Computer assisted learning support system and processing method therefor

A computer assisted learning support system in which a plurality of computers achieve a collaborative operation, wherein:

• one of the plural computers comprises:
• a storage for storing therein blocks of a teaching material respectively assigned with teaching material identifiers and link information which represents by a pair of teaching material identifiers a relationship between blocks of the teaching material, each of the blocks being defined by subdividing the teaching material according to contents thereof;
• a display for presenting, in a change-over manner, a screen image of the blocks of the teaching material and a screen image of contents of the blocks of the teaching material and the link information including the teaching material identifiers respectively assigned to the blocks of the teaching materials;
• an input device for inputting therefrom a selection item for one of the blocks of the teaching material presented on said display and a selection item for one of the contents of the blocks of the teaching material and the link information;
• output means, responsive to the selection item from said input device for the block of the teaching material, for reading from said storage the contents of the selected block of the teaching material and the ink information including the teaching material identifier of the selected block of the teaching material to output the read block contents and link information to said display;
• means, responsive to the selection item from said input device for the link information, for reading from said storage, the contents of a different block of the teaching material which has a teaching material identifier not contained in the selected link information and which is not presented on said display and different link information including the teaching material identifier of the different block of the teaching material to output the read different block contents and different link information to said display;
• and
• means for transferring information from said input device to the computers other than said one computer;
• and
• each of the other computers comprises:
• means for receiving information transferred from said one computer;
• a storage for storing therein blocks of a teaching material respectively assigned with teaching material identifiers and link information which represents by a pair of teaching material identifiers a relationship between blocks of the teaching material, each of the blocks being defined by subdividing the teaching material according to contents thereof;
• a display for presenting, in a change-over manner, a screen image of the blocks of the teaching material and a screen image of the contents of the blocks of the teaching material and the link information including the teaching material identifiers respectively assigned to the blocks of the teaching materials;
• an input device for inputting therefrom a selection item for one of the blocks of the teaching material presented on said display and a selection item for one of the contents of the blocks of the teaching material and the link information;
• means, responsive to the selection item from either one of said input device and said receiving device for the block of the teaching material, for reading from said storage the contents of the selected block of the teaching material and the link information including the teaching material identifier of the selected block of the teaching material to output read selected block contents and link information to said display;
• and
• means, responsive to the selection item from either one of said input device and said receiving means for the link information, for reading from said storage the contents of a different block of the teaching material which has a teaching material identifier not contained in the selected link information and which is not presented on said display and different link information including the teaching material identifier of the different block of the teaching material to output the read different block contents and different link information to said display.

A processing method for use in a computer assisted learning support system having a storage storing therein blocks of a teaching material respectively assigned with teaching material identifiers and link information which represents by a pair of teaching material identifiers a relationship between blocks of the teaching material, each of the blocks being defined by subdividing the teaching material according to contents thereof, comprising the steps of:

• displaying on a display the blocks of the teaching material stored in the storage;
• inputting from an input device a selection item for one of the blocks of the teaching material displayed on said display;
• reading from said storage, in response to the selection item from the input device for the block of the teaching material, contents of the selected block of the teaching material and the link information including the teaching material identifier of the selected block of the teaching material and outputting the read items on said display;
• inputting a selection item for one of the link information in response to the presentation on the display of the contents of the block of the teaching material and the link information;
• and
• reading from the storage, in response to the selection item from the input device for the link information, the contents of a different block of the teaching material which has a teaching material identifier not contained in the selected link information and which is not presented on the display and different link information including the teaching material identifier of the different block of the teaching material and displaying the read items on said display.