Problem

Millions of newbies join users community each year They all need to get used to basics of

software use E-mail clients Word processors Spreadsheets Personal finance management Instant messengers Photo editors etc.

Users blame software vendors for usability issues and not intuitive UI.

Problem

Millions of unprofessional PC users need to be trained in use of corporate software in enterprises with high personnel turnover rates Call centers Retail Hospitality services Logistic & warehouse management etc.

$ Billions get wasted every year.

Problem Millions of mid-level users need to

change to newer version due to enterprise software update

Disappointment, waste of money

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,140583-page,2-c,techindustrytrends/article.html

Do solutions exist?

Books - The knowledge is power!

The selection is too broad, it is unclear which one to choose. Maybe t is the same book under different covers?

Users tend to buy them, but not read thoroughly.

Help system?

<F1> click

click

clickclickGot it!

… is not helpful.

E-Learning or computer-based trainings Better, but

No true interactivity - all based on flipping slides and simple animations

Cannot enable students for real practice Best of breed simulations (e.g. at Microsoft Learning

Manager) give students very exact directions and do not provide any freedom in how they do exersises

Cannot correct wrong actions Not focused on student’s pace of learning Only primitive quiz-like check of knowledge

Primitive... Not yet effective…

In-class trainings with teacher Good

Answer questions Provide practice, correct wrong actions and explain Adapt to personal learning pace (in small groups

only) Comprehensive check of understanding and

knowledge – through exams Bad

Quite expensive (facilities, trainer, equipment etc.) Students need to be present in a class room

(schedule not flexible, waste time for driving, etc.)

Suboptimal…

Solution is here:E-Teacher

Solution

Computer program that behaves like a human teacher behind your shoulder Works with real software – no simulation,

slideshows, screen-casts etc. Uses mouse and keyboard to demonstrate

lessons Watches student doing exercises – looks at

the screen, makes comments Corrects when student does anything wrong Notes individual progress and adapts

teaching pace to it – “adaptive learning”

Sample of an Etecher Lesson

The lessons are done in six steps:1. Introduction into the tasks2. The teacher shows his way of solution3. The student chooses his way 4. New task with same contents but without

showing5. Updating of student’s profiles6. Selection of next lesson

http://www.electronic-teacher.com/videos.htmlpart 1 shows step 1 + 2 as videopart 2 shows step 3 as video

1. Introduction into the tasks (demonstrated at a Calc sample)The tasks are shown by comparison of

theraw data (upper part) and the aim data

(lower part): Reformat chart title to 15p, bold and

red

Insert new headline ‘Quarter Sales’ to cell E3

Define quarters sales as sum of monthly sales for 1. salesman

Transfer formula to other salesmen

Reformat sales figures to Euro currency

Reformat months and quarter sales to Italic

Generate chart for all data

2. The teachers way

The teacher shows his way to solve the

tasks – the student hears his comments

and sees all actions on his screen.

3. The students way

In his repetition the student may choose different sequences of actions and different solution ways as teacher – e. g.:

(T = Teacher / S = Student):

T: started with reformatting of the title

S: starts with the insertion of the new headline ‘Quarter Sales’

T: does the sum formula using the Sum- button

S: does this typing the formula ‘= sum (B4:D4)’ defining the cell range B4:D4 by activating D4 and dragging to B4 – with slip-ups (but from Excel accepted) like ‘sum’ instead of ‘Sum’…

T: formats the title to bold using the Bold button

S: does this using the path Format / Cells / Bold

T: marks the range of the sales figures with Shift and hold

S: does the marking by dragging from start- to end cell

3a. Reaction of Eteacher on faults of student

If the student does faults he gets an intelligent warning – e. g.

F = Fault / R = Reaction:

F: He chooses 16p for the title instead of 15p (as the teacher did)

R: ‘This is not the right font size!’

F: He forgets to reformat the months and quarter sales to Italic

R: ‘You forgot to format B3:E3 to Italic – compare with the aim data below!’

After each fault comment the student can correct it or he can

- let the Eteacher show him the right way

- let the teacher redo the lesson with the

relevant parts- let the Eteacher give a deeper

introduction into the relevant topic (in special cases)

4. New task with same contents but without showingThe teacher shows new raw and aim data which define new tasks that can be solved with the same teaching contents. The student is asked to solve these tasks without showing using being controlled as in the first part of the lesson.

5. Updating the students profileTo the student’s knowledge profile all new contents of this lesson are added e.g.:

- marking of cell compounds- reformatting to different font size, - style and – color …

If the way the student solves the tasks doesn’t fit to his skill profile this is changed – e. g.: if he does too much errors his skill level is lowered.

6. Selection of next lessonDependent on- the teaching aim and its aim profile and - his actual knowledge- and skill profilethat lesson whose lesson profiles (knowledge and skills) fits best to the profile gap of the student is chosen as next.

The power of technology

Applicable to wide range of client software from IM clients to spreadsheets and comprehensive CAD/CAM systems

Core engine invariant no dramatic redevelopment needed from app to

app Lessons easy to record

No difference to how teacher demonstrates in class Most of technical work can be done by less

qualified personnel Able to track student’s individual progress

and adapt to it

Comparison with existing means

Criteria E-teacher(remote access)

Classroom(instructor-led)

book Built-in help Computer-based Trainings (CD-ROM)

e-learning (instructor-led,

webinar)

e-learning(webcast)

e-learning(self-

paced)

Easy and flexible access(no need to schedule etc.) Yes No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes

Need to travel No Yes No No No No No No

Student is able to communicate with human teacher (ask questions, get answers etc.) No Yes No No No Yes No No

Reading skills quiteNecessary for student No No Yes Yes Mostly Sometimes Sometimes Yes

Need broadband Internet channel Yes No No No No Yes Yes Sometimes

Ability to skip unnecessary content to focus on improvement Yes, adaptive! No Yes Sometimes Yes No Sometimes Yes

Student can practice (assignments) Yes Yes No Yes Simulation only No No No

Student receives immediate feedback during an assignment Yes Yes No No Sometimes,

quite primitive No No No

Expensive and time-consuming to create and maintain No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Mostly Yes

Ability to observe and adapt to student Performance (individual pace of learning, etc.) Yes No No No Quite limited No No No

Expensive (trainer, facility, travel etc.) No Yes No No No Trainer only No No

Effectiveness for students of widely-varying skill levels Yes No Limited Limited Limited No No No

Interested in more details?

info@electronic-teacher.com