Conducting An Individualized, Virtually Moderated, Virtual Real Time Methodical Debate

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a computer implemented method and system for conducting an individualized, virtually moderated, and virtual real time debate. Debating topics and debating rules are defined for the debate. A group of panelists is selected for the debate based on the debating topics. An electronic debating platform is provided to the panelists for receiving one or more key points, responses, and counter-responses contributed by each of the panelists in non real time. The key points, the responses, and the counter-responses are governed by the debating rules. The prerecorded key points, responses, counter-responses, and one or more information components relevant to each of the key points are stringed together in sequence. The debate is presented to a viewer on a multimedia presentation layer. The presentation of the debate is customized by enabling the viewer to selectively navigate through the presentation using the sequenced key points, responses, counter-responses, and information components.

1 . A computer implemented method for conducting an individualized, virtually moderated, and virtual real time debate, comprising the steps of:
 defining debating topics and debating rules for said debate;   selecting a group of panelists for said debate based on said debating topics;   providing an electronic debating platform for receiving one or more key points, responses, and counter-responses contributed by each of said panelists in non-real time, wherein said key points, said responses, and said counter-responses are governed by said debating rules;   stringing together said one or more key points, said responses, said counter-responses, and one or more information components relevant to each of said one or more key points in sequence, wherein said information components are used for examining factual accuracies, logical consistencies, and clarity of elucidation of said one or more key points, said responses, and said counter-responses; and   presenting said debate to a viewer on a multimedia presentation layer, wherein said presentation of said debate is customized by enabling said viewer to selectively navigate through said presentation using said sequenced key points, responses, counter-responses, and information components;   
     whereby said customized presentation of said debate enables conducting said individualized, virtually moderated, and virtual real time debate. 
   
   
       2 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more key points, responses, and counter-responses are received in one of digitally encoded audiovisual formats and text descriptions. 
   
   
       3 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein said multimedia presentation layer is implemented using one of a scripting language and a markup language used for describing multimedia presentations and platforms. 
   
   
       4 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein said multimedia presentation layer defines one or more presentation structures comprising timing, layout, visual transitions, and media embedding for said presentation of said debate using said one or more key points, said responses, said counter-responses, and said one or more information components. 
   
   
       5 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more information components comprise digital source documents, hyperlinks, charts, graphs, graphics, animations, and visual components. 
   
   
       6 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the debating rules define a permitted number of said key points, said responses, and said counter-responses for each of said panelists, a permitted duration for each of said key points, said responses, and said counter-responses, a total time each of said panelists is allotted for contributing said key points, and a total time allotted for contributing said responses and said counter-responses. 
   
   
       7 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein said electronic debating platform provides information on said debating topics used by said group of panelists in preparation for contributing said one or more key points. 
   
   
       8 . A computer implemented system for conducting an individualized, virtually moderated, and virtual real time debate, comprising:
 a database for storing and cataloging debating topics, debating rules, and information on panelists;   an electronic debating platform for defining debating topics and debating rules for said debate;   said electronic debating platform for receiving one or more key points, responses, and counter-responses contributed by each of said panelists in non-real time, wherein said one or more key points, said responses, and said counter-responses are governed by said debating rules;   a production platform for stringing together said one or more key points, said responses, said counter-responses, and one or more information components relevant to each of said one or more key points in sequence, wherein said information components are used for examining factual accuracies, logical consistencies, and clarity of elucidation of said one or more key points, said responses, and said counter-responses; and   a multimedia presentation layer for presenting said debate to a viewer, wherein said presentation of said debate is customized by enabling said viewer to selectively navigate through said presentation using said sequenced key points, responses, counter-responses, and information components.   
   
   
       9 . The computer implemented system of  claim 8 , wherein said multimedia presentation layer is implemented using one of a scripting language and a markup language used for describing multimedia presentations and platforms. 
   
   
       10 . The computer implemented system of  claim 8 , wherein said multimedia presentation layer defines one or more presentation structures comprising timing, layout, visual transitions, and media embedding for said presentation of said debate using said one or more key points, said responses, said counter-responses, and said one or more information components. 
   
   
       11 . A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a computer-readable medium, wherein said computer program product comprises:
 a first computer parsable program code for defining debating topics and debating rules for a debate;   a second computer parsable program code for selecting a group of panelists for said debate based on said debating topics;   a third computer parsable program code for providing an electronic debating platform for receiving one or more key points, responses, and counter-responses contributed by each of said panelists in non real time;   a fourth computer parsable program code for stringing together said one or more key points, said responses, said counter-responses, and one or more information components relevant to each of said one or more key points in sequence; and   a fifth computer parsable program code for presenting said debate to a viewer on a multimedia presentation layer.