Web-Based Tool for Collaborative, Social Learning

Abstract

A computerized-social network provides a community of users with features and tools facilitating an immersive, collaborative environment where users can learn a language or help others learn a language. One user (user A) can view another user's (user B) Web page or document and make suggestions or comments for selected content on that Web page. These suggestions are linked specifically to the selected content. User B can review the suggestions, and accept or reject the suggestions by user A and others.

1 . A method comprising:
 permitting a first user to select a portion of a first Web page using a pointer;   displaying to the first user a dialog box in which the first user can enter a first suggestion to be associated with the selected portion of the first Web page; and   storing first information on the first suggestion at a first location separate from the first Web page, wherein the first information comprises the first suggestion, a first Web page identifier, and the portion of the first Web page selected by the first user.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  comprising:
 displaying to a second user the first suggestion and portion of the first Web page selected by the user, an accept button for the second user to specify an acceptance of the first suggestion, and a rejection button for the second user to specify a rejection of the first suggestion.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  comprising:
 permitting the first user to select a portion of a second Web page using the pointer;   displaying to the first user a dialog box in which the first user can enter a second suggestion to be associated with the selected portion of the second Web page; and   storing second information on the second suggestion at a second location separate from the second Web page, wherein the second information comprises the second suggestion, a second Web page identifier, and the portion of the second Web page selected by the first user.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  comprising:
 displaying to the first user a suggestions given summary screen comprising a first entry for the first suggestion and a second entry for the second suggestion, wherein the first entry comprises a status of whether the second user has accepted or rejected the first suggestion.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a position of where the dialog box is displayed on a screen depends on a position of the selected portion of the first Web page. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the dialog box is positioned to overlay the first Web page. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2  comprising:
 displaying to a third user the first suggestion and portion of the first Web page selected by the first user.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein code for the permitting a first user to select a portion of a first Web page using a pointer is stored as part of the Web page. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein code for the displaying to the first user a dialog box in which the first user can enter a first suggestion to be associated with the selected portion of the first Web page is stored as part of the Web page. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  comprising:
 after the displaying the dialog box, permitting the first user to select the dialog box and move the dialog box to a different position on a screen.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the dialog box comprises an option to translate the selected portion of the first Web page from a first language to a second language. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the first language is English and the second language is Japanese. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the dialog box comprises an option to produce an audio representation of the selected portion of the first Web page. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the first user can specify the audio representation to be provided at a first audio speed or at a second audio speed, different from the first audio speed. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein at the first audio speed, a first length of time for a first audio representation is X seconds and a second length of time for a second audio representation is Y seconds, wherein Y is longer than X. 
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 permitting a first user to select a first portion of a Web page using a pointer;   displaying to the first user a dialog box in which the first user can enter a first suggestion to be associated with the first selected portion of the Web page;   storing first information on the first suggestion at a first location separate from the Web page, wherein the first information comprises the first suggestion, a Web page identifier, and the first portion of the Web page selected by the first user;   permitting a second user to select a second portion of the Web page using a pointer;   displaying to the second user the dialog box in which the second user can enter a second suggestion to be associated with the second selected portion of the Web page;   storing second information on the second suggestion at a second location separate from the Web page, wherein the second information comprises the second suggestion, Web page identifier, and second portion of the Web page selected by the second user; and   displaying to a third user a suggestions received summary screen comprising a first entry for the first suggestion and a second entry for the second suggestion.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the third user is an author of the Web page and the method comprises:
 displaying to the third user the first suggestion and portion of the Web page selected by the first user, an accept button for the third user to specify an acceptance of the first suggestion, and a rejection button for the third user to specify a rejection the first suggestion; and   upon the third user selecting the accept button and before the permitting a second user to select a second portion of the Web page using a pointer, modifying the Web page using the first suggestion and displaying the modified Web page to the second user.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the first portion of the Web page selected by the first user comprises a video. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the suggestions received summary screen is displayed in the dialog box overlaying the Web page. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the displaying to the first user a dialog box in which the first user can enter a first suggestion to be associated with the first selected portion of the Web page is performed via a Web browser application.