Facial expression recognition in educational learning systems

A method for conducting a learning session over a collaborative network, the method comprising:

• receiving expressive avatar information associated with a presentation of instructional content from a plurality of participant workstations, the expressive avatar information comprising a plurality of avatar identifiers and a plurality of avatar emotion identifiers;
• altering the instructional content based on the plurality of avatar identifiers and the plurality of avatar emotion identifiers;
• and
• transmitting the altered instructional content to the plurality of participant workstations.

A system for participating in a learning session over a collaborative network, the system comprising:

• a processor configured to:
• receive user image data, wherein the user image data is associated with a time during a presentation of instructional content;
• convert the user image data into expressive avatar information, the expressive avatar information comprising an avatar identifier and an avatar emotion identifier;
• transmit the expressive avatar information;
• receive altered instructional content, wherein the altered instructional content is an alteration of the instructional content and the alteration is based on a plurality of avatar identifiers and a plurality of avatar emotion identifiers, wherein the plurality of avatar identifiers comprises at least the avatar identifier, and wherein the plurality of avatar emotion identifiers comprises at least the avatar emotion identifier.

A system for conducting a learning session over a collaborative network, the system comprising:

• a processor configured to:
• receive expressive avatar information associated with a presentation of instructional content from a plurality of participant workstations, the expressive avatar information comprising a plurality of avatar identifiers and a plurality of avatar emotion identifiers;
• alter the instructional content based on the plurality of avatar identifiers and the plurality of avatar emotion identifiers;
• and
• transmit the altered instructional content to the plurality of participant workstations.

A computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that if executed enable a computing system to:

• receive user image data, wherein the user image data is associated with a time during a presentation of instructional content;
• convert the user image data into expressive avatar information, the expressive avatar information comprising an avatar identifier and an avatar emotion identifier;
• transmit the expressive avatar information;
• receive altered instructional content, wherein the altered instructional content is an alteration of the instructional content and the alteration is based on a plurality of avatar identifiers and a plurality of avatar emotion identifiers, wherein the plurality of avatar identifiers comprises at least the avatar identifier, and wherein the plurality of avatar emotion identifiers comprises at least the avatar emotion identifier.