Method and apparatus for advancing through a deck of digital flash cards to manage the incentivizing of learning

Abstract

Parents and entities incentivize students to learn using pledges of cash, goods, and services. Students earn incentivized rewards by interacting with lessons on a digital computing device, such as a desktop computer, notebook, tablet, or “smart phone.” The lessons may include digital flash cards, text, pictures, figures, audio and video recordings ranging from classroom lectures, to classical music, to animation of scientific principles. In flashcard embodiments, the accuracy of each answer is recorded on a histogram corresponding to a particular flashcard, or the principles taught therein. The application generates performance metrics from histogram data. The performance metrics are used to generate control parameters that control the frequency and order flashcard presentation. Statistical analysis, adaptive learning and/or artificial intelligence programs refine the control parameters governing flashcard review, thereby optimizing the functionality. As a student satisfies various performance metrics and/or courseware requirements, incentives are released to the student.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         53 . A method and apparatus for advancing through a deck of digital flashcards to manage the incentivizing of learning, the method comprising:
 a) pledging, in an internet environment, a first incentive for a benefit of a first student;   b) selecting from among a first plurality of digital flashcards, a first digital flashcard for review by said first student on a digital computing device, at a time calculated to optimize the first student's retention of material described in the first digital flashcard; including the steps,
 i) recording, on a dedicated digital histogram logically related to a first digital flashcard, histogram data derived from at least five review cycles of the first digital flashcard by the first student, wherein a first review cycle includes,
 A) presenting, to the first student, the first digital flashcard; 
 B) providing, by the first student, an answer to said first digital flashcard; 
 C) recording, in a first histogram entry of the dedicated digital histogram, a digital value representing an accuracy of said answer; and, 
 D) recording, in the dedicated digital histogram, in logical relationship to the digital value representing the accuracy of said answer, a first digital timestamp corresponding to a time and date of said answer; 
 
   c) selecting a threshold probability of the first student correctly answering the first digital flashcard;   d) calculating, through an optimal predictive model on a digital computing device, a first future time at which a probability of the first student correctly answering the first digital flashcard falls below the threshold probability, wherein said optimal predictive model analyzes input data, including, but not limited to, said histogram data of said first digital flashcard;   e) queueing the first digital flashcard for presentation to the first student at said first future time.   
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising notifying the student, through a mobile computing device, of said first incentive. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the first incentive is a financial incentive. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 54 , further comprising the step of notifying the student of a first performance objective that must be satisfied to receive said first incentive. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the first performance objective relates a collection of probabilities of accurately answering a flashcard, each of the correction of probabilities corresponding to a flashcard among first plurality of digital flashcards. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the first performance objective further corresponds to a second future time. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58 , further comprising:
 a) determining, that the first student has satisfied said first performance objective.   b) transmitting, from a digital computing device to a digital transaction administrator, a digital message that the first student has satisfied at least one performance objective; and,   c) releasing to said student from a central financial institution, at least part of the incentive that was pledged for the benefit of the student.   
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of pledging the incentive for the benefit of the student comprises the step of transferring money from an account of an incentivizer to the central financial institution. 
     
     
         61 . The method according to  claim 60 , wherein pledging a monetary incentive comprises the step of authorizing a repeating auto-deduction from an account of an incentivizer to the central financial account. 
     
     
         62 . The method according to  claim 60 , wherein the step of releasing to said student from a central financial institution, at least part of the incentive that was pledged for the benefit of the student, comprises transferring money from the central financial institution to third-party merchant account in the first student's name. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 59 , further comprising the step of displaying, to the first student, an accounting of incentives which have been pledged to the first student. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 63 , further comprising the step of displaying, to the first student, an accounting of incentives which have been released to the user and are available for redemption by the first student.