Development Monitoring System

Abstract

A system for monitoring the development of at least one of a subject and a group of subjects, includes a server capable of communicating with a plurality of client machines via a network. The server is configured to use a database containing observation data relating to observations of the at least one of a subject and a group of subjects and images, recorded by image recordal devices, associated with the observations. The server is configured, upon receipt of a request from one of the client machines, to generate a web form for rendering on that client machine, the web form containing fields for entering variables relating to an observation and for uploading digital images associated with that observation and generated by the image recordal device associated with the client machine and to write the entered variables and the images to the database together with a time stamp. The server is configured, upon receipt of one of the variables written to the server by one of the client machines, to generate a display for rendering on the client machine to display observations relating to that variable together with the uploaded digital image.

1 . A system for monitoring the development of at least one of a subject and a group of subjects, the system comprising a server capable of communicating with a plurality of client machines via a network, the server being configured to:
 use a database containing observation data relating to observations of the at least one of a subject and a group of subjects and images, recorded by image recordal devices, associated with the observations;   upon receipt of a request from one of the client machines, to:
 generate a web form for rendering on that client machine, the web form containing fields for entering variables relating to an observation and for uploading digital images associated with that observation and generated by the image recordal device associated with the client machine; and 
 write the entered variables and the images to the database together with a time stamp; and 
   upon receipt of one of the variables written to the server by one of the client machines, to generate a display for rendering on the client machine to display observations relating to that variable together with the uploaded digital image.   
     
     
         2 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the server is configured, upon receipt of a page request, to generate a further web form that permits the selection of developmental areas from the database by a client, the further web form also displaying scoring fields so that a user can enter scores relating to a particular developmental area. 
     
     
         3 . The system as claimed in  claim 2 , in which the server is configured so that each scoring field is associated with a pop-up display to allow a user to view and select possible scores from the database associated with each scoring field. 
     
     
         4 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the server is configured so that the web form displays a field to permit a user to enter anecdotes relating to an observation. 
     
     
         5 . The system as claimed in  claim 4 , in which the server is configured so that, upon receipt of the one of the variables written to the server by the one of the client machines, a web page is generated that displays at least one of the images and related anecdotes. 
     
     
         6 . The system as claimed in  claim 5 , in which the server is configured so that the web page displays one of a diary and a timeline. 
     
     
         7 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the database stores data relating to rooms and developmental components related to respective rooms, the server being configured so that the web form permits the selection and updating of developmental components for respective rooms from the database. 
     
     
         8 . A method for monitoring the development of at least one of a subject and a group of subjects, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving, with a server, via a network, a request from one of a number of client machines operatively connected to the server via the network;   upon receipt of the request,
 generating, with the server, a web form for rendering on the client machine, the web form containing fields for entering variables relating to an observation and for uploading digital images associated with that observation and generated by the image recordal device associated with the client machine; and 
 writing the entered variables and the images to a database together with a time stamp; and 
   upon receipt of one of the variables written to the server by one of the client machines, generating a display for rendering on the client machine to display observations relating to that variable together with the uploaded image.   
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 8 , which comprises generating a further web form for rendering on the client machine for the selection of developmental areas from the database, the further web form also displaying scoring areas so that a user can enter scores relating to a particular developmental area. 
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , which includes associating each scoring field with a pop-up display to allow a user to view and select possible scores from the database associated with each scoring field. 
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in  claim 8 , which includes generating the web form so that the web form contains a field to permit a user to enter anecdotes relating to an observation. 
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in claimed in  claim 11 , which includes generating, with the server, a web page that displays at least one of the images and related anecdotes. 
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 12 , which includes generating the web page to display one of a diary and a timeline. 
     
     
         14 . The method as claimed in  claim 8 , which includes generating the web form so that the web form permits the selection and updating of developmental components associated with respective rooms from the database.