or absence of index information in the audio playback player according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a flowchart of the coincidence rate calculation control in the audio playback player according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a language learning content management system according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a control block diagram of a language learning content management system according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram showing adjustment of the difference in difficulty level of language learning contents used in the speaking and listening test exemption system in the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a flowchart of a sixth control for applying for exemption from the speaking and listening tests in the language learning content management system according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 shows a display screen regarding learning progress in the language learning content management system according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 shows a display screen for information related to a given university in the language learning content management system according to the third embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0068] [Embodiment 1] <Overall structure of the language learning content management system> The overall configuration of a language learning content management system 1 according to embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described below with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 8. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the relationship between the language learning content management system 1 according to embodiment 1 of the present invention and each terminal. Fig. 2 is a control block diagram of the language learning content management system 1. Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the distinction of information at the time of switching of periods in the language learning content management system 1.

[0069] As shown in Fig. 1, language learning content management system 1 is a system that manages various information related to language learning content. Language learning content management system 1 is configured to enable language learning content providers, language learning content users, and organizations to which the language learning content users belong to obtain information related to language learning content.

[0070] Usually, e-learning materials are language learning contents independently developed by language learning content providers. On the other hand, the language learning content management system 1 does not have language learning contents independently created by the provider of the language learning content management system 1. The language learning content management system 1 stores language learning contents (with or without audio information) provided by multiple external language learning content providers, and provides them to language learning content users, including learners, and organizations. In other words, the language learning content management system 1 is not a language learning system that provides the original language learning contents to the language learning content users and the organizations. In other words, the language learning content management system 1 is a system that allows language learning content users and the organizations to freely combine multiple language learning contents from multiple language learning content providers (including language learning contents from at least one language learning content provider) with the language learning contents provided by the language learning content provider to configure the organization's own e-learning materials. Language learning content management system 1 is a language learning content management system that allows learners to use language learning content provided by the multiple language learning content providers as a shared platform using an audio playback player (an audio playback player that plays audio information using index information in the case of language learning content having audio information, and plays synthetic audio using example sentence data in the case of language learning content not having audio information).

[0071] In the following embodiment, language learning content providers are publishers Pa and Pb. Publisher Pa provides language learning contents Ca1 and Ca2 (see FIG. 2). Publisher Pb provides language learning contents Cb1 and Cb2. Learners who are language learning content users are learners La1, La2, Lb1, and Lb2. Organizations are schools Sa and Sb. Learners La1 and La2 belong to school Sa. Learners Lb1 and Lb2 belong to school Sb.

[0072] The language learning content management system 1 is configured, for example, in a server device having a storage device for storing information, a communication device for communicating with the outside via the Internet or the like, and a control device for controlling the storage device and the communication device. The language learning content management system 1 is electrically connected by wire or wirelessly to a terminal Tpa of publisher Pa, a terminal Tpb of publisher Pb, a terminal Tsa of school Sa, a terminal Tsb of school Sb, a terminal Ta1 of learner La1, a terminal Ta2 of learner La2, a terminal Tb1 of learner Lb1, and a terminal Tb2 of learner Lb2.

[0073] As shown in FIG. 2, language learning content management system 1 has language learning content provider related information storage unit 11, organization related information storage unit 12, learner related information storage unit 13, communication unit 14, and control unit 15.

[0074] The language learning content provider related information storage unit 11, which is a storage device of the server device, can store language learning contents Ca1, Ca2, Cb1, and Cb2. The language learning content provider related information storage unit 11 can also store language learning content provider related information Ipa and Ipb. The language learning content provider related information Ipa is information including information on the publisher Pa and content recipient related information related to at least one of the schools Sa and Sb to which at least one of the language learning contents Ca1 and Ca2 is provided. For example, the information includes the content names of the language learning contents Ca1, Ca2, Cb1, and Cb2 provided by the publishers Pa and Pb, the names, locations, contact information, grades, department course names, etc. of the organizations to which the publishers Pa and Pb provide the language learning contents Ca1, Ca2, Cb1, and Cb2, and the change history of the information.

[0075] The language learning content provider related information Ipa, Ipb includes basic information on the publishers Pa, Pb that are language learning content providers, and content provider related information on at least one of the schools Sa, Sb that are the recipients of at least one of the language learning contents Cb1, Cb2. The language learning contents Ca1, Ca2, Cb1, Cb2 and the language learning content provider related information Ipa, Ipb each have attribute information for a specific date and time.

[0076] Language learning content provider related information storage unit 11 has folders that store various information for each language learning content provider. In this embodiment, language learning content provider related information storage unit 11 has publisher folder 11a, which is a storage area that stores information input from publisher Pa, which is a content provider, and publisher folder 11b, which is a storage area that stores information input from publisher Pb. Language learning content provider related information storage unit 11 can configure any folders for each business division, language learning content, region, and customer in the publisher folders 11a and 11b, for example. In addition, when language learning content provider related information storage unit 11 receives language learning content Ca1, Ca2, and language learning content provider related information Ipa from terminal Tpa, it stores them in publisher folder 11a. When language learning content provider related information storage unit 11 receives language learning content Cb1, Cb2, and language learning content provider related information Ipb from terminal Tpb, it stores them in publisher folder 11b.

[0077] The organization-related information storage unit 12, which is a storage device of the server device, can store organization-related information Isa, Isb for each school Sa, Sb. The organization-related information Isa is information including basic information of the school Sa, learner basic information of learners La1, La2 belonging to the school Sa, and provided content related information related to the language learning content provided to each of the learners La1, La2 belonging to the school Sa. The organization-related information Isb is information including basic information of the school Sb, learner basic information of learners Lb1, Lb2 belonging to the school Sb, and provided content related information related to the language learning content provided to each of the learners Lb1, Lb2 belonging to the school Sb. In addition, the organization-related information Isa, Isb includes assignments created by the schools Sa, Sb, comments from instructors, etc. The organization-related information Isa, Isb each has attribute information for a specified date and time.

[0078] The basic information of an organization is, for example, information including the name, category, location, contact information, and names of various departments and courses of the organization, as well as a change history of the information. The basic information of the affiliated learners is, for example, information including the number of learners affiliated with the organization, their names, grades, and year of enrollment, as well as a change history of the information. It is preferable that personal information such as the learner's name, grade, and year of enrollment in the basic information of the affiliated learners can be registered, added, deleted, and viewed only from a school terminal. The information related to the provided content is information including the language learning content provided to each learner affiliated with the organization, the provider, name, type, subject, serial number, etc. of the language learning content, the learner to whom the language learning content was provided, the time of provision, etc., as well as a change history of the information.

[0079] The organization-related information storage unit 12 has a school folder 12a, which is a storage area for storing information related to school Sa, and a school folder 12b, which is a storage area for storing information related to school Sb. The organization-related information storage unit 12 can configure any folders for each grade, class, academic course, and subject in a school within the school folders 12a and 12b, for example. When organization-related information Isa is input from terminal Tsa (see FIG. 1), the organization-related information storage unit 12 stores it in the school folder 12a. When organization-related information Isb is input from terminal Tsb (see FIG. 1), the organization-related information storage unit 12 stores it in the school folder 12b. In addition, the organization-related information storage unit 12 stores the organization-related information Isa and organization-related information Isb created by the control unit 15.

[0080] The learner-related information storage unit 13, which is a storage device of the server device, stores learner-related information Ia1, Ia2, Ib1, and Ib2 for each of the learners La1, La2, Lb1, and Lb2. The learner-related information Ia1 includes identification information of the learner La1, language learning content-related information related to the language learning content being studied by the learner La1, learning progress-related information Ia1a1 related to the progress of the language learning content Ca1 being studied by the learner La1, and learning progress-related information Ia1a2 related to the progress of the language learning content Ca2 being studied by the learner La1. Similarly, the learner-related information Ia2 includes identification information of the learner La2, learning content-related information, learning progress-related information Ia2a1 related to the progress of the language learning content Ca1 being studied by the learner La2, and learning progress-related information Ia2a2 related to the progress of the language learning content Ca2 being studied by the learner La2. The learner-related information Ib1 includes the identification information of the learner Lb1, learning content-related information, learning progress-related information Ib1a1 related to the progress of the language learning content Ca1 that the learner Lb1 is learning, and learning progress-related information Ib1a2 related to the progress of the language learning content Ca2 that the learner Lb1 is learning. The learner-related information Ib2 includes the identification information of the learner Lb2, learning content-related information, learning progress-related information Ib2a1 related to the progress of the language learning content Ca1 that the learner Lb2 is learning, and learning progress-related information Ib2a2 related to the progress of the language learning content Ca2 that the learner Lb2 is learning. The learner-related information Ia1, Ia2, Ib1, and Ib2 each have attribute information of a predetermined date and time.

[0081] The learner-related information storage unit 13 has a learner folder l3a which is a storage area for storing information input from a learner La1, a learner folder l3b which is a storage area for storing information input from a learner La2, a learner folder l3c which is a storage area for storing information input from a learner Lb1, and a learner folder l3d which is a storage area for storing information input from a learner Lb2. The learner-related information storage unit 13 can configure any folder for each grade, class, academic course, and subject of a learner, for example, in the learner folders l3a, 13b, 13c, and 13d. When learner-related information Ia1 is input from a terminal Ta1 (see FIG. 1), the learner-related information storage unit 13 stores it in the learner folder l3a. When learner-related information Ia2 is input from a terminal Ta2 (see FIG. 1), the learner-related information storage unit 13 stores it in the learner folder l3b. When learner-related information Ib1 is input from terminal Tb1 (see FIG. 1), the learner-related information storage unit 13 stores it in learner folder l3c. When learner-related information Ib2 is input from terminal Tb2 (see FIG. 1), the learner-related information storage unit 13 stores it in learner folder l3d.

[0082] The communication unit 14, which is a communication device of the server device, communicates with the outside via the Internet or the like. The communication unit 14 is electrically connected to the terminals Tpa, Tpb, Tsa, Tsb, Ta1, Ta2, Tb1, and Tb2 by wire or wirelessly (see FIG. 1). The communication unit 14 is configured to be able to transmit and receive various information to and from each terminal.

[0083] Control unit 15, which is a control device of the server device, manages and processes language learning contents Ca1, Ca2, Cb1, Cb2, language learning content provider related information Ipa, Ipb, organization related information Isa, Isb, and learner related information Ia1, Ia2, Ib1, Ib2. Control unit 15 stores various programs (including information processing programs) and data in order to control language learning content provider related information storage unit 11, organization related information storage unit 12, learner related information storage unit 13, and communication unit 14.

[0084] Control unit 15 is electrically connected to language learning content provider related information storage unit 11, organization related information storage unit 12, learner related information storage unit 13, and communication unit 14. Control unit 15 is configured to be able to transmit and receive control signals and various information to language learning content provider related information storage unit 11, organization related information storage unit 12, learner related information storage unit 13, and communication unit 14. Control unit 15 is also configured to be able to transmit and receive control signals and various information to and from external terminals such as terminals Tpa, Tpb, Tsa, Tsb, Ta1, Ta2, Tb1, and Tb2 via communication unit 14 (see FIG. 1).

[0085] When a predetermined date and time is set as the end of the period, when the predetermined date and time is reached, the control unit 15 distinguishes the language learning contents Ca1, Ca2, Cb1, Cb2, the language learning content provider-related information Ipa, Ipb, the organization-related information Isa, Isb, and the learner-related information Ia1, Ia2, Ib1, Ib2 stored before the predetermined date and time from the language learning contents and various information provided and used after the predetermined date and time as past language learning contents, past language learning content provider-related information, past organization-related information, and past learner-related information. The predetermined date and time can be set to any time, for example, by academic year, year, month, week, day, etc.

[0086] For example, when the content of a first edition of language learning content Ca1-X provided by publisher Pa to a third party is revised after the end of period X, control unit 15 distinguishes the second edition of language learning content Ca1 provided by publisher Pa to a third party in period Y after period X as language learning content Ca1-Y. For example, when language learning content Ca1-X is revised due to a typographical error or the like, control unit 15 does not distinguish between language learning content Ca1-X before and after the revision.

[0087] As shown in FIG. 3, for example, when period X during which school Sa used language learning content Ca1 has ended, control unit 15 distinguishes language learning content provider related information Ipa-X in the period X folder created during period X as past language learning content provider related information Ipa-X from language learning content provider related information Ipa-Y in the period Y folder created at school Sa during period Y during which language learning content Ca1 is used after period X.

[0088] For example, when period X of school Sa ends, the control unit 15 distinguishes organizational-related information Isa-X including basic information of affiliated learners in the period X folder created in period X as past organizational-related information Isa-X from organizational-related information Isa-Y in the period Y folder created at school Sa in period Y after period X.

[0089] Furthermore, for example, when period X, which is the learning period of learner La1, ends, the control unit 15 classifies learning progress related information Ia1a1-X in the period X folder created during period X as past learning progress related information Ia1a1-X, and distinguishes it from learning progress related information Ia1a1-Y in the period Y folder created in period Y after period X. The control unit 15 classifies learner-related information Ia1-X created during period X as past learner-related information Ia1-X, and distinguishes it from learner-related information Ia1-Y created in period Y after period X.

[0090] In this way, when a predetermined period for each type of information, such as language learning content provider-related information Ipa, organization-related information Isa, and learner-related information Ia1, ends, control unit 15 is configured to add information about the predetermined period to each type of information, thereby making it possible to distinguish the various types of information for each predetermined period. Furthermore, control unit 15 is capable of outputting the various types of information for each past predetermined period to publishers Pa, Pb, schools Sa, Sb, and learners La1, La2, Lb1, and Lb2. Note that in the following embodiments, language learning content, organization-related information, and learning progress-related information will be described without distinction of period.

[0091] <Identifying learners through matching> Next, with reference to Figures 4 to 8, we will explain the control for identifying learners to whom language learning content Ca1 will be provided or who have provided language learning content Ca1 in the language learning content management system 1. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing a general configuration for identifying learners La1, La2 to whom language learning content Ca1 will be provided or learners La1, La2 who have provided it in the language learning content management system 1.

[0092] As shown in Fig. 4, the control unit 15 is configured to output at least one of the language learning contents Ca1 and Ca2 provided by the publisher Pa and the language learning contents Cb1 and Cb2 provided by the publisher Pb to at least one of the terminals Ta1 and Ta2 of the learner La1, the terminal Ta2 of the learner La2, the terminal Tb1 of the learner Lb1, and the terminal Tb2 of the learner Lb2 by at least one of the matching A, B, C, and D based on the language learning content provider related information Ipa and Ipb, the organization related information Isa and Isb, and the learner related information Ia1, Ia2, Ib1, and Ib2 (see Fig. 1). The same applies when the school Sa that has acquired the language learning content Ca1 creates its own original language learning content Csa1 (see Fig. 8).

[0093] The control unit 15, for example, identifies the learners La1 and La2 to whom the publisher Pa plans to provide the language learning content Ca1 by matching A between the content recipient related information included in the language learning content provider related information Ipa stored at least in the language learning content provider related information storage unit 11 and the learner related information Ia1, Ia2, Ib1, and Ib2 stored in the learner related information storage unit 13. Specifically, the control unit 15 identifies the school Sa (see FIG. 1) to which the language learning content Ca1 will be provided based on the content recipient related information included in the language learning content provider related information Ipa. Next, the control unit 15 identifies the learners La1 and La2 to whom the language learning content Ca1 will be provided based on the identified school Sa and the learner related information Ia1, Ia2, Ib1, and Ib2.

[0094] Alternatively, the control unit 15 identifies the learners La1 and La2 to whom the publisher Pa (see FIG. 1) plans to provide the language learning content Ca1 by, for example, matching B between the provided content related information included at least in the organization related information Isa and Isb and the basic information of the learners. Specifically, the control unit 15 creates a language learning content distribution list, which is the provided content related information, based on the language learning content provider related information Ipa created by the publisher Pa and stored in the language learning content provider related information storage unit 11. The control unit 15 also creates an affiliated learner list, which is the basic information of the learners, based on the learner related information Ia1, Ia2, Ib1, and Ib2 created by the schools Sa and Sb and stored in the learner related information storage unit 13. Furthermore, the control unit 15 identifies the learners La1 and La2 to whom the language learning content Ca1 is to be provided, based on the language learning content distribution list and the affiliated learner list.

[0095] Alternatively, the control unit 15 identifies the learners La1 and La2 to whom the publisher Pa plans to provide the language learning content Ca1, for example, by matching C between the content recipient-related information included in the language learning content provider-related information Ipa and the organization-related information Isa and Isb. Specifically, the control unit 15 identifies the school Sa that provided the language learning content Ca1, for example, based on the content recipient-related information included in the language learning content provider-related information Ipa. Next, the control unit 15 identifies the learners La1 and La2 to whom the language learning content Ca1 was provided, based on the identified school Sa and the affiliated learner list included in the organization-related information Isa.

[0096] Alternatively, the control unit 15, for example, identifies learners La1 and La2 to whom the publisher Pa plans to provide the language learning content Ca1 by matching D at least the organization-related information Isa, Isb with the learner-related information Ia1, Ia2, Ib1, Ib2. Specifically, the control unit 15 identifies schools Sa to which the publisher Pa plans to provide the language learning content Ca1 based on the language learning content distribution list included in the organization-related information Isa, Isb. Next, the control unit 15 identifies learners La1 and La2 to whom the language learning content Ca1 is planned to be provided based on the identified school Sa and the learner-related information Ia1, Ia2, Ib1, Ib2.

[0097] Then, the control unit 15 outputs the language learning content Ca1 to the terminal Ta1 of the learner La1 and the terminal Ta2 of the learner La2 based on the learner-related information Ia1 of the identified learner La1 and the learner-related information Ia2 of the identified learner La2.

[0098] Furthermore, the control unit 15 is configured to be capable of outputting, to a terminal Tpa of a publisher Pa (see FIG. 1), learning progress related information and processed learning progress related information for the language learning contents Ca1 and Ca2 of learners who satisfy a predetermined condition among learners who are studying the language learning contents Ca1 and Ca2 provided by the publisher Pa, based on the language learning content provider related information Ipa, Ipb, the organization related information Isa, Isb, and the learner related information Ia1, Ia2, Ib1, and Ib2. Similarly, the control unit 15 is configured to be capable of outputting, to a terminal Tpb of a publisher Pb (see FIG. 1), learning progress related information and processed learning progress related information for the language learning contents Cb1 and Cb2 of learners who satisfy a predetermined condition among learners who are studying the language learning contents Cb1 and Cb2 provided by the publisher Pb.

[0099] The control unit 15 is configured to output, based on at least the language learning content provider-related information Ipa, Ipb, organization-related information Isa, Isb, and learner-related information Ia1, Ia2, Ib1, Ib2, by at least one of matching A, B, C, and D, to the terminal Tsa of the school Sa or the terminal Ta1 of the learner La1, and the terminal Ta2 of the learner La2, learning progress-related information about the language learning content provided by the school Sa to the learners La1 and La2 to which the school Sa belongs, and processed learning progress-related information about learners who meet specified conditions and are studying the same language learning content as the language learning content provided by the school Sa. Similarly, the control unit 15 is configured to output to the terminal Tsb of the school Sb, or to the terminal Tb1 of the learner Lb1 and the terminal Tb2 of the learner Lb2, learning progress related information about the language learning content provided by the school Sb to the learners Lb1 and Lb2 to which the school Sb belongs, and processed learning progress related information about learners who meet specified conditions and are studying the same language learning content as the language learning content provided by the school Sb.

[0100] The specified condition means, for example, at least one of the conditions by prefecture, school, grade, learner being in the top 10% in terms of grades, etc., or a combination of multiple conditions.

[0101] The control unit 15, for example, identifies the learners La1 and La2 to whom the publisher Pa provided the language learning content Ca1 by matching A between at least the content recipient related information included in the language learning content provider related information Ipa and the learner related information Ia1, Ia2, Ib1, and Ib2. Specifically, the control unit 15 identifies the school Sa that provided the language learning content Ca1 based on the content recipient related information included in the language learning content provider related information Ipa. Next, the control unit 15 identifies the learners La1 and La2 to whom the publisher Pa provided the language learning content Ca1 based on the identified school Sa and the learner related information Ia1, Ia2, Ib1, and Ib2.

[0102] Alternatively, the control unit 15 identifies the learners La1 and La2 to whom the publisher Pa provided the language learning content Ca1, for example, by matching B between the provided content related information included at least in the organization related information Isa and Isb and the basic information of the learners. Specifically, the control unit 15 creates a language learning content distribution list, which is the provided content related information, based on the language learning content provider related information Ipa created by the publisher Pa and stored in the language learning content provider related information storage unit 11. The control unit 15 also creates an affiliated learner list, which is the basic information of the learners, based on the learner related information Ia1, Ia2, Ib1, and Ib2 created by the schools Sa and Sb and stored in the learner related information storage unit 13. Furthermore, the control unit 15 identifies the learners La1 and La2 to whom the publisher Pa provided the language learning content Ca1, based on the language learning content distribution list and the affiliated learner list.

[0103] Alternatively, the control unit 15 identifies the learners La1 and La2 to whom the publisher Pa provided the language learning content Ca1, for example, by matching C between at least the content recipient-related information included in the language learning content provider-related information Ipa and the organization-related information Isa and Isb. Specifically, the control unit 15 identifies the school Sa that provided the language learning content Ca1, for example, based on the content recipient-related information included in the language learning content provider-related information Ipa. Next, the control unit 15 identifies the learners La1 and La2 to whom the publisher Pa provided the language learning content Ca1, based on the identified school Sa and the affiliated learner list included in the organization-related information Isa.

[0104] Alternatively, the control unit 15 identifies the learners La1 and La2 to whom the language learning content Ca1 was provided, for example, by matching D at least the organization-related information Isa and Isb with the learner-related information Ia1, Ia2, Ib1, and Ib2. Specifically, the control unit 15 identifies the school Sa to which the publisher Pa provided the language learning content Ca1, based on the language learning content distribution list included in the organization-related information Isa and Isb. Next, the control unit 15 identifies the learners La1 and La2 to whom the language learning content Ca1 was provided, based on the identified school Sa and the learner-related information Ia1, Ia2, Ib1, and Ib2.

[0105] Then, the control unit 15 outputs the learning progress related information Ia1a1 related to the language learning content Ca1 of the identified learner La1 to the terminal Ta1 of the learner La1, and outputs the learning progress related information Ia1a2 related to the language learning content Ca1 of the identified learner La2 to the terminal Ta2 of the learner La2. The control unit 15 also outputs the learning progress related information Ia1a1 and the learning progress related information Ia1a2 to the terminal Tsa of the school Sa to which the identified learners La1 and La2 belong. Furthermore, the control unit 15 outputs the learning progress related information that has been processed from the learning progress related information Ia1a1 and the learning progress related information Ia1a2 to the terminal Ta1 of the identified learner La1, the terminal Ta2 of the identified learner La2, the terminal Tpa of the publisher Pa, and the terminal Tsa of the school Sa.

[0106] The language learning content management system 1 configured in this way is configured to be able to link the language learning content provider related information Ipa, Ipb, the organization related information Isa, Isb, and the learner related information Ia1, Ia2, Ib1, Ib2. Therefore, the language learning content management system 1 can provide the language learning contents Ca1, Ca2, Cb1, Cb2 to the learners La1, La2, Lb1, Lb2 without providing the personal information of the learners La1, La2, Lb1, Lb2 to the publishers Pa, Pb that are the language learning content providers. In addition, the language learning content management system 1 can provide the learning progress related information for each language learning content to the publishers Pa, Pb, the schools Sa, Sb to which the learners La1, La2, Lb1, Lb2 belong, and the learners La1, La2, Lb1, Lb2, without providing the personal information of the learners La1, La2, Lb1, Lb2 to the publishers Pa, Pb that are the language learning content providers.

[0107] Next, the output (download) of language learning content and output of learning progress related information by the control unit 15 will be specifically described with reference to Fig. 5 to Fig. 8. Fig. 5 is a flowchart of a first control C1 in which language learning content Ca1 is output to the terminal Ta1 of the learner La1 and the terminal Ta2 of the learner La2 in the language learning content management system 1. Fig. 6 is a flowchart of a second control C2 in which processed learning progress information is output to the terminal Tpa of the publisher Pa in the language learning content management system 1. Fig. 7 is a flowchart of a third control in which language learning content related information is output to the learners La1 and Ta2 in the language learning content management system 1. Fig. 8 is a flowchart of a fourth control in which original language learning content Csa1 created by the school is output to the terminals Ta1 and Ta2 of the learners La1 and La2 in the language learning content management system 1.

[0108] Language learning content Ca1 from publisher Pa is stored in publisher folder 11a of language learning content provider related information storage unit 11. Furthermore, language learning content provider related information Ipa, including information on publisher Pa and content recipient related information related to schools Sa and Sb to which language learning content Ca1 is provided, is stored in each school folder within publisher folder 11a. Each school folder is created for each period, such as school Sa-X, school Sa-Y (not shown), etc.

[0109] The school folder 12a of the organization-related information storage unit 12 stores organization-related information Isa including basic information of the school Sa, learner basic information of the learners La1 and La2 who belong to the school Sa, and provided content related information related to the language learning content Ca1 provided to the learner La1. The school folder 12b of the organization-related information storage unit 12 stores organization-related information Isb including basic information of the school Sb, learner basic information of the learners Lb1 and Lb2 who belong to the school Sb, and provided content related information related to the language learning content Ca1 provided to the learner Lb1. Each school folder is created for each period, such as school folder 12a-X, school folder 12a-Y (not shown).

[0110] The learner folder l3a of the learner-related information storage unit 13 stores learner-related information Ia1 including identification information of the learner La1, language learning content related information related to the language learning content Ca1 that the learner La1 is learning, and learning progress related information Ia1a1 related to the progress of the language learning content Ca1 that the learner La1 is learning (see FIG. 2). The learner folder l3b of the learner-related information storage unit 13 stores learner-related information Ib1 including identification information of the learner Lb1, language learning content related information related to the language learning content Ca1 that the learner Lb1 is learning, and learning progress related information Ia1b1 related to the progress of the language learning content Ca1 that the learner Lb1 is learning (see FIG. 2).

[0111] <Output of language learning content to learners> 5, we will explain the first control C1 that outputs language learning content Ca1 provided by publisher Pa to terminal Ta1 of learner La1 and terminal Ta2 of learner La2 in language learning content management system 1. It is assumed that publisher Pa does not have information about learners La1 and Lb1 to whom the language learning content Ca1 is to be provided.

[0112] <First control C1> As shown in FIG. 5, in step S110 of the first control C1, when the control unit 15 of the language learning content management system 1 receives a signal requesting the provision of language learning content Ca1 from the terminal Tpa of the publisher Pa, the control unit 15 transitions to step S120.

[0113] In step S120, control unit 15 acquires language learning content provider related information Ipa including content provision target related information from publisher folder 11a of publisher Pa. Control unit 15 shifts the process to step S130.

[0114] In step S130, control unit 15 identifies schools Sa that are to provide language learning content Ca1 based on the content recipient related information included in the acquired language learning content provider related information Ipa. Control unit 15 then proceeds to step S140.

[0115] In step S140, the control unit 15 identifies the learners La1 and La2 of the school Sa by matching the identified school Sa with all the learner-related information. That is, the control unit 15 identifies the learners La1 and La2 of the school Sa by matching A between the language learning content provider-related information Ipa and all the learner-related information. The control unit 15 transitions to step S150.

[0116] In step S150, control unit 15 outputs language learning content Ca1 from publisher folder 11a to terminal Ta1 of learner La1 and terminal Ta2 of learner La2. Control unit 15 ends first control C1.

[0117] As a modified example of step S140 of the first control C1, the control unit 15 may configure a step of identifying the learners La1 and La2 to whom the language learning content Ca1 of the school Sa is to be provided, based on the organization-related information Isa obtained from the school folder 12a of the school Sa. That is, the control unit 15 may configure a step of identifying the learners La1 and La2 to whom the language learning content Ca1 of the school Sa is to be provided, by matching C between the language learning content provider-related information Ipa and the affiliated learner list included in the organization-related information Isa.

[0118] Alternatively, as a modification of steps S120 and S130 of the first control C1, the control unit 15 may include a step of identifying the school Sa to which the language learning content Ca1 is to be provided, based on the organization-related information Isa obtained from the school folder 12a of the school Sa and the organization-related information Isb obtained from the school folder 12b of the school Sb. The control unit 15 identifies the learners La1 and La2 of the school Sa by matching D between the language learning content distribution list contained in the organization-related information Isa and the organization-related information Isb and all the learner-related information.

[0119] Alternatively, as a modified example of steps S120, S130, and S140 of the first control C1, the control unit 15 may configure a step of identifying the learners La1 and La2 to whom the language learning content Ca1 is to be provided, based on the organization-related information Isa obtained from the school folder 12a of the school Sa and the organization-related information Isb obtained from the school folder 12b of the school Sb. That is, the control unit 15 may configure a step of identifying the learners La1 and La2 of the school Sa to whom the language learning content Ca1 is to be provided, by matching B between the affiliated learner list contained in the organization-related information Isa and the organization-related information Isb and the language learning content distribution list.

[0120] The language learning content management system 1 configured in this way matches the language learning content provider related information Ipa with the learner related information Ia1, Ia2 to identify the learners to whom the language learning content Ca1 will be provided. Therefore, the language learning content management system 1 can provide the language learning content Ca1 to the learners La1, La2 even if the publisher Pa does not have personal information about the learners La1, La2 to whom the language learning content Ca1 will be provided.

[0121] <Output of learning progress-related information to publishers> Next, with reference to Fig. 6, a second control C2 will be described that outputs learning progress related information Ia1a1 and Ia1b1 of learners La1 and Lb1 who are using language learning content Ca1 provided by publisher Pa to terminal Tpa of publisher Pa in language learning content management system 1. It is assumed that publisher Pa does not have information on learners La1 and Lb1 who are using language learning content Ca1.

[0122] <Second control C2> As shown in FIG. 6, in step S210 of the second control C2, when the control unit 15 of the language learning content management system 1 receives a signal from the terminal Tpa of the publisher Pa requesting information related to the learning progress of a learner who is using the language learning content Ca1, the control unit 15 transitions to step S220.

[0123] In step S220, control unit 15 acquires language learning content provider related information Ipa including content provision target related information from publisher folder 11a of publisher Pa. Control unit 15 shifts the process to step S230.

[0124] In step S230, control unit 15 identifies schools Sa and Sb to which language learning content Ca1 is to be provided, based on the content provider related information included in the acquired language learning content provider related information Ipa. Control unit 15 then transitions to step S240.

[0125] In step S240, the control unit 15 identifies the learner La1 of the school Sa and the learner Lb1 of the school Sb by matching the identified schools Sa and Sb with all the learner-related information. That is, the control unit 15 identifies the learner La1 of the school Sa and the learner Lb1 of the school Sb by matching A between the language learning content provider-related information Ipa and all the learner-related information. The control unit 15 transitions to step S250.

[0126] In step S250, the control unit 15 acquires the learner-related information Ia1 from the learner folder l3a of the identified learner La1, and acquires the learner-related information Ib1 from the learner folder l3c of the identified learner Lb1. The control unit 15 shifts the step to step S260.

[0127] In step S260, control unit 15 determines whether learner-related information Ia1 includes learning progress related information Ia1a1 of language learning content Ca1 and whether learner-related information Ib1 includes learning progress related information Ia1b1 of language learning content Ca1. If at least one of the learning progress related information Ia1a1 and the learning progress related information Ia1b1 is included, the control unit 15 shifts the step to step S270. On the other hand, if the learning progress related information Ia1a1 and the learning progress related information Ia1b1 are not included, the control unit 15 ends the second control C2.

[0128] In step S270, if the learner-related information Ia1, Ib1 includes the learning progress related information Ia1a1, Ia1b1 of the language learning content Ca1, the control unit 15 acquires the learning progress related information Ia1a1 included in the learner-related information Ia1 from the learner folder 13a, and acquires the learning progress related information Ia1b1 included in the learner-related information Ib1 from the learner folder 13c. The control unit 15 then shifts the step to step S280.

[0129] In step S280, the control unit 15 processes the acquired learning progress related information Ia1a1 and learning progress related information Ia1b1 by predetermined statistical processing or the like to generate processed learning progress related information. The control unit 15 shifts the step to step S290.

[0130] In step S290, the control unit 15 outputs the processed learning progress related information to the terminal Tpa of the publishing company Pa. The control unit 15 ends the second control C2.

[0131] As a modified example of step S240 of the second control C2, the control unit 15 may configure a step of identifying the learners La1 and Lb1 who provided the language learning content Ca1 based on the organization-related information Isa obtained from the school folder 12a of the school Sa and the organization-related information Isb obtained from the school folder 12b of the school Sb. That is, the control unit 15 may configure a step of identifying the learners La1 and Lb1 who provided the language learning content Ca1 in the schools Sa and Sb by matching C between the language learning content provider-related information Ipa and the affiliated learner lists included in the organization-related information Isa and Isb.

[0132] Alternatively, as a modified example of steps S220 and S230 of the first control C1, the control unit 15 may include a step of identifying the schools Sa and Sb that provided the language learning content Ca1 based on the organization-related information Isa obtained from the school folder 12a of the school Sa and the organization-related information Isb obtained from the school folder 12b of the school Sb. The control unit 15 identifies the learners La1 and Lb1 in the schools Sa and Sb that provided the language learning content Ca1 by matching D between the language learning content distribution list included in the organization-related information Isa and the organization-related information Isb and all the learner-related information.

[0133] Alternatively, as a modified example of steps S220, S230, and S240 of the first control C1, the control unit 15 may configure a step of identifying the learners La1 and Lb1 who have provided the language learning content Ca1 based on the organization-related information Isa obtained from the school folder 12a of the school Sa and the organization-related information Isb obtained from the school folder 12b of the school Sb. That is, the control unit 15 may configure a step of identifying the learners La1 and Lb1 of the school Sa who have provided the language learning content Ca1 by matching B between the affiliated learner list included in the organization-related information Isa and the organization-related information Isb and the language learning content distribution list.

[0134] The language learning content management system 1 configured in this way matches the language learning content provider related information Ipa with the learner related information Ia1 and the learner related information Ib1 to identify the learner who provided the language learning content Ca1. Therefore, even if the publisher Pa does not have personal information on the learners La1 and Lb1 who provided the language learning content Ca1, the language learning content management system 1 can obtain processed learning progress related information based on the learning progress related information Ia1a1 and Ia1b1 on the language learning content Ca1 of the learners La1 and Lb1 who belong to different organizations. This allows the publisher Pa providing the language learning content Ca1 to grasp the learning status of not only the learners La1 and Lb1 who are studying the language learning content Ca1, but also the learners La1 and Lb1 who are using the language learning content Ca1.

[0135] <When a publisher provides language learning content to a school> 7, a third control C3 will be described in which language learning content related information is output to the terminal Ta1 of the learner La1 and the terminal Ta2 of the learner La2 when the publisher Pa provides the language learning content Ca2 to the school Sa in the language learning content management system 1. It is assumed that the publisher Pa does not have information about the learners La1 and La2 to whom the language learning content Ca2 is to be provided.

[0136] <Third control C3> As shown in FIG. 7, in step S310 of the third control C3, when the control unit 15 of the language learning content management system 1 receives a signal from the terminal Tpa of the publisher Pa to add a target of the language learning content Ca2 to the language learning content provider related information Ipa, the control unit 15 transitions to step S320.

[0137] In step S320, control unit 15 obtains language learning content provider related information Ipa including content provision target related information from publisher folder 11a of publisher Pa. Control unit 15 shifts the process to step S330.

[0138] In step S330, control unit 15 identifies schools Sa to which language learning content Ca1 is to be provided, based on content provider related information included in the acquired language learning content provider related information Ipa. Control unit 15 then transitions to step S340.

[0139] In step S340, the control unit 15 identifies the learners La1 and La2 of the school Sa by matching A between the identified school Sa and all of the learner-related information. The control unit 15 shifts the process to step S350.

[0140] In step S350, the control unit 15 outputs language learning content related information including information indicating that the language learning content Ca2 is to be provided to the terminal Ta1 of the learner La1 and the terminal Ta2 of the learner La2. The control unit 15 then proceeds to step S360.

[0141] In step S360, when the control unit 15 receives a request signal for providing the language learning content Ca2 from the terminal Ta1 of the learner La1 or the terminal Ta2 of the learner La2, the control unit 15 outputs the language learning content Ca2 to the terminal Ta1 of the learner La1 or the terminal Ta2 of the learner La2 from the publisher folder 11a of the publisher Pa. The control unit 15 ends the third control C3.

[0142] In the language learning content management system 1 configured in this way, when language learning content Ca2 that can be downloaded by learners La1 and La2 of school Sa is added from publisher Pa, language learning content related information for the language learning content Ca2 is output to terminal Ta1 of learner La1 or terminal Ta2 of learner La2. Therefore, even if publisher Pa does not have personal information, etc. about learners La1 and La2 to whom the language learning content Ca2 is to be provided, language learning content management system 1 can output information related to the language learning content Ca2 to learners La1 and La2.

[0143] <Fourth control C4> Next, with reference to FIG. 8, a fourth control C4 will be described in the case where a school Sa that has acquired the language learning content Ca1 creates original language learning content Csa1 in the language learning content management system 1.

[0144] As shown in FIG. 8, in step S410 of the fourth control C4, when the control unit 15 receives a signal from the terminal Tsa of the school Sa requesting registration of the original language learning content Csa1 created independently by the school Sa, the control unit 15 transitions to step S420.

[0145] In step S420, control unit 15 configures school folder 11c, which is a storage area for storing information input from school Sa, which is the provider of original language learning content Csa1, in language learning content provider related information storage unit 11. Control unit 15 transitions to step S430.

[0146] In step S430, control unit 15 stores original language learning content Csa1 and language learning content provider related information Ipc including information about school Sa that is the provider of original language learning content Csa1 and content recipient related information related to school Sa that will provide original language learning content Csa1 in school folder 11c of school Sa. Control unit 15 then proceeds to step S440.

[0147] In step S440, control unit 15 adds the language learning content related information of original language learning content Csa1 to organization related information Isa of school Sa stored in school folder 12a of organization related information storage unit 12. Control unit 15 transitions to step S450.

[0148] In step S450, control unit 15 acquires language learning content provider related information Ipc including content target related information from school folder 11c of school Sa. Control unit 15 shifts the process to step S460.

[0149] In step S460, control unit 15 identifies school Sa that is to provide original language learning content Csa1 based on content provider related information included in acquired language learning content provider related information Ipc. Control unit 15 then proceeds to step S470.

[0150] In step S470, the control unit 15 identifies the learners La1 and La2 of the school Sa by matching A between at least the identified school Sa and all the learner-related information. That is, the control unit 15 identifies the learners La1 and La2 of the school Sa by matching the language learning content provider-related information Ipc with all the learner-related information. The control unit 15 transitions to step S480.

[0151] In step S480, the control unit 15 outputs the original language learning content Csa1 from the school folder 11c to the terminal Ta1 of the learner La1 and the terminal Ta2 of the learner La2. The control unit 15 ends the fourth control C4.

[0152] As a modified example of step S470 of the fourth control C4, the control unit 15 may configure a step of identifying the learners La1 and La2 to whom the original language learning content Csa1 of the school Sa is to be provided, based on the organization-related information Isa obtained from the school folder 12a of the school Sa. That is, the control unit 15 may configure a step of identifying the learners La1 and La2 to whom the original language learning content Csa1 of the school Sa is to be provided, by matching C between at least the language learning content provider-related information Ipc and the affiliated learner list included in the organization-related information Isa.

[0153] The language learning content management system 1 matches the language learning content provider related information Ipc with all learner related information to identify learners to whom the original language learning content Csa1 created by the school Sa is to be provided. Therefore, the language learning content management system 1 can provide the original language learning content Csa1 to the learners La1 and La2 even if the school Sa does not have personal information about the learners La1 and La2 to whom the original language learning content Csa1 is to be provided. This makes it possible to grasp the learning status of the learners La1 and La2 who are learning the original language learning content Csa1.

[0154] The language learning content management system 1 configured in this way manages language learning contents Ca1, Ca2, Cb1, and Cb2, each of which includes at least one of example sentence information, audio information, and index information. Thus, the language learning content management system 1 allows the school Sa to select any language learning content suitable for the learning purpose based on the contents of the language learning contents Ca1, Ca2, Cb1, and Cb2. The school Sa can also manage learner-related information Ia1, including learning progress-related information Ia1a2 of the learner La1 belonging to the school, and learner-related information Ia2, including learning progress-related information Ia2a2 of the learner La2, for the language learning content Ca2 selected arbitrarily.

[0155] [Embodiment 2] <Audio playback player program and audio playback player> <Overall composition> The audio player program 20 and the audio player 30 of the present invention will be described in the second embodiment with reference to FIG. 9 to FIG. 16. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of index information included in the language learning contents Ca1, Ca2, Cb1, and Cb2. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of example sentence information included in the language learning contents Ca1, Ca2, Cb1, and Cb2. FIG. 11 is a control block diagram of the audio player 30 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of a judgment method in a speaking evaluation in the audio player 30. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of a display screen of the audio player 30 that displays the contents of the language learning contents that include index information. FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram of a display screen of the audio player 30 that displays the contents of the language learning contents that do not have index information. FIG. 15 is a flowchart of the fifth control C5 in the audio player 30 that judges the speaking ability regardless of the presence or absence of index information. In the following embodiments, specific explanations of the same points as those in the already described embodiments will be omitted, and the differences will be mainly described. FIG. 16 is a flowchart of the matching rate calculation control Z in the audio playback player 30.

[0156] In this embodiment, the language learning contents Ca1, Ca2, Cb1, and Cb2 used for the speaking evaluation each include at least example sentence information among text information including example sentence information related to the learning language, audio information related to the learning language and information for identifying the audio information, and index information including information for identifying a playback unit, which is a playback range that specifies a start point and an end point for playback, in the audio information corresponding to the example sentence information. The example sentence information is information necessary for learning speaking and listening. The index information is information necessary for outputting the audio information as audio.

[0157] Character information related to the language being studied includes example sentence information in Japanese and example sentence information in English, commentary, explanation, identification information, etc., which are the main text of digital textbooks, supplementary reading materials for textbooks, reference books, etc. Audio information related to the language being studied includes audio information such as Japanese and English text, commentary, explanation, figures, URLs of figures, symbols, photos, videos, URLs of videos, identification information, etc., which are the main text of digital textbooks, textbooks, supplementary reading materials, reference books, etc. Character information related to the audio information is character information such as a code number and name for identifying the audio information. Information that can identify the audio information includes a barcode, two-dimensional barcode, figure, symbol, photo, video, etc., which can identify the audio information.

[0158] As shown in Figure 9, the index information includes a name for identifying the playback unit (see F1 in Figure 9), a playback unit which is a playback range specifying a start point (see F2 in Figure 9) and end point (see F3 in Figure 9) to be played in the audio information, a type (see F4 in Figure 9), a field for entering notes etc. (see F5 in Figure 9), video, etc.

[0159] The language learning contents Ca1, Ca2, Cb1, and Cb2 having the index information are configured so that the audio information can be played back in any playback unit, in any playback order, any number of playbacks, and at any playback speed by the audio playback player 30. Also, the language learning contents Ca1, Ca2, Cb1, and Cb2 are configured so that any range can be set as a playback unit by the audio playback player 30.

[0160] 10, the example sentence information includes a name for identifying the example sentence (see F6 in FIG. 10), a type of example sentence (see F7 in FIG. 10), and fields for entering example sentences, notes, etc. (see F8 in FIG. 10). In the case of language learning content that does not include the index information, the audio playback player 30 outputs synthetic voice, etc. based on the example sentence information.

[0161] The language learning contents Ca1, Ca2, Cb1, and Cb2 thus configured contain information for displaying the main text, figures, symbols, photographs, videos, etc. of reference books, supplementary reading materials, etc., using the audio playback player 30, while outputting native speaker voice or synthetic voice corresponding to the main text, etc. of reference books, supplementary reading materials, etc.

[0162] As shown in Fig. 11, the audio player program 20 is a program that causes a computer used by a learner to function as an audio player that can be used to play language learning content. The audio player program 20 is also a program for evaluating the speaking ability of a learner who is studying language learning content. The audio player program 20 causes the computers constituting the terminals Ta1, Ta2, Tb1, and Tb2 used by the learners La1, La2, Lb1, and Lb2 to function as audio players 30. The audio player program 20 is configured so that it can be input to the computer from a storage medium such as a CD-ROM or a language learning content management system 1.

[0163] The audio playback player program 20 can be input to the computer from a website from which various applications can be obtained, a CD-ROM, or other media. The audio playback player program 20 is stored, for example, in the language learning content provider related information storage unit 11 in the language learning content management system 1 (see FIG. 2). When a signal for acquiring the audio playback player program 20 from the computer is input, the control unit 15 of the language learning content management system 1 outputs the audio playback player program 20 to the computer.

[0164] The audio player 30, which is the computer, plays the language learning contents Ca1, Ca2, Cb1, and Cb2, evaluates the speaking ability of the learner, and the like. In this embodiment, the audio player 30 is a terminal Ta1, Ta2, Tb1, or Tb2 that can be connected to the language learning content management system 1. The audio player 30 acquires the audio player program 20 from the language learning content management system 1. The audio player 30 also has the audio player program 20 installed therein. In other words, the audio player 30 is a computer that has a function that allows the audio player program 20 to play the language learning contents Ca1, Ca2, Cb1, and Cb2 and evaluate the speaking ability of the learner. The audio player 30 has a terminal storage unit 31, a terminal input unit 32, a terminal output unit 33, a terminal communication unit 35, a terminal operation unit 34, and a terminal control unit 36.

[0165] The terminal storage unit 31 is a storage device that functions to store language learning content, audio information input from the terminal input unit 32, character information, etc. by the audio playback player program 20. The terminal storage unit 31 stores, for example, at least one of the language learning contents Ca1, Ca2, Cb1, and Cb2 acquired by the terminal communication unit 35 from the language learning content management system 1. The terminal storage unit 31 stores, for example, the voice uttered by the learner La1 acquired by the terminal input unit 32 as learner voice information Iv. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the terminal storage unit 31 stores the language learning content Ca1.

[0166] The terminal input unit 32 is an input device such as a touch panel or a microphone that functions to allow input of answers to questions in the language learning content Ca1 and information by the learner La1 through the audio playback player program 20. The terminal input unit 32 acquires, for example, the learner voice information Iv of the learner La1 through the microphone.

[0167] The terminal output unit 33 is an output device such as a touch panel, a speaker, etc. that functions to enable the audio playback player program 20 to output information such as text information, audio information, figures, and photographs of the language learning content Ca1 to the learner.

[0168] The terminal operation unit 34 is an input device such as a touch panel, a microphone, a switch, etc., which functions to be able to output operation signals of the audio player 30 to the terminal control unit 36 ​​in order to play or stop the audio information contained in the language learning content Ca1 by the audio player program 20 and to obtain the learner audio information Iv of the learner La1. The terminal operation unit 34 also functions to be able to input answers to questions, etc. in the language learning content Ca1, operation signals, etc. for using the language learning content Ca1.

[0169] The terminal communication unit 35 is a communication device that functions to transmit and receive information to and from an external server, including the language learning content management system 1, by using the audio playback player program 20. The terminal communication unit 35, for example, acquires language learning content Ca1 from the language learning content management system 1. The terminal communication unit 35 also outputs to the language learning content management system 1 learning progress related information Ia1a1 including the assessment result of the speaking ability of the learner La1 who is learning the language learning content Ca1.

[0170] The terminal control unit 36 ​​is a computing device that controls the terminal storage unit 31, the terminal input unit 32, the terminal output unit 33, the terminal communication unit 35, and the terminal operation unit 34 by the audio playback player program 20 to function as the audio playback player 30. The terminal control unit 36 ​​stores various programs and information including the audio playback player program 20 in order to control the terminal storage unit 31, the terminal input unit 32, the terminal output unit 33, the terminal communication unit 35, and the terminal operation unit 34. The terminal control unit 36 ​​has an audio playback function that plays audio information including index information at any playback unit and playback speed. The terminal control unit 36 ​​also has a synthetic voice playback function that generates synthetic voice by synthesizing text information such as example sentence information, and plays it back.

[0171] The terminal control unit 36 ​​is connected to the terminal storage unit 31, the terminal input unit 32, the terminal output unit 33, the terminal communication unit 35, and the terminal operation unit 34, and is capable of controlling the terminal storage unit 31, the terminal input unit 32, the terminal output unit 33, the terminal communication unit 35, and the terminal operation unit 34. The terminal control unit 36 ​​outputs control signals to the terminal storage unit 31, the terminal input unit 32, the terminal output unit 33, and the terminal communication unit 35 based on a signal input from the terminal input unit 32.

[0172] The terminal control unit 36 ​​can output the audio information, character information, index information, etc. of the language learning content Ca1 from the terminal output unit 33. When the language learning content Ca1 includes the audio information, the example sentence information, and the index information, upon receiving an operation signal from the terminal operation unit 34, the terminal control unit 36 ​​can output audio information corresponding to the example sentence information of the language learning content Ca1 from the terminal output unit 33 for each arbitrary playback unit using the audio playback function based on the index information of the language learning content Ca1.

[0173] If the language learning content Ca1 does not include the audio information and the index information, when the terminal control unit 36 ​​receives an operation signal from the terminal operation unit 34, it can output from the terminal output unit 33 a synthetic voice using a synthetic voice playback function based on the example sentence information of the language learning content Ca1. Also, if audio information and index information corresponding to the example sentence information of the language learning content Ca1 exist as other content, the terminal control unit 36 ​​can output from the terminal output unit 33 for each arbitrary playback unit using the audio playback function using the audio information and index information of the other content.

[0174] When language learning content Ca1 includes the example sentence information but does not include the voice information or the index information, terminal control unit 36, upon receiving an operation signal from terminal operation unit 34, can output the example sentences of language learning content Ca1 as synthetic voice from terminal output unit 33. At this time, terminal control unit 36 ​​can create index information in which playback units are set at any interval for the example sentence information by operation from terminal operation unit 34.

[0175] When the terminal control unit 36 ​​receives an operation signal from the terminal operation unit 34, it can display text information, images, videos, etc. of the language learning content Ca1 from the terminal output unit 33 for each arbitrary playback unit based on the index information of the language learning content Ca1.

[0176] When the terminal control unit 36 ​​receives an operation signal from the terminal operation unit 34, it is able to obtain the learner voice information Iv of the learner La1 by the terminal input unit 32 based on the reproduced voice information.

[0177] The terminal control unit 36 ​​can compare the voice information or synthetic voice of the reproduced language learning content Ca1 with the acquired learner voice information Iv of the learner La1 for each reproduction unit. The terminal control unit 36 ​​can also calculate the matching rate between the voice information or synthetic voice of the language learning content Ca1 reproduced for each reproduction unit and the learner voice information Iv. The terminal control unit 36 ​​can also determine the speaking ability of the learner La1 based on the calculated matching rate between the voice information or synthetic voice of the language learning content Ca1 and the learner voice information Iv. The matching rate between the voice information or synthetic voice of the reproduced language learning content Ca1 and the learner voice information Iv can be calculated, for example, by the ratio between the time of the voice information or synthetic voice of the language learning content Ca1 reproduced in a specific reproduction range such as a reproduction unit and the time of the corresponding part in the learner voice information Iv, the degree of similarity due to the difference in pitch of the voice waveform, etc.

[0178] As shown in FIG. 12, when the ratio between the duration of the voice information of the language learning content Ca1 reproduced for each reproduction unit and the duration of the corresponding portion in the learner voice information Iv is within an arbitrarily determined reference value range of 95% to 105%, the terminal control unit 36 ​​increments the number of times the matching rate falls within the reference value range in the corresponding reproduction unit by one and records the increment in the learning progress related information Ia1a1 of the learner La1. When the number of times the matching rate falls within the reference value range reaches a predetermined number, the terminal control unit 36 ​​gives points for the corresponding reproduction unit and records the points in the learning progress related information Ia1a1 of the learner La1. The terminal control unit 36 ​​outputs the recorded learning progress related information Ia1a1 to the language learning content management system 1 via the terminal communication unit 35 (see FIG. 11). In this way, the audio playback player 30 creates at least a part of the learning progress related information Ia1a1 in the language learning content management system 1.

[0179] Next, the display screen of the audio playback player 30 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0180] 13 and 14, the audio playback player 30 (see FIG. 11) has a display screen 37 configured with a touch panel or the like having the functions of the terminal input unit 32, the terminal output unit 33, and the terminal operation unit 34. The display screen 37 has a character input field 37a which is the terminal input unit 32, an index information display field 37b and a text display field 37c which are the terminal output unit 33, and an operation field 37d which is the terminal operation unit 34.

[0181] The character input field 37a included in the terminal input unit 32 is a field where, for example, memos, answers, index information, Japanese sentences, English sentences, etc. are input by the learner La1. The index information display field 37b included in the terminal output unit 33 is a field where, for example, index information, audio information being played, example sentence information, the playback unit of the audio information, the playback position, etc. are displayed. The text display field 37c included in the terminal output unit 33 is a field where, for example, information included in the example sentence information, such as Japanese sentences, English sentences, words, explanations, comments, correct answers, figures, photos, etc. are displayed. The operation field 37d included in the terminal operation unit 34 is a field where buttons for operating the audio playback player 30 and performing various settings, etc. are displayed.

[0182] As shown in Fig. 13, when the language learning content Ca1 includes the audio information, the example sentence information, and the index information, the index information display field 37b displays, for example, the index information, the waveform of the audio information being played, the playback position of the audio information, the playback unit of the audio information, etc. The sentence display field 37c displays, for example, information such as English sentences included in the example sentence information and Japanese sentences corresponding thereto. The operation field 37d displays buttons for operating the audio playback player 30 and performing various settings, etc. The index information includes information that can identify the audio information, character information such as sentences and words related to the audio information, and information that identifies the playback unit 30a, which is a playback range that specifies the start and end points of playback in the audio information.

[0183] As shown in Fig. 14, when the language learning content Ca1 includes the example sentence information but does not include the audio information and the index information, no specific information is displayed in the index information display field 37b. The sentence display field 37c displays information such as Japanese sentences corresponding to English sentences included in the example sentence information. The operation field 37d displays buttons for operating the audio playback player 30 and performing various settings. When the example sentence information is played back by a synthetic voice playback function such as the audio playback player 30, it includes character information such as words and information for identifying a playback unit 30b, which is a playback range that specifies the start and end points to be played back by the synthetic voice playback function.

[0184] <Speaking ability assessment> Next, the fifth control C5, which is the judgment control of the speaking ability by the audio player 30, which is the terminal of the learner La1, will be described with reference to Fig. 15 and Fig. 16. It is assumed that the terminal control unit 36 ​​of the audio player 30 has received a signal from the learner La1 to select the speaking ability judgment mode. It is also assumed that the terminal control unit 36 ​​has acquired the learning progress related information Ia1a1 of the learner La1 from the language learning content management system 1.

[0185] 15, in step S510 of the fifth control C5, the terminal control unit 36 ​​of the audio playback player 30 displays at least one of the English sentence and the Japanese sentence, which is the subject sentence for the speaking ability assessment in the example sentence information included in the language learning content Ca1, in the sentence display field 37c. The terminal control unit 36 ​​then shifts the step to step S520.

[0186] In step S520, terminal control unit 36 ​​determines whether or not language learning content Ca1 includes audio information and index information of the English sentence that is the task sentence for the speaking ability assessment. As a result, when it is determined that the language learning content Ca1 includes the audio information and index information of the English sentence that is the task sentence for the speaking ability assessment, the terminal control unit 36 ​​transitions to step S530. On the other hand, if it is determined that the language learning content Ca1 does not contain the audio information and index information of the English sentence that is the test sentence for the speaking ability assessment, the terminal control unit 36 ​​ends the fifth control C5.

[0187] In step S530, the terminal control unit 36 ​​displays the reproduction unit of the index information in the task sentence for the speaking ability assessment and the waveform of the reproduced audio information in the index information display field 37b. The terminal control unit 36 ​​shifts the step to S540.

[0188] In step S540, when a signal to start judging speaking ability is input by learner La1 operating operation column 37d, the terminal control section 36 outputs voice based on the voice information of the English sentence through the terminal output section 33, and displays the playback position of the voice information in the index information display column 37b and in at least one of the English sentence and the Japanese sentence in the sentence display column 37c. The terminal control section 36 moves to step S550. It should be noted that the terminal control section 36 does not have to display the playback position in the English sentence and the Japanese sentence.

[0189] In step S550, the terminal control unit 36 ​​starts acquiring the learner voice information Iv of the learner La1. The terminal control unit 36 ​​then shifts the process to step S560.

[0190] In step S560, the terminal control unit 36 ​​ends the acquisition of the learner voice information Iv when the output of the voice information or the synthetic voice is completed by the terminal input unit 32. The terminal control unit 36 ​​shifts the process to step S570.

[0191] In step S570, the terminal control unit 36 ​​starts the match rate calculation control Z, and shifts the step to step S571 (see FIG. 16). When the match rate calculation control Z ends, the terminal control unit 36 ​​shifts the step to S580.

[0192] 16, in step S571, the terminal control unit 36 ​​starts the matching rate calculation control Z and calculates the matching rate between the output voice or synthetic voice and the learner voice information Iv. The terminal control unit 36 ​​then proceeds to step S572.

[0193] In step S572, the terminal control unit 36 ​​determines whether the calculated matching rate is within a reference value range. For example, the terminal control unit 36 ​​determines whether the calculated matching rate is within the reference value range of 95% to 105% (see FIG. 12). As a result, when it is determined that the calculated matching rate is within the range of the reference value, the terminal control unit 36 ​​shifts the step to step S573. On the other hand, if it is determined that the calculated match rate is not within the range of the reference value, the terminal control unit 36 ​​ends the match rate calculation control Z, and moves to step S580 (see FIG. 15).

[0194] In step S573, the terminal control unit 36 ​​increments the number of times that the matching rate in the corresponding playback unit fell within the range of the reference value by one, and records this in the learning progress related information Ia1a1 of the learner La1. The terminal control unit 36 ​​shifts the process to step S574.

[0195] In step S574, the terminal control unit 36 ​​determines whether the number of times the matching rate in the corresponding playback unit falls within the range of the reference value is a predetermined number of times. As a result, when it is determined that the number of times that the matching rate falls within the range of the reference value in the relevant playback unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined number of times, the terminal control unit 36 ​​shifts the step to step S575. On the other hand, if it is determined that the number of times that the matching rate in the relevant playback unit falls within the range of the reference value is not a predetermined number or more, the terminal control unit 36 ​​terminates the matching rate calculation control Z and transitions to step S580 (see FIG. 15).

[0196] In step S575, the terminal control unit 36 ​​outputs information to the terminal output unit 33 that the number of times the matching rate falls within the range of the reference value in the corresponding playback unit has reached a predetermined number of times and points will be awarded. The terminal control unit 36 ​​shifts the step to S576.

[0197] In step S576, the terminal control unit 36 ​​adds points for the corresponding playback unit and records the points in the learning progress related information Ia1a1 of the learner La1. The terminal control unit 36 ​​ends the match rate calculation control Z and shifts the step to S580 (see FIG. 15).

[0198] 15, in step S580, the terminal control unit 36 ​​outputs the learning progress related information Ia1a1 of the learner La1 to the language learning content management system 1. The terminal control unit 36 ​​ends the fifth control process C5.

[0199] The language learning content management system 1, which has received learning progress related information Ia1a1 including the assessment results of the speaking ability of learner La1 from the audio playback player 30, adds the learning progress related information Ia1a1 including the assessment results of the speaking ability of learner La1 to the learner folder l3a of learner La1.

[0200] In this way, the audio player program 20 causes the computer, which is a terminal of the language learning content management system 1, to function as an audio player 30, which is an audio player capable of evaluating the speaking of the learner La1 and has a terminal storage unit 31, a terminal input unit 32, a terminal output unit 33, a terminal communication unit 35, a terminal operation unit 34, and a terminal control unit 36. The audio player 30 outputs to the language learning content management system 1 the number of times that the matching rate between the audio information of the language learning content Ca1 and the learner's audio information Iv falls within the range of the reference value and the points acquired when the matching rate reaches a predetermined number of times. This allows the learner La1 to objectively grasp the evaluation of his / her speaking ability and the learning progress using the audio information contained in the language learning content Ca1, and to efficiently proceed with learning about speaking.

[0201] When the language learning content Ca1 includes index information, the audio player 30 judges the speaking ability by outputting audio information based on the index information. When the language learning content Ca1 does not include the index information, the audio player 30 judges the speaking ability by synthetic voice based on example sentence information. In other words, the audio player 30 can learn speaking and listening by outputting synthetic voice synthesized based on example sentence information, even for language learning content Ca1 that does not include the index information. In this way, the audio player 30 can automatically determine the configuration of the language learning content Ca1 and provide learning materials for speaking and listening using tools appropriate for the configuration of the language learning content Ca1.

[0202] In addition, by connecting the language learning content management system 1 and the audio playback player 30, the learner La1, the publisher Pa, and the school Sa can objectively grasp the learning situation of the learner La1 regarding his / her speaking ability based on the learner-related information Ia1.

[0203] [Embodiment 3] <Speaking and Listening Test Exemption System> A language learning content management system 1A according to embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described in embodiment 2 with reference to Figs. 17 to 20. Fig. 17 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the language learning content management system 1A according to embodiment 3 of the present invention. Fig. 18 is a control block diagram of the language learning content management system 1A. Fig. 19 is a schematic diagram showing adjustment of the difference in difficulty of the language learning content Ca1 used in the speaking and listening test exemption system. Fig. 20 is a flowchart of a sixth control C6 for applying for exemption from the speaking and listening test in the language learning content management system 1A.

[0204] As shown in Fig. 17, language learning content management system 1A is a system for judging speaking and listening ability in order to exempt candidates from speaking and listening tests in entrance examinations for junior high school, high school, university, etc. Language learning content management system 1A is configured to enable publishers Pa and Pb, which are language learning content providers, learners La1, La2, Lb1, and Lb2, which are language learning content users, schools Sa and Sb, which are organizations to which the language learning content users belong, and examination organizations, such as junior high school, high school, university, and graduate school, to which the language learning content users will take the exam, to acquire information related to the language learning content. In this embodiment, the examination organizations are universities Ua and Ub.

[0205] The language learning content management system 1A is configured in a server device. The server device is electrically connected to a terminal Tua of a university Ua and a terminal Tub of a university Ub by wire or wirelessly.

[0206] As shown in Figure 18, the language learning content management system 1A has a language learning content provider related information memory unit 11, an organization related information memory unit 12, a learner related information memory unit 13, a communication unit 14, a control unit 15, and an examination organization related information memory unit 16 within a server device.

[0207] The examination organization related information storage unit 16, which is a storage device of the server device, stores examination organization related information Iua, Iub for each university Ua, Ub. The examination organization related information Iua includes examination organization related information related to university Ua and designated language learning content related information related to language learning content designated by university Ua for judging speaking ability and listening ability. The examination organization related information Iub includes examination organization related information related to university Ub and designated language learning content related information related to language learning content designated by university Ub for judging speaking ability and listening ability. The examination organization related information Iua, Iub also includes assignments created by universities Ua, Ub. The examination organization related information Iua, Iub each have attribute information for a predetermined date and time.

[0208] The examination organization-related information includes the name, category, location, contact information, etc. of the examination organization. The designated language learning content-related information includes the provider, name, type, subject, difficulty level, serial number, etc. of the language learning content designated by the examination organization for assessing speaking ability and listening ability, as well as other examination organizations that designated the language learning content, the time of designation, etc.

[0209] The examination-organization-related information storage unit 16 has a university folder 16a, which is a storage area for storing information input from university Ua, and a university folder 16b, which is a storage area for storing information input from university Ub. When examination-organization-related information Iua is input from terminal Tua, the examination-organization-related information storage unit 16 stores it in the university folder 16a. When examination-organization-related information Iub is input from terminal Tub, the examination-organization-related information storage unit 16 stores it in the university folder 16b.

[0210] The control unit 15, which is a control device of the server device, manages the examination organization related information Iua and Iub. The control unit 15 stores various programs and data in order to control the examination organization related information storage unit 16, which is a storage device of the server device.

[0211] The control unit 15 is electrically connected to the examination-organization-related information storage unit 16. The control unit 15 is configured to be able to transmit and receive control signals and various information to and from the examination-organization-related information storage unit 16. The control unit 15 is also configured to be able to transmit and receive control signals and various information to and from external terminals, terminals Tua and Tub, via the communication unit 14.

[0212] When a predetermined date and time is reached, the control unit 15 classifies the examination organization related information Iua and Iub as past examination organization related information. The predetermined date and time can be set to any time, such as yearly, monthly, weekly, or daily.

[0213] The language learning content management system 1A is configured to be able to distinguish between the language learning content used during the past study period and the language learning content Ca1, Ca2, Cb1, Cb2 to be used during the study period after the study period change, for example, when the language learning contents Ca1, Ca2, Cb1, Cb2 to be used are changed due to a change in the examination period at universities Ua and Ub.

[0214] The control unit 15 is configured to output to each terminal information regarding the language learning content designated by universities Ua and Ub for assessing speaking and listening ability, based on language learning content provider-related information Ipa, Ipb, organization-related information Isa, Isb, learner-related information Ia1, Ia2, Ib1, Ib2, and examination organization-related information Iua, Iub.

[0215] The control unit 15 is configured to be able to output, to the terminal Tua of the university Ua, learning progress related information of the language learning content designated for judging the speaking and listening skills of the learners La1 and La2 who will be taking the exam for the university Ua, based on the language learning content provider related information Ipa, Ipb, the organization related information Isa, Isb, and the learner related information Ia1, Ia2, Ib1, Ib2. Similarly, the control unit 15 is configured to be able to output, to the terminal Tub of the university Ub, learning progress related information of the language learning content designated for judging the speaking and listening skills of the learners La1 and La2 who will be taking the exam for the university Ub.

[0216] The language learning content designated for judging speaking ability and listening ability is language learning content designated independently by each of universities Ua and Ub. In this embodiment, it is assumed that university Ua designates language learning content Ca1 for judging speaking ability and listening ability. It is assumed that university Ub designates language learning content Cb1 for judging speaking ability and listening ability. From the viewpoint of fairness in selection, it is desirable to designate at least three or more language learning contents for each category as the language learning content to be used for judging speaking ability and listening ability. Furthermore, universities Ua and Ub do not have to purchase the designated language learning content.

[0217] The language learning content used to assess speaking and listening ability is set for each category as a standard language learning content. The standard language learning content sets the number of times and points required to be exempted from the speaking and listening tests.

[0218] As shown in Fig. 19, the language learning content used to assess speaking ability and listening ability has a difficulty level (e.g., based on the deviation value of the university that specified the language learning content) set based on the difficulty level of the university that specified the same language learning content. In the language learning content Ca1 used to assess peaking ability and listening ability specified by the university Ua, the number of times of study, points, etc. required to be exempt from the speaking and listening tests are calculated by comparing the difficulty level of the standard language learning content with the difficulty level of the language learning content Ca1.

[0219] A learner La1 who is taking an exam for a university Ua acquires points based on the assessment of his / her speaking and listening ability using language learning content Ca1 designated by the university Ua, for example, through home study, etc. If the learner La1 acquires a predetermined number of studies and a predetermined number of points, for example, he / she is exempt from the speaking and listening tests when taking the exam for the university Ua.

[0220] The learner La1 may apply for exemption from the speaking and listening tests by using the results of the assessment of speaking and listening ability based on language learning content Ca2 other than the language learning content Ca1 designated by the university Ua. In this case, the number of points set in the language learning content Ca2 with a difficulty level of 65 is converted by comparing it with the difficulty level of the language learning content Ca1 with a difficulty level of 75. For example, 100 points acquired by the learner in the language learning content Ca2 with a difficulty level of 65 are converted to 70 points by comparing it with the difficulty level of the language learning content Ca1 with a difficulty level of 75.

[0221] If the converted points of learner La1 are not enough to apply for exemption, he / she can obtain points by continuing to use the language learning content Ca2 that he / she has been using up until now, subject to the conversion rate between the language learning content Ca1 with a difficulty level of 75 and the language learning content Ca2 with a difficulty level of 65. Also, if the converted points of learner La1 are not enough to apply for exemption, he / she can obtain points by using the language learning content Ca1 with a higher difficulty level.

[0222] <Speaking and Listening Test Exemption Application> Next, the sixth control C6, which is the control of an application for exemption from the speaking and listening tests in the university entrance exam, in the language learning content management system 1A will be specifically described with reference to FIG.

[0223] As shown in FIG. 20, in step S610 of the sixth control C6, when the control unit 15 receives a signal from the terminal Ta1 of the learner La1, who is an examinee at the university Ua, requesting designated language learning content related information related to the language learning content Ca1 designated by the university Ua for assessing speaking ability and listening ability, the control unit 15 transitions to step S620.

[0224] In step S620, the control unit 15 transmits the examination-organization related information Iua from the university folder 16a of the examination-organization related information storage unit 16 to the terminal Ta1 via the communication unit 14. The control unit 15 shifts the step to step S630.

[0225] Based on the examination organization related information Iua acquired from the language learning content management system 1A, the learner La1 judges his / her speaking and listening ability using the language learning content Ca1 by the audio player 30. Based on the examination organization related information Iua, the learner La1 judges his / her speaking and listening ability until a predetermined number of points reach the exemption criteria for the speaking and listening tests. The audio player 30 adds the judgment results of the speaking and listening ability to the learning progress related information Ia1a1 of the learner related information Ia1, and outputs it to the language learning content management system 1A.

[0226] In step S630, when learning progress related information Ia1a1 including the assessment results of speaking ability and listening ability in language learning content Ca1 is input from terminal Ta1 of learner La1, control unit 15 stores learning progress related information Ia1a1 in learner folder 13a of learner related information storage unit 13. Control unit 15 shifts the step to step S640.

[0227] In step S640, the control unit 15 transmits the learning progress related information Ia1a1 of the learner La1 who has applied for exemption from the speaking and listening tests from the learner folder 13a to the terminal Tua. The control unit 15 shifts the process to step S650.

[0228] The university Ua judges whether or not the learner La1 satisfies the exemption criteria for the speaking and listening tests based on the learning progress related information Ia1a1 of the learner La1 obtained from the language learning content management system 1A.

[0229] In step S650, when the control unit 15 acquires the judgment result of the exemption from the terminal Tua of the university Ua, it transmits the judgment result of the exemption application for the speaking and listening tests to the terminal Ta1 of the learner La1. That is, the control unit 15 notifies the terminal Ta1 of the learner La1 whether or not the speaking and listening tests can be exempted. The control unit 15 ends the sixth control C6.

[0230] The language learning content management system 1A configured in this manner links language learning content provider related information Ipa, Ipb, organization related information Isa, Isb, learner related information Ia1, Ia2, Ib1, Ib2, and examination organization related information Iua, Iub, and thereby can grasp the learning status of learners La1, La2, Lb1, Lb for each language learning content designated by publishers Pa, Pb, which are language learning content providers, schools Sa, Sb to which learners La1, La2, Lb1, Lb2 respectively belong, and universities Ua, Ub for assessing speaking and listening ability.

[0231] [Modification of the third embodiment] <Study progress and exam information display function> A language learning content management system 1A according to a modified example of embodiment 3 will be described with reference to Fig. 21 and Fig. 22. Fig. 21 shows a display screen for learning progress in the language learning content management system 1A according to embodiment 3 of the present invention. Fig. 22 shows a display screen for information related to a university in the language learning content management system 1A.

[0232] As shown in Fig. 21, when the language learning content management system 1A receives a signal from the learner La1 via the terminal Ta1 requesting the display of the learning progress related information Ia1a1, the language learning content management system 1A outputs to the terminal Ta1 information such as the name of the language learning content Ca1 being studied in each category included in the learning progress related information Ia1a1, the unit, study time, speaking ability, listening ability assessment results, ranking within the school Sa to which the learner belongs, ranking among all learners who use the language learning content Ca1, and the progress of the number of points acquired. The terminal Ta1 displays the information input from the language learning content management system 1A on the display screen of the terminal Ta1. The terminal Ta1 can also switch between various display screens.

[0233] 22, when the language learning content management system 1A receives a signal from the learner La1 requesting display of information related to a university via the terminal Ta1, for example, in the case where the learner-related information Ia1 of the learner La1 includes information about a school of choice, the language learning content management system 1A outputs to the terminal Ta1 information such as the name of the school of choice, the difficulty level, the number of points required to be exempted from the speaking and listening tests, and the currently acquired number of points, which are included in the learner-related information Ia1. The terminal Ta1 displays the information input from the language learning content management system 1A on a display screen or the like.

[0234] The language learning content management system 1A configured in this manner links language learning content provider-related information Ipa, Ipb, organization-related information Isa, Isb, learner-related information Ia1, Ia2, Ib1, Ib2, and examination organization-related information Iua, Iub, and is thereby able to grasp not only the current learning situation of learners La1, La2, Lb1, Lb2, but also the amount of learning required before they will be exempt from the speaking and listening tests at their desired schools.

[0235] <Other embodiments> In the above embodiment, a learner La1 belonging to a school Sa uses a language learning content Ca1 provided by the school Sa. However, if a learner belongs to multiple schools and the same language learning content is provided at each school, the learner may use the learning progress related information of the language learning content used at one school as learning progress related information at the other schools.

[0236] In the above-described embodiment, the audio playback player program 20 causes the computer to function as the audio playback player 30. However, the computer may include not only a personal computer but also a mobile terminal such as a tablet or a smartphone.

[0237] In the above embodiment, the audio player program 20 causes a computer to function as the audio player 30. However, the audio player program may cause a device dedicated to audio playback to function as the audio player. In the audio player, the audio player program displays, for example, the language learning content name as the album name, the playback unit name as the song name, and the start time and end time of the playback unit as the song time, among the index information of the language learning content.

[0238] In the above embodiment, when the language learning contents Ca1, Ca2, Cb1, and Cb2 have index information, the audio player 30 plays back the audio information using the index information, and when the language learning contents Ca1, Ca2, Cb1, and Cb2 do not have index information but have example sentence information, the audio player outputs synthetic voice using the example sentence information. However, the audio player may be an audio player having either one of the functions of playing back audio information based on index information and outputting synthetic voice based on example sentence information.

[0239] In the above embodiment, audio player 30 plays audio information using index information possessed by language learning contents Ca1, Ca2, Cb1, and Cb2. However, if the language learning contents do not have index information and the organization to which the learner belongs has index information for the language learning contents, audio player 30 may play audio information using index information possessed by the organization. Also, if the language learning contents and the organization to which the learner belongs do not have index information for the language learning contents and the learner has index information for the language learning contents, audio player 30 may play audio information using index information possessed by the learner.

[0240] In the above embodiment, the control unit 15 acquires learning progress related information Ia1a1 related to the progress of the language learning content Ca1 based on the learner-related information Ia1. The control unit 15 also acquires learning progress related information Iala2 related to the progress of the language learning content Ca1 based on the learner-related information Ia2. However, the control unit may transmit language learning content or index information according to each learner's academic ability and language learning progress to the learner's terminal based on each learner's learning progress related information.

[0241] In the above embodiment, the learner-related information Ia1, Ia2, Ib1, Ib2 includes identification information of the learners La1, La2, Lb1, Lb, language learning content-related information related to the language learning content that the learners La1, La2, Lb1, Lb are studying, and learning progress-related information related to the progress of the language learning content that the learners La1, La2, Lb1, Lb2 are studying. However, the learner-related information may also include information related to the learner's preferred school and learning progress-related information of the learner with respect to the group of examinees of the preferred school. The learner's terminal acquires the information related to the preferred school and the learning progress-related information of the learner with respect to the group of examinees of the preferred school.

[0242] In the above embodiment, the audio player 30 in which the audio player program 20 is installed judges the speaking ability based on the audio information of the language learning content and the learner's learner audio information Iv. However, the audio player in which the audio player program is installed may be configured to be able to judge not only the speaking ability but also the reading, writing, listening, etc. in the language learning content.

[0243] In the above embodiment, when the judgment result of the speaking ability of the learner La1 exceeds the reference value, the audio player 30 adds the number of times the reference value is exceeded or a predetermined number of points to the learning progress related information Ia1a1. However, the audio player 30 may accumulate points associated with the judgment of the reading ability, writing ability, and listening ability.

[0244] In the above embodiment, it is desirable that the audio player 30 displays a warning to the subject or judges the subject as failing if the result of the speaking ability judgment indicates a high possibility of some kind of cheating in the judgment. For example, if the reproduced audio information and the learner's audio information Iv have a 100% match rate three or more times in a row, the audio player 30 judges the subject as failing as some kind of cheating has occurred. The audio player 30 may also be configured to link the learner's ID and the learner's audio information to prevent cheating. If the user's audio information matches the audio information linked to the learner's ID, the audio player 30 recognizes the user as a learner to prevent cheating.

[0245] The above-mentioned embodiment is merely a representative embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the embodiment. Of course, the present invention can be embodied in various other forms, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, and includes the equivalent meanings of the claims and all modifications within the scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0246] 1. Language Learning Content Management System 11 Language learning content provider related information storage unit 11a, 11b Publisher Folder 12 Organization-related information storage section 12a, 12b School Folder 13 Learner-related information storage unit 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d Learner Folders 14 Communications Department 15 Control section 20 Audio player program 30 Audio Player 30a, 30b Regeneration Unit 31 Terminal memory section 32 Terminal input section 33 Terminal output section 34 Terminal operation unit 35 Terminal communication unit 36 Terminal control unit Pa, Pb Publisher Ca1, Ca2, Cb1, Cb2 language learning content Sa, Sb school La1, La2, Lb1, Lb2 learners Tpa, Tpb, Tsa, Tsb, Ta1, Ta2, Tb1, Tb2 terminals Ipa, Ipb, Ipc Language Learning Content Provider Related Information Isa, Isb organization related information Information for Ia1, Ia2, Ib1, Ib2 learners Ia1a1, Ia1b1 Learning progress information Ica1, All learning progress related information IV. Learner audio information

Claims

1. A language learning content management system that manages language learning content and the learning progress of a learner who studies using the language learning content, the language learning content management system does not include language learning content created by a provider of the language learning content management system; a language learning content provider related information storage unit that stores, for each language learning content provider, at least one language learning content provided by each of a plurality of language learning content providers, and language learning content provider related information including information on the language learning content provider and content recipient related information related to at least one organization that provided the language learning content; an organization-related information storage unit that stores, for each organization, organization-related information including information related to an organization to which at least one of the learners belongs, learner basic information of the learners who belong to the organization, and provided content-related information related to the language learning content to be provided to the learners who belong to the organization; a learner-related information storage unit that stores learner-related information for each learner, the learner's identification information, language learning content-related information related to the language learning content being studied by the learner, and learning progress-related information related to the progress of the language learning content being studied by the learner; a control unit that manages the language learning content, the language learning content provider-related information, the organization-related information, and the learner-related information; The control unit the system is configured to be able to output, to a terminal of the language learning content provider, learning progress-related information of a learner who is learning using language learning content provided by the language learning content provider, based on the language learning content provider-related information, the organization-related information, and the learner-related information; and a terminal device for outputting, to at least one of the terminal device of the organization and the terminal device of the learner, learning progress related information of a learner who is learning using language learning content provided by the organization to a learner belonging to the organization, and learning progress related information of an arbitrary range of learners who are learning using the same language learning content as the language learning content provided by the organization, based on the language learning content provider related information, the organization related information, and the learner related information. A language learning content management system.

2. 2. The language learning content management system according to claim 1, The control unit Identifying learners to whom the language learning content is to be provided by at least matching the content recipient-related information in the language learning content provider-related information storage unit with the learner-related information in the learner-related information storage unit; or Identifying learners to whom the language learning content is to be provided by matching at least the content-related information included in the organization-related information in the organization-related information storage unit with the basic information of the affiliated learners included in the organization-related information in the organization-related information storage unit; or Identifying learners to whom language learning content is to be provided by at least matching the content recipient-related information in the language learning content provider-related information storage unit with the organization-related information in the organization-related information storage unit; or Identifying learners to whom the language learning content is to be provided by matching at least the content-related information included in the organization-related information in the organization-related information storage unit with the learner-related information in the learner-related information storage unit; The language learning content can be output to the terminal of the identified learner. A language learning content management system.

3. 3. The language learning content management system according to claim 1, The control unit Identifying the learner who provided the language learning content by matching at least the content recipient related information in the language learning content provider related information storage unit with the learner related information in the learner related information storage unit; or Identifying the learner to whom the language learning content has been provided by matching at least the provided content related information included in the organization-related information in the organization-related information storage unit with the affiliated learner basic information included in the organization-related information in the organization-related information storage unit; or identifying the learner who provided the language learning content by matching at least the content recipient-related information in the language learning content provider-related information storage unit with the organization-related information in the organization-related information storage unit; or Identifying the learner to whom the language learning content has been provided by matching at least the provided content related information included in the organization-related information in the organization-related information storage unit with the learner-related information in the learner-related information storage unit; The learning progress related information of the language learning content can be output to at least one of a terminal of the language learning content provider, a terminal of the specified organization, and a terminal of the specified learner. A language learning content management system.

4. 3. The language learning content management system according to claim 1, The language learning content provider-related information, the organization-related information, and the learner-related information are: Each of the attribute information items has attribute information for a predetermined date and time. The control unit When the predetermined date and time is reached, the language learning content provider-related information, the organization-related information, and the learner-related information are classified as past language learning content, past language learning content provider-related information, past organization-related information, and past learner-related information. A language learning content management system.

5. 3. The language learning content management system according to claim 1, The language learning content includes: (a) and (b), A language learning content management system. (a) example sentence information including example sentences related to a language to be studied and identification information of the example sentences; (b) Index information including audio information related to a language to be learned, identification information for the audio information, and information related to a playback unit, which is a playback range specifying a start point and an end point for playback in the audio information.

6. 3. The language learning content management system according to claim 1, The control unit based on the language learning content provider-related information, the organization-related information, and the learner-related information, the system is configured to be able to output, to a terminal of an organization that conducts an entrance examination, learning progress-related information of a learner who is studying using language learning content designated by the organization that conducts the entrance examination; A language learning content management system that notifies a learner taking an entrance examination that at least part of the entrance examination can be exempted when the learner has a score equal to or higher than that specified by the organization administering the entrance examination in the language learning content specified by the organization administering the entrance examination and takes the entrance examination at the organization administering the entrance examination.

7. An audio player provided by a provider of the language learning content management system according to claim 1, a sharing platform that can play all of the language learning content provided by the plurality of language learning content providers, a voice playback function for playing back the voice of the language learning content, which has voice information related to a language to be learned, and index information including information capable of identifying the voice information and information identifying a playback unit, which is a playback range specifying a start point and an end point for playback in the voice information, based on the index information; and a synthetic voice playback function for playing back example sentence information of the language learning content, which does not have voice information but includes example sentences and information identifying the example sentences, by synthesized voice. Audio playback player.

8. 8. An audio player program for the audio player according to claim 7, Computer, a terminal storage unit that stores the language learning content; a terminal operation unit that outputs a signal to play or stop the playback of the audio information included in the language learning content and a signal to acquire the audio uttered by the learner; a terminal control unit including at least one of the following functions: if the language learning content selected by the learner has the index information, reproducing the audio information for each of the arbitrary reproducing units based on the index information, acquiring the speech uttered by the learner based on the reproduced audio information as learner speech information, and calculating the degree of agreement between the reproduced audio information and the learner speech information; and if the language learning content selected by the learner does not have the index information, outputting synthetic speech based on the example sentence information, acquiring the speech uttered by the learner based on the synthetic speech as learner speech information, and calculating the degree of agreement between the reproduced synthetic speech and the learner speech information; and functioning as an audio playback player having the The terminal control unit calculating the speaking ability of the learner based on the calculated match rate, and storing the calculated speaking ability as the learning progress related information in the learner related information storage unit of the language learning content management system; Audio player program.

9. 8. An audio player according to claim 7, a terminal storage unit that stores the language learning content; a terminal operation unit that outputs a signal to play or stop the playback of the audio information included in the language learning content and a signal to acquire the audio uttered by the learner; a terminal control unit including at least one of the following functions: if the language learning content selected by the learner has the index information, reproducing the audio information for each arbitrary reproducing unit based on the index information, acquiring the speech uttered by the learner based on the reproduced audio information as learner speech information, and calculating a match rate between the reproduced audio information and the learner speech information; and if the language learning content selected by the learner does not have the index information, outputting synthetic speech based on the example sentence information, acquiring the speech uttered by the learner based on the synthetic speech as learner speech information, and calculating a match rate between the reproduced synthetic speech and the learner speech information, The terminal control unit calculating the speaking ability of the learner based on the calculated match rate, and storing the calculated speaking ability as the learning progress related information in the learner related information storage unit of the language learning content management system; Audio playback player.

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