Learning method and system based on questioning

A computer-implemented method for providing a user with information on a subject, said method comprising:

• retrieving information on the subject for the user to learn about the subject, the information to be presented to the user;
• determining a plurality of responses associated with the subject that are related to a natural-language question asked by the user requesting information on the subject;
• receiving a selection of one of the plurality of responses from the user;
• and
• thereafter directing the user to materials associated with the selected one of the plurality of responses.

A server computer that couples to a network and serves to provide users of client computers also connected to the network with information on subjects, said server computer being configured to:

• retrieve information on a subject for the user to learn about the subject, the information to be presented to the user;
• determining a plurality of responses associated with the subject that are related to a natural-language question asked by a user from a client computer, the question asked by the user requesting information on the subject;
• receive a selection of one of the plurality of responses from the user;
• and
• direct the user to information associated with the selected one of the plurality of responses.

A computer-implemented method for assisting a user in learning a subject, said computer-implemented method comprising:

• determining a response to a natural language question from a user, the response being determined using a database, and the response being for the user to learn about the subject;
• sending the response to the user;
• receiving a referral request from the user requesting that the question be referred to a human representative;
• and
• enabling a human representative to respond to the question.

A computer-implemented method for assisting a user in learning a subject, said computer-implemented method comprising:

• determining whether clarification of an initial natural language question about a subject from a user is needed;
• prompting the user to clarify the initial natural language question when said determining determines that clarification of the natural language question is needed;
• thereafter determining a response to a subsequent natural language question about the subject from the user, the response being determined using a database;
• and
• sending the response to the user so as to help the user learn about the subject.