Community formation systems, community formation methods

Abstract

This system and method for forming communities provides a way to accurately understand the current status of participants and to set learning assignments in a timely and appropriate manner. [Solution] A server S comprising a management unit 10 for managing the learning of learners and a storage unit 20 for storing learning information related to learning for learners, wherein the management unit 10 comprises an information acquisition unit 101 for acquiring various information, a task generation unit 102 for generating learner task information related to learners' tasks based on learner status information related to the learners' current status from the acquired various information, a learning information selection unit 103 for selecting learning information to be provided to the learners based on the learner task information, a permission granting unit 104 for granting learners permission to access learning information, a learning information distribution unit 105 for distributing learning information to learners based on the permission granting unit, and an information update unit 106 for updating the learner status information after the distribution of learning information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a community formation system and a community formation method for forming a community that promotes the growth of learners who learn through interaction with third parties.

Background Art

[0002] In the conventional lecture-based learning method, learners select desired lectures, and the instructor in charge of the lectures gives lectures unidirectionally in various forms such as face-to-face in a classroom, online remote, or streaming distribution. And even if the selection of lectures by the learners is voluntary and it is also possible to consult a third party including the provider of the lectures when making the above selection, it is not certain whether the selected lectures are appropriate or whether the learners themselves are convinced.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a system for exchanging lecture contents and related information between unconnected instructors and students, and the instructor uses these to interact with one or more unconnected students, send lecture files including lecture notes, textbooks, cited documents, and lecture materials of the lecture, receive questions and inputs from students, and conduct a participatory class discussion using an electronic network such as the Internet (see paragraph "0033").

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, even in Patent Document 1, there is a risk that the solution to the learning challenges of students and other participants may not be appropriate. In other words, the above solution may only be a temporary fix for the participants, and to put it another way, the above solution should differ depending on the participant's current situation, such as whether the above challenge is transient or persistent, but if the above situation is not accurately taken into account, the above solution may be inappropriate.

[0006] Setting appropriate and timely learning assignments requires accurately understanding the current state of the learners. To meet this prerequisite, objective opinions and judgments from parties other than the learners themselves may be necessary, rather than relying solely on the learners' abilities and personalities. In other words, setting appropriate and timely assignments is essential for learners to grow through their studies, and a system that allows for an objective understanding of not only the learners' current state but also their abilities and personalities is effective in setting these assignments.

[0007] Furthermore, solving the above problems requires optimizing the types, content, and number of learning materials. For example, even if two students have the same assignment, the materials may solve one student's assignment but not the other. However, if there are too many materials available for students to choose from, it may actually hinder the resolution of the above problems. Therefore, a system that allows for constant optimization of the materials is effective.

[0008] Furthermore, objective evaluation of learning outcomes is necessary to sustain and improve learners' motivation. For example, while learning progress and relative rankings compared to other learners are used as evaluation tools, there is a risk that these factors may actually decrease learners' motivation. Therefore, a system that allows learners to contribute to the growth of other learners according to their learning outcomes is effective, as it not only satisfies learners' need for recognition but also helps prevent forgetting and solidifies their memory.

[0009] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a community formation system and community formation method that include school-type elements, which can accurately grasp the current status of participants and set learning tasks in a timely and appropriate manner, optimize teaching materials that contribute to solving tasks set in a timely and appropriate manner for participants, and satisfy participants' need for recognition, which contributes to the sustained and improved motivation to learn. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In other words, the present invention is a community formation system that forms a community of learners engaged in learning via a computer, comprising: a management unit for managing the learners' learning; and a storage unit for storing learning information related to the learners' learning, wherein the management unit comprises: an information acquisition unit for acquiring various types of information; a task generation unit for generating learner task information related to the learners' tasks based on the learner status information related to the learners' current status from the acquired various types of information; a learning information selection unit for selecting learning information to be provided to the learners based on the learner task information; a permission granting unit for granting the learners permission to access the learning information; a learning information distribution unit for distributing the learning information to the learners based on the permission granted; and an information update unit for updating the learner status information after the distribution of the learning information.

[0011] It is desirable that the above-mentioned information acquisition unit acquires supporter judgment information regarding the supporter's decision to assist the above-mentioned participant based on the above-mentioned participant status information, and that the above-mentioned task generation unit generates the above-mentioned participant task information based on the above-mentioned supporter judgment information.

[0012] If the above information acquisition unit is unable to generate the above student assignment information based on the above student status information and the above supporter judgment information, it is desirable that at least the above supporter judgment information is used to acquire instructor guidance information regarding the guidance of the instructor who instructs the above student, and that the above assignment generation unit generates the above student assignment information based on the above instructor guidance information.

[0013] The community formation system described above includes a learning information addition unit that adds the learning information based on the participant assignment information, and it is desirable that the learning information addition unit adds the learning information and stores it in the storage unit when the number of participant assignments that are equal to or similar to the number of participants reaches a predetermined value.

[0014] Preferably, the community formation system includes a provider evaluation unit that evaluates the provider of the learning information based on the learning status of the learners, the information acquisition unit acquires learning status information regarding the learning status, and the provider evaluation unit aggregates the learning status information and evaluates the provider when it reaches a predetermined value.

[0015] Preferably, the community formation system includes a participant evaluation unit that evaluates participants based on the participant status information, the participant evaluation unit aggregates the participant status information and evaluates the participant's rank according to predetermined conditions, and the permission granting unit grants the access permission based on the rank.

[0016] Furthermore, the present invention is a community formation method for forming a community of learners engaged in learning via a computer, comprising the steps of: acquiring various information; generating learner task information relating to the learners' tasks based on learner status information relating to the learners' current status from the acquired various information; selecting learning information to be provided to the learners based on the learner task information; granting the learners permission to access the learning information; distributing the learning information to the learners based on the permission; and updating the learner status information after the distribution of the learning information.

[0017] In the step of acquiring the various information described above, it is desirable to obtain supporter judgment information regarding the supporter's decision to assist the participant based on the participant's current status information, and in the step of generating the assignment information described above, it is desirable to generate the participant assignment information based on the supporter judgment information described above.

[0018] In the step of acquiring the above-mentioned various information, if it is not possible to generate the above-mentioned student assignment information based on the above-mentioned student status information and the above-mentioned supporter judgment information in the step of generating the above-mentioned assignment information, it is desirable to acquire at least the instructor guidance information regarding the guidance of the instructor who will be guiding the above-mentioned student based on the above-mentioned supporter judgment information, and then generate the above-mentioned student assignment information based on the above-mentioned instructor guidance information in the step of generating the above-mentioned assignment information.

[0019] The above community formation method includes the step of adding learning information based on the above student assignment information, and in the step of adding learning information, it is desirable that, for the number of students, if the same student assignment information for each student reaches a predetermined value, the learning information is added and stored.

[0020] The above community formation method preferably includes a step of evaluating the provider of the learning information based on the learning status of the learners, and in the step of acquiring the various information, learning status information regarding the learning status is acquired, and in the step of evaluating the provider of the learning information, the learning status information is aggregated and the provider is evaluated when it reaches a predetermined value.

[0021] The above community formation method preferably includes a step of evaluating the participants based on the above participant status information, wherein in the step of evaluating the participants, the participant's rank is evaluated according to predetermined conditions set by aggregating the above participant status information, and in the step of granting access permissions, access permissions are granted based on the above rank. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] According to the present invention, it is possible to accurately grasp the current situation of the learner, timely and appropriately set problems related to learning, realize the optimization of teaching materials that contribute to the solution of problems timely and appropriately set for the learner, and realize the satisfaction of the learner's approval desire that contributes to the maintenance and improvement of learning motivation, and obtain a community formation system and a community formation method including school-type elements.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] [Figure 1] This is an example of a community formed by the community formation system in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a system configuration diagram of the above community formation system. [Figure 3] This is a conceptual diagram of the server constituting the above community formation system. [Figure 4] This is a flowchart for explaining the operation by the above community formation system. <� [Figure 5] This is a flowchart for explaining the operation by the above community formation system. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart for explaining the operation by the above community formation system. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart for explaining the operation by the above community formation system. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart for explaining the operation by the above community formation system.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0024] First, while referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the configuration of a community formation system (hereinafter also referred to as "this community formation system") in an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0025] <Overview of This Community Formation System> As shown in Figure 1, this community-building system forms a community (hereinafter simply referred to as "community") of learners (hereinafter simply referred to as "learners") who are engaged in a prescribed learning program, via computer. It provides learners with learning information and promotes their growth through relationships with third parties other than themselves. The ratio of learners to the aforementioned third parties in the community may be one to one, one to two or more, two or more to one, or two or more to two or more. The community formed by this community-building system may also be referred to as a "school-type community" or "community-type school."

[0026] Participants are welcome to join any program, provided they are committed to learning and fit the community; for example, they are not limited by gender, age, nationality, address, grade level, educational background, or work experience. Participants may take one or more courses belonging to a given category, or one or more courses belonging to different categories.

[0027] The aforementioned third parties include, for example, other students other than the student themselves, supporters who assist students (hereinafter simply referred to as "supporters"), instructors who guide students (hereinafter simply referred to as "instructors"), and providers who provide learning information to students (hereinafter simply referred to as "providers"). Any of these attributes are acceptable as long as they relate to the student's learning, and are not limited to, for example, gender, age, nationality, address, grade level, educational background, or work experience.

[0028] A supporter is someone who, for example, identifies learning problems based on the student's current situation and presents tasks that the student should solve based on those problems. In other words, compared to instructors or providers, they have a relatively closer emotional connection with the student, are the best person for the student to confide in about their learning concerns within the community, act as a caretaker who contributes to the student's growth, and are like a buddy, brother, or sister to the student. Ideally, there should be one supporter per student.

[0029] An instructor is, for example, an expert in each area of ​​learning that the students are working on, primarily someone who facilitates the students' growth in the aforementioned learning, advises the supporter who presents the tasks that the students need to solve, and may also present the tasks to the students with the supporter in mind, and may possess the professional skills of a supporter, acting as a mentor to the students, and there may be one or more instructors per student.

[0030] The provider may be, for example, an instructor responsible for lectures that students select as learning information, or the main person in charge of planning the lectures and creating content such as animations and audio as learning information, and may also be responsible for determining the quality of the learning information, and may possess the functions of a supporter and / or instructor.

[0031] The learning content that participants engage in and the learning information provided to participants mainly consists of content for working professionals, such as business management including organizational management, leadership, and project management; strategic theory including marketing, branding, and customer acquisition; languages ​​such as English, Chinese, and other foreign languages; finance including financial management, investment strategy, and accounting; IT skills such as data analysis, security, and cloud computing; creative skills such as graphic design, web design, and product design; communication skills such as presentation, negotiation, and sales; and legal matters such as business contracts, labor law, and intellectual property law. However, it also includes courses mainly in academic fields such as natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, applied sciences, arts, and integrated sciences that supplement or develop these contents, as well as courses related to qualifications such as lawyers, tax accountants, certified public accountants, social insurance labor consultants, and patent attorneys, and any of the generally offered content related to professional skills, abilities, skill development, and qualification acquisition.

[0032] Learning information includes the instructor or producer of the learning information, the recording or production date, playback time, title, series, category, and a summary of the content, and may also include additional information suitable for classification.

[0033] The learning methods that participants engage in may be based on one or more of the following methods: formal learning, which mainly consists of learning in general educational institutions; informal learning, which mainly consists of learning in daily life and at work; self-study, which mainly consists of setting and learning independently; collaborative learning, which mainly consists of working together in groups; blended learning, which combines face-to-face and online learning; experiential learning, which mainly consists of learning through actual experiences; continuing learning, which mainly consists of learning throughout one's life; flipped learning, which reverses the roles of classroom and home learning; adaptive learning, which adjusts the content to suit the participants; problem-solving learning, which mainly consists of solving real-world problems; reflective learning, which involves introspection on learning experiences; game-based learning, which mainly consists of learning using games; social learning, which mainly consists of learning through interaction and observation with others; meta-learning, which mainly consists of self-regulation of the learning process; and inclusive learning, which includes creating an environment that accommodates diverse learners.

[0034] The educational formats that provide learning opportunities for participants may be based on one or more of the following formats: vocational education focusing on skills and knowledge necessary for a specific occupation; adult education focusing on reskilling for adults; continuing education focusing on improving professional skills and obtaining qualifications; informal education focusing on natural learning in daily life and the workplace; online education focusing on remote learning via the internet; special education tailored to specific needs and circumstances; experiential learning focusing on learning through actual experience; remedial education focusing on supplementing deficiencies in basic academic skills; moral education focusing on ethics, values, and social responsibility; civic education focusing on the role of society, politics, and the public; bilingual education conducted using two languages; environmental education focusing on environmental issues and sustainable societies; and inclusive education aiming for all participants to learn in the same environment.

[0035] As shown in Figure 1, in a community consisting of, for example, one student, one supporter, and three instructors, the student selects and learns learning information through communication with at least the supporter, and then again through communication with the supporter, and depending on the situation, through communication with each of the instructors, selecting and learning information. This cycle is repeated, promoting the student's growth, and as the student grows, the number and variety of learning information available to them also increases.

[0036] Participants in a designated community may also be participants in other communities, supporters, instructors, or providers of learning information. New communities may be formed by existing designated communities, and there is no limit to the number of communities with which relationships can be established. Communities may set rules regarding the disclosure and non-disclosure of designated information to other communities, and may share these rules with other communities.

[0037] <Relationship between this community building system and hardware> This community formation system is composed of one or more computers and may be formed by appropriately combining hardware such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), and NPU (Neural Network Processing Unit) that perform calculations on electronic information {e.g., software such as OS (Operating System), middleware, firmware, and applications, programs that execute these, and other text, still images, videos, and sounds} and process instructions to each hardware; auxiliary storage devices such as hard disks and SSDs that store electronic information; temporary storage devices that temporarily store the above electronic information in accordance with the control of the CPU, etc.; communication devices such as RF chips, baseband chips, and other communication modules; input devices such as keyboards, mice, touch panels, microphones, cameras, voice recorders, and sensors; output devices such as displays, printers, speakers, and headphones; power supply devices such as batteries; and drive devices such as motors. Each piece of hardware may be interconnected via input / output interfaces such as buses and USB.

[0038] A computer can be, for example, a server, a personal computer, a smartphone, or a tablet, but it may also consist only of the microprocessor mentioned above. The type, number, and size of hardware and software installed in a computer may be determined as appropriate depending on the application and specifications. Each of two or more computers is interconnected via a communication network through an input / output interface or communication equipment, or it may be connected by other means. The communication network may be, for example, the Internet, an intranet, an extranet, a LAN, a CATV communication network, a VPN, a telephone line, a mobile communication network, or a satellite communication network. The transmission medium constituting the communication network may be wired, such as IEEE 1394, power line carriers, or telephone lines, or wireless, such as IrDA, Bluetooth®, IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi, etc.), a mobile phone network, a satellite link, or a terrestrial digital network. Each computer may send and receive electronic information to and from each other via the communication network through communication equipment.

[0039] As shown in Figure 1, this community formation system consists of a server S and information processing terminals C, such as personal computers and smartphones, that communicate with server S via a communication network N. It is a type of system that includes various types of systems, such as client-server systems, web application systems, and cloud computing systems. Server S has the functions of a typical server, such as a web server, cloud server, and mail server, but it is designed to be able to acquire any missing functions as needed, and it may also be a source of SaaS (Software as a Service) or LMS (Learning Management System) for information processing terminals C.

[0040] Server S is owned and / or managed by the operator of this community formation system or an affiliate of the said operator, in other words, it may be owned by a third-party organization other than the operator of this community formation system, and in this case it may be remotely controlled via the communication network N by another server or information processing terminal (not shown) owned and / or managed by the said operator. Information processing terminal C is owned and / or managed by individuals or organizations such as designated groups or corporations related to this community formation system, such as students, supporters who assist students, instructors who guide students, and providers including lecturers and producers who provide learning information for students.

[0041] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the server S comprises at least a management unit 10 for managing the community formation system, a storage unit 20 for storing electronic information related to the community formation system, and an unnumbered communication unit for communicating with computers related to the community formation system, including an information processing terminal C, via a communication network N. It may also further comprise an unnumbered input unit that accepts predetermined inputs from persons with management authority, including the operator of the community formation system, as instructions to the management unit 10, and an unnumbered output unit that outputs predetermined information processed by the various functions of the management unit 10.

[0042] <Details of Management Department 10> The management unit 10 is a CPU that performs calculations for predetermined operations related to the server S, but it may also be a program installed on the CPU, and it controls a series of operations performed from the startup to the shutdown of this community formation system, and it may also control requests from other parts including the storage unit 20 and the communication unit.

[0043] As shown in Figure 3, the management unit 10 includes an information acquisition unit 101, a task generation unit 102, a learning information selection unit 103, a permission granting unit 104, a learning information distribution unit 105, an information update unit 106, a learning information addition unit 107, a provider evaluation unit 108, and a student evaluation unit 109, and is designed to be able to incorporate other functions as needed.

[0044] <Details of Information Acquisition Unit 101> The information acquisition unit 101 acquires various types of information via the information processing terminal C, such as basic participant information necessary for community participation, including participant attributes and desired learning content; participant status information regarding the current status of the learning; supporter judgment information regarding the supporter's decision to support the participant based on the participant status information; instructor guidance information regarding the guidance provided by the instructor who guides the participant based on the supporter judgment information; and learning status information regarding the participant's learning progress. In addition to these, the information acquisition unit 101 may also acquire various other types of information necessary for community formation and participant growth. The information acquisition unit 101 may store the acquired information in the storage unit 20.

[0045] The timing at which the information acquisition unit 101 acquires the various types of information described above is when the various types of information described above are input and transmitted from the information processing terminal C, but it may also be when the various types of information stored in the storage unit 20 after transmission are retrieved as needed or periodically.

[0046] The participant's current status information includes, for example, the history of selected learning information, whether the learning information has been completed or not, the progress made in the incomplete learning information, the time taken to complete the learning information, the level of understanding upon completion of the learning information, and the knowledge and skills acquired by the participant based on the learning information. It may also include qualitative or quantitative information about the participant's current status that can objectively assess their progress.

[0047] Supporter judgment information includes, for example, the supporter's knowledge, experience, and skills as a basis, the participant's current situation information, the participant's progress, strengths, weaknesses, learning information to be selected, a plan for engaging with the above learning information, and the instructors the participant should consult and the content of those consultations. It may also include other qualitative or quantitative information necessary for the participant's growth.

[0048] Instructor guidance information includes, for example, the instructor's knowledge, experience, and skills, and based at least on the supporter's judgment information mentioned above, the learner's progress, strengths, weaknesses, learning information to be selected, a plan for engaging with the learning information, the content of communication between the learner and the supporter, and advice to the supporter. It may also include other qualitative or quantitative information necessary for the learner's growth.

[0049] Course attendance information is linked to each piece of learning information and includes the total number of times courses were taken, the frequency of courses taken within a specified period, the course completion rate, the course non-completion rate, the time taken to complete the course, the course evaluation by the student after the course, the number of tests and / or reports submitted, the number of repeats, and the repeat rate. It may also include other qualitative or quantitative information that contributes to the evaluation of the learning information.

[0050] <Details of the problem generation unit 102> The task generation unit 102 generates student task information related to the student's tasks based on the student's current status information acquired by the information acquisition unit 101. However, it may also generate student task information based on the supporter judgment information acquired by the information acquisition unit 101, or based on the instructor guidance information acquired by the information acquisition unit 101. The task generation unit 102 may also store the generated student task information in the storage unit 20.

[0051] The timing at which the task generation unit 102 generates participant task information is when it receives an instruction from the information processing terminal C to generate participant task information, but it may also be when it recognizes participant status information, supporter judgment information, or instructor guidance information stored in the memory unit 20 through periodic checks.

[0052] Student assignment information includes, for example, the content of the learning that students should undertake, the learning information that students should select, and information about the learning plans made by students. It may also include qualitative or quantitative information about the actions students will take to bridge the gap between their current situation and their desired state (goal).

[0053] <Details of Learning Information Selection Department 103> The learning information selection unit 103 selects learning information to be provided to learners based on the learner assignment information generated by the assignment generation unit 102. In doing so, it may search for additional information in the learning information stored in the storage unit 20 using predetermined keywords, and may ultimately select one or more learning information from two or more selectable options through the search.

[0054] <Details of the Permit Granting Department 104> The permission granting unit 104 grants the learner permission to access the learning information selected by the learning information selection unit 103. In other words, the learner cannot access learning information for which permission is not granted by the permission granting unit 104, but may recognize the existence of such learning information by searching for additional information in the learning information using predetermined keywords. The timing of when the permission granting unit 104 grants the permission to the learner permission is immediately after the learning information selection unit 103 makes the selection, but it may also be after a predetermined time has elapsed as arbitrarily set. The permission granting unit 104 sends a message to at least the learner's information processing terminal C indicating that the granting of the permission has been completed, but it may also send a message to the supporter's or instructor's information processing terminal C.

[0055] The permission granting unit 104 may grant the above access permission permanently, but may also set it to be revoked at any date and time, may notify the student of the date and time set, may revoke the setting when certain conditions are met, such as when the student completes taking the learning information, or may grant or revoke the above access permission according to the student's rank, for example, granting new access permission when the student ranks up and revoking previously granted access permission when the student ranks down.

[0056] <Details of Learning Information Distribution Unit 105> The learning information distribution unit 105 distributes learning information to the learner's information processing terminal C based on the permission granted by the permission granting unit 104. In other words, learners can access the learning information stored in the storage unit 20 after the permission is granted, and they will no longer be able to access the learning information when the permission is revoked. The learning information distribution unit 105 may also notify learners of the remaining days and time until the end of distribution, calculated backward from the date and time when the permission is revoked.

[0057] <Details of Information Update Unit 106> The information update unit 106 updates the student status information after the learning information distribution unit 105 has distributed the learning information. Specifically, it updates at least the history of the selected learning information and the date and time the learning information was distributed. Depending on the student's learning status, it may also update other information included in the student status information.

[0058] <Details of Learning Information Addition Section 107> The learning information addition unit 107 adds learning information based on the student assignment information. Specifically, when a predetermined number of student assignments from each student reach the same or similar number relative to the number of students, the unit adds learning information and stores it in the memory unit 20. In other words, the learning information addition unit 107 distinguishes between learning information stored in the memory unit 20 and learning information that is not stored. It may also evaluate the learning information based on the number of student assignments that are not stored but are stored in the memory unit 20 as learning information that should be selected by multiple students. If the unit determines that the learning information that has reached a predetermined number is of higher value, it adds the learning information to the memory unit 20 and stores it. Whether student assignment information from different students is similar may be determined by the presence or absence of predetermined keywords or by the agreement or disagreement of the meanings of the words.

[0059] <Details of Provider Evaluation Unit 108> The provider evaluation unit 108 evaluates the provider of the learning information based on the learning status of the learners. Specifically, it aggregates the learning status information acquired by the information acquisition unit 101, and evaluates the provider if it reaches a predetermined value. In other words, the provider evaluation unit 108 sets thresholds for the learning status information associated with each piece of learning information stored in the memory unit 20, for example, the total number of times the learning was completed and the frequency of completion based on the number of times the learning was completed within a predetermined period. If either of these thresholds is reached, the provider evaluation unit 108 may award points to the instructor or producer of the learning information corresponding to the learning status information, for example, to quantitatively indicate their contribution to community building. The provider evaluation unit 108 checks whether the thresholds set for the learning status information have been achieved or not, either continuously or periodically. For example, if at least one of the thresholds is achieved, the provider of the learning information may be notified of this fact.

[0060] <Details of Participant Evaluation Section 109> The participant evaluation unit 109 evaluates participants based on their current status information, specifically by evaluating their rank according to predetermined conditions. In other words, the participant evaluation unit 109 aggregates the participant status information stored in the memory unit 20, sets qualitative and / or quantitative predetermined conditions for, for example, the level of understanding upon completion of the learning information and the knowledge and skills acquired by the participant based on the learning information, and evaluates the participant by raising their rank in the community if they exceed the predetermined conditions, and lowering their rank if they fall below the conditions.

[0061] A rank refers to a division of roles within a community, such as student, supporter, or instructor. Students could be the lowest rank, instructors the highest, and each role could have multiple rank levels from lowest to highest.

[0062] <Details of Memory Unit 20> The memory unit 20 is an auxiliary storage device that stores various information related to this community formation system, but it may also be a temporary storage device that stores the above information in accordance with the control of the management unit 10. The memory unit 20 may perform processes such as storing, retrieving, deleting, and updating the various information in accordance with instructions from the management unit 10. The memory unit 20 as an auxiliary storage device may employ one or more of the following formats: relational database, NoSQL database, object-oriented database.

[0063] <Supplementary information regarding the communication, input, and output sections> The communication unit, input unit, and output unit are the communication equipment, input equipment, and output equipment described above, respectively, and may be adopted depending on the situation.

[0064] Next, referring to the above, we will explain how this community formation system works for a community like the one shown in Figure 1.

[0065] <Basic Operation Description> As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the information acquisition unit 101 acquires the learner's current status information (step S10a), the task generation unit 102 generates learner task information based on the acquired learner status information (step S10b), the learning information selection unit 103 selects learning information based on the generated learner task information (step S10c), the permission granting unit 104 grants access permission to the learner for the selected learning information (step S10d), the learning information distribution unit 105 distributes the learning information to the learner based on the access permission granted to the learner (step S10e), and the information update unit 106 updates the learner's current status information after the distribution of the learning information (step S10f).

[0066] This community-building system's configuration and operation allow learners to set learning tasks in a timely and appropriate manner through the community, thereby increasing the likelihood of growth; enabling them to select learning information that contributes to their growth, thus eliminating doubts and anxieties about learning; allowing them to access only learning information that they are granted permission to receive, thus avoiding learning indigestion; and facilitating sharing within the community by allowing users to check the latest learner status in response to the distribution of learning information. As a result, it is easier to provide a two-way learning style compared to traditional one-way learning styles such as attending schools or courses.

[0067] <Detailed flow of student assignment information> As shown in Figures 3 to 5, after acquiring participant status information in step S10a of Figure 4, it is determined whether or not support is provided by a supporter based on the acquired participant status information (step S20a). If such support is provided, the information acquisition unit 101 acquires the supporter's supporter judgment information (step S20b). Based on the acquired supporter judgment information, the task generation unit 102 determines whether or not participant task information can be generated (step S20c). If generation is not possible, it is determined whether or not guidance is provided by an instructor based on the acquired supporter judgment information (step S20d). If such guidance is provided, the information acquisition unit 101 acquires the instructor's instructor guidance information (step S20e). Finally, the task generation unit 102 generates participant task information based on the acquired instructor guidance information (step 10b).

[0068] If there is no support from the supporter in step S20a, the task generation unit 102 generates participant task information based on the acquired participant status information in accordance with the participant's instructions or automated processing by a predetermined program (step S10b). If it is possible to generate participant task information in step S20c, the task generation unit 102 generates participant task information based on the acquired supporter judgment information (step S10b). If there is no guidance from the instructor in step 20d, the information acquisition unit 101 acquires new supporter judgment information again (step S20b).

[0069] With this configuration and operation, learner assignment information can be generated not only based on the judgment of supporters, who are third parties within the community, but also, when necessary, based on the guidance information of instructors. As a result, learners can set highly credible assignments after reviewing them with third parties, and they can also reset their assignments as many times as needed, taking into account the judgments of supporters and instructors, which is expected to improve learners' satisfaction with their learning.

[0070] <Detailed steps for adding learning information> As shown in Figures 3 and 6, the learning information addition unit 107 aggregates student assignment information for multiple students stored in the storage unit 20 (step S30a), and determines whether the total number of equal or similar student assignment information reaches a predetermined number as a condition for adding new learning information (step S30b). If the condition is met, new learning information suitable for solving the problems in the student assignment information is added and stored in the storage unit 20 (step S30c). If the condition is not met, the student assignment information for multiple students is aggregated again (step S30a).

[0071] With this configuration and operation, the reason for the need to add learning information is not due to the convenience of the community administrators, but rather the abundance of issues based on problems faced by multiple students, that is, the visible latent learning needs of students. Therefore, it is easier to archive multiple high-quality learning materials without having to obtain active requests for additional learning information from students, such as through the collection of surveys, and an improvement in the value of the community can be expected.

[0072] <Detailed flow of provider evaluation> As shown in Figures 3 and 7, the information acquisition unit 101 acquires information on the participants' participation status (step S40a), the provider evaluation unit 108 aggregates the participation status information stored in the storage unit 20 (step S40b), and whether or not the aggregated participation status information has reached a predetermined value is used as an evaluation condition for the provider (step S40c). If the evaluation condition is met, the provider is evaluated, for example, by awarding contribution points to community building to the provider (step S40d), and if the evaluation condition is not met, the participant's participation status information is aggregated again (step S40b).

[0073] With this configuration and operation, the reason for evaluating providers is not based on unclear evaluations by students or the convenience of community administrators, but rather on learning status information that can serve as evidence that students are unconsciously judging the quality of learning information. Therefore, evaluations are not biased towards formal evaluations such as appearance, but rather on substantive and essential aspects such as the quality of the lecture content and actual learning progress, which can be expected to contribute to the growth of providers and the maintenance and improvement of their motivation.

[0074] <Detailed flow of participant evaluation> As shown in Figures 3 and 8, the student evaluation unit 109 aggregates the student status information stored in the memory unit 20 (step S50a), and determines whether the aggregated student status information meets predetermined conditions as the student evaluation condition (step S50b). If the evaluation condition is met, for example, the student's rank is upgraded to supporter or instructor (step S50c), and the permission granting unit 104 grants access to learning information corresponding to the upgraded rank (step S50d). On the other hand, if the evaluation condition is not met, it is determined whether the student meets the conditions for rank demotion (step S50e). If the student meets the conditions for demotion, for example, the rank of a student who has already achieved the rank of supporter in another community is downgraded back to student only (step S50f), and the permission granting unit 104 revokes access permission corresponding to the downgraded rank (step S50g). If the student does not meet the conditions for demotion, the student status information is aggregated again (step S50a).

[0075] With this structure and operation, by ranking participants up to supporter or instructor, participants can share the knowledge and experience they gain during their growth process with other participants, and they can also contribute to the revitalization of multiple communities. This makes it easier for participants' need for recognition to be satisfied, and in addition, by making participants aware of the possibility of being downgraded, it is expected that participants will be able to solidify their learning habits and improve their motivation to grow.

[0076] This embodiment is not limited to the above-described content and includes any system configuration, hardware, software, function, method, and their interrelationships, as long as equivalent effects can be obtained. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] S Server C Information Processing Terminal N Communication Network 10 Management Department 101 Information Acquisition Department 102 Assignment generation section 103 Learning Information Selection Department 104 Permit Granting Department 105 Learning Information Distribution Department 106 Information Update Department 107 Learning Information Addition Section 108 Provider Evaluation Department 109 Participant Evaluation Department 20 Memory section

Claims

1. A community formation system that uses computers to create a community of students engaged in learning, The management department manages the learning of the aforementioned students, It comprises a storage unit for storing learning information related to the learning of the aforementioned students, The aforementioned management department, Information acquisition unit that acquires various types of information, A task generation unit generates task information relating to the tasks of the participant based on the participant status information relating to the participant's current status among the various information acquired, A learning information selection unit that selects the learning information to be provided to the student based on the student assignment information, A permission granting unit that grants the student permission to access the learning information, A learning information distribution unit that distributes the learning information to the learner based on the aforementioned access permission, The system includes an information update unit that updates the student status information after the distribution of the learning information. Community building system.

2. The information acquisition unit acquires supporter judgment information regarding the decision of the supporter to support the participant based on the participant's current status information, The task generation unit generates the participant task information based on the supporter judgment information. The community generation system according to claim 1.

3. If the information acquisition unit is unable to generate the participant assignment information based on the participant status information and the supporter judgment information, it acquires at least the instructor guidance information relating to the guidance of the instructor who instructs the participant based on the supporter judgment information. The task generation unit generates the participant task information based on the instructor guidance information. The community formation system according to claim 2.

4. The system includes a learning information addition unit that adds the learning information based on the aforementioned student assignment information, The learning information addition unit adds the learning information to the storage unit when the number of student assignments for each student reaches a predetermined value, equal to or similar to the number of students. The community generation system according to claim 1.

5. The system includes a provider evaluation unit that evaluates the provider of the learning information based on the learning status of the learner, The information acquisition unit acquires the attendance status information regarding the attendance status, The provider evaluation unit aggregates the course attendance information and evaluates the provider when it reaches a predetermined value. The community generation system according to claim 1.

6. The system includes a participant evaluation unit that evaluates the participant based on the participant's current status information, The aforementioned participant evaluation unit aggregates the participant status information and evaluates the participant's rank according to the set predetermined conditions. The permission granting unit grants the permission based on the rank. The community formation system according to claim 1.

7. A community formation method that forms a community of learners engaged in learning through computers, Steps to obtain various types of information, A step of generating participant task information regarding the participant's challenges based on participant status information regarding the participant's current situation from among the various information acquired, A step of selecting learning information to be provided to the participant based on the participant assignment information, The steps include granting the student permission to access the learning information, A step of distributing the learning information to the student based on the aforementioned access permission, The step includes updating the student status information after the distribution of the learning information. Methods for forming a community.

8. In the step of acquiring the various information mentioned above, information on the supporter's judgment regarding the decision of the supporter to support the participant based on the participant's current status information is obtained. In the step of generating the aforementioned task information, the participant task information is generated based on the supporter's judgment information. The method for forming a community according to claim 7.

9. In the step of acquiring the various types of information, if the step of generating the assignment information does not allow for the generation of the assignment information based on the current student information and the supporter judgment information, at least the instructor guidance information regarding the guidance of the instructor who guides the student is acquired based on the supporter judgment information. In the step of generating the aforementioned assignment information, the participant assignment information is generated based on the instructor guidance information. The method for forming a community according to claim 8.

10. The step includes adding learning information based on the aforementioned student assignment information, In the step of adding the learning information, if the number of students and the student assignment information for each student reach a predetermined value, the learning information is added and stored. The method for forming a community according to claim 7.

11. The step includes evaluating the provider of the learning information based on the learning status of the learner, In the step of acquiring the various information mentioned above, the course status information regarding the course status is acquired, In the step of evaluating the provider of the learning information, the provider is evaluated when the course progress information is aggregated and reaches a predetermined value. The method for forming a community according to claim 7.

12. This includes a step of evaluating the participant based on the participant's current status information, In the step of evaluating the participants, the participant's rank is evaluated according to predetermined conditions set by aggregating the participant's current status information. In the step of granting the aforementioned access permission, the access permission is granted based on the aforementioned rank. The method for forming a community according to claim 7.

Images