Interactive virtual classroom

Abstract

A system for allowing interactivity between an instructor provided with an instructor's workstation and a plurality of student's monitoring student workstations all of which are remote with respect to each other. A video and audio presentation would be transmitted in real time from the instructor's workstation to each of the student's workstation. Each of the student's workstation would include a monitor for displaying a video portion of the instructor's presentation as well as including response buttons for answering various questions posed by the instructor. The instructor's workstation would include a monitor for displaying the student's responses to the instructor's questions.

1 . A virtual classroom for allowing an instructor to instruct a plurality of students, each student located at a remote location from all the other students, each student receiving instructional material over a communications network, comprising: 
 a teaching workstation provided at a location remote from each of the students, said teaching workstation including a first monitor provided with an input device allowing for the projection and manipulation of images on said first monitor;    a plurality of student workstations, each student workstation provided at a remote location from all the other student workstations and the teaching workstation, each student workstation provided with a student monitor for displaying images thereon and an input device for manipulating images displayed on said student monitor as well as for manipulating images projected upon said first monitor;    a camera and microphone provided proximate to said teaching workstation for receiving video and audio material created at said teaching workstation and transmitting said video and audio material over the communications network to each of said student workstations, said video material projected upon each respective student monitor; and    a server connected to said teaching workstation and said camera and said microphone as well as the communications network for controlling the operation of the virtual classroom including managing the flow of signals between said teaching workstation and each of said student workstations over the communications network.    
   
   
       2 . The virtual classroom in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein each of said student workstations receives a video stream of the instructor's presentation to be displayed on a first section of said student monitor and further wherein each of said student workstations receive a video stream of said first monitor to be displayed on a second section of said student monitor.  
   
   
       3 . The virtual classroom in accordance with  claim 1 , said teaching workstation further including a second monitor for projecting information sent from each student to said teaching workstation over the communications network, said information including responses to questions asked by the instructor as well as questions asked by each of the students.  
   
   
       4 . The virtual classroom in accordance with  claim 2 , said teaching workstation further including a second monitor for projecting information sent from each student to said teaching workstation over the communications network, said information including responses to questions asked by the instructor as well as questions asked by each of the students.  
   
   
       5 . The virtual classroom in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein said second monitor includes a status box for indicating time that a question was sent to said teaching workstation from the student.  
   
   
       6 . The virtual classroom in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein said second monitor includes a status box for indicating time that a question was sent to said teaching workstation from the student.  
   
   
       7 . The virtual classroom in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein said server includes a memory for storing information sent to said teacher workstation from each of said student workstations.  
   
   
       8 . The virtual classroom in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein said server includes a memory for storing information sent to said teacher workstation from each of said student workstations.  
   
   
       9 . The virtual classroom in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said server contains information for customizing each of said student workstations.  
   
   
       10 . The virtual classroom in accordance with  claim 3 , further including a camera provided at each of said student workstations for transmitting video information from said student workstation to be projected upon said second monitor.  
   
   
       11 . The virtual classroom in accordance with  claim 1 , further including a microphone provided at each of said student workstations for transmitting audio information from said student workstation to said teaching workstation.  
   
   
       12 . The virtual classroom in accordance with  claim 11 , further including a speaker provided and said teaching workstation for broadcasting said audio information.  
   
   
       13 . A virtual classroom for allowing an instructor to instruct a plurality of students, each student located at a remote location from all other students, each student receiving instructional material over a communications network, comprising: 
 a teaching workstation provided at a location remote from each of the students, said teaching workstation provided with a first monitor for projecting information sent from each student to the teaching workstation;    a plurality of student workstations, each student workstation provided at a remote location from all the other student workstations, each student workstation provided with a student monitor for displaying images thereon and an input device for manipulating images displayed on said student monitor as well as sending information to said teaching workstation over the communications network to be displayed on said first monitor;    a camera and microphone provided proximate to said teaching workstation for receiving video and audio material created at said teaching workstation and transmitting said video and audio material over the communications network to each of said student workstations, said video material projected upon each respective student monitor; and    a server connected to said teaching workstation and said camera and said microphone as well as the communications network for controlling the operation of the virtual classroom including managing the flow of signals between said teaching workstation and each of said student workstations over the communications network.    
   
   
       14 . The virtual classroom in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein said server includes a memory for storing information sent to said teaching workstation from each of said student workstation.  
   
   
       15 . The virtual classroom in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein said server contains information for customizing each of said student workstations.