Checklist: Evaluative Criteria fr Cmputer-Delivered Language Learning Systems cmpiled during the Invitatinal Sympsium n Assessing and Advancing Technlgy Optins in Language Learning (AATOLL) February 1998 General descriptin f the prgram Name/versin Intended users age children high schl cllege learners with special interests (turists, businessmen, etc.) ability level beginning intermediate advanced Intended use self-instructin Cntent textbk/classrm supplement cmbinatin f abve cntent likely t be f interest t intended users instructinal units lgically sequenced lessns build n material presented earlier Invitatinal Sympsium n Assessing and Advancing Technlgy Optins in Language Learning (AATOLL). (1998). Checklist: Evaluative criteria fr cmputer-delivered language learning systems. (NFLRC NetWrk #31t) [HTML dcument]. Hnlulu: University f Hawai i, Natinal Freign Language Resurce Center. http://nflrc.hawaii.edu/netwrks/nw31/nw31t.pdf [access: tday's date]. Creative Cmmns Attributin-NnCmmercial-ShareAlike 4.0 Internatinal License.
Prgram gals gals and bjectives f the prgram clearly described prgram capable f meeting the stated gals Scpe number f lessns r instructinal units equivalence in terms f hurs, semesters, years f instructin Dcumentatin discussin f prgram s gals, design, and cntents Custmizatin tutrial n prgram s peratin demnstratin lessn included lessn plans fr use in a curse r guidance fr individual use research results n effectiveness f the prgram available infrmatin abut independent reviews f the prgram chices depending n user level users can custmize the peratin f the prgram variety f ptins t supprt different types f learners Installatin/peratin installatin instructins clear prgram easy t install/uninstall Hw ften des the system crash? Is there a particular actin that causes regular crashes? Hardware requirements type f cmputer versin f perating system memry (RAM) disk space CD-ROM drive/dvd-rom drive speakers micrphne mnitr sund card/vide card netwrk/brwser requirements ther Media graphics, vide and audi help users t cncentrate n cntent text easy t read 2 Invitatinal Sympsium n Assessing and Advancing Technlgy Optins in Language Learning
audi clear clrs and graphics crisp and clear vide runs smthly hypertext links wrk well animatin serves a pedaggical purpse Feedback users receive quick feedback t respnses level f feedback language apprpriate fr intended users availability f feedback (e.g., item-by-item, lgical cntent break, end-f-unit r sessin, learner-cntrlled) type f feedback is available indicatin as t whether respnse is crrect r incrrect invitatin t try again hint leading t crrect respnse explanatin as t why a particular respnse is incrrect a "give-up" ptin directins t relevant part f prgram fr review intelligent feedback depending n learner respnse histry Evaluatin/tests frequency f the tests type f scres is made available t users explanatin f test scres cumulative lg f scres t track prgress recmmendatins fr remedial actin given tests and/r test scres can be printed ut Special features: speech recgnitin system requires initial training What d users need t d t train the system? Hw frequently des the system recgnize a range f native speech? Hw des the system react t nnnative speech? Hw extensively is speech recgnitin/prcessing utilized in each unit f the prgram? functin f speech recgnitin/prcessing in this prgram vice navigatin prnunciatin instructin speaking practice Evaluatin criteria fr language learning sftware 3
Develper/distributr name street address Price telephne fax e-mail URL individual institutinal users likely t get their mney s wrth Checklist fr listening sftware Listening input audi cnditins against which the audi is played authentic temp f the sund track natural variety f vices and dialects sund track supprted by vide r graphics listening passages passages authentic tpics f interest t intended users variety f tpics users can chse amng several passages n the same tpic variety f genres passages f an apprpriate length fr intended users vcabulary apprpriate fr the intended level syntax apprpriate fr the intended level Listening activities pre-listening activities prgram adapts t different levels f users prir knwledge pre-listening activities that activate prir knwledge listening activities listening activities emphasize cmprehensin f the passage listening activities authentic variety f listening activities users have a chice f listening activities activities mtivate learners t keep listening 4 Invitatinal Sympsium n Assessing and Advancing Technlgy Optins in Language Learning
pst-listening activities pst-listening activities based n selected features f passages features selected fr special attentin well chsen pst-listening activities prmte acquisitin f vcabulary Listening strategy instructin explanatin abut the benefits f using listening strategies systematic practice in the use f listening strategies users can see that certain tasks are mre easily accmplished when strategies are used chice f listening strategies depending n learning style Listening tls feedback n the effectiveness f strategy use links t the written versin f passage the whle passage sentence-by-sentence phrase-by-phrase wrd-by-wrd spken glsses mnlingual bilingual hint-type written glsses mnlingual bilingual hint-type visual glsses images graphics vides additinal resurces available nline talking dictinary nline written dictinary nline reference grammar backgrund infrmatin cultural ntes Listening interface ease f navigatin navigatin between audi, activities, glsses, and tls simple navigatin between screens fast Evaluatin criteria fr language learning sftware 5
playback cntrl users can cntrl the speed f audi playback playback can be stpped after each phrase after each sentence timing enugh time t cmplete activities archiving users wrk can be saved users wrk can be printed ut Checklist fr reading sftware Reading input Hw authentic is the appearance f the passage? layut fnts illustratins clrs cntent f the reading passages reading passages authentic tpics f interest t intended users variety f tpics tpics nt likely t becme utdated variety f genres users can chse amng several passages n the same tpic length apprpriate fr intended users vcabulary apprpriate fr intended users syntax apprpriate fr intended users Reading activities pre-reading activities prgram adapts t different levels f users prir knwledge pre-reading activities that activate prir knwledge reading activities reading activities emphasize cmprehensin f the passage reading activities authentic variety f reading activities users have a chice f reading activities activities mtivate learners t keep reading 6 Invitatinal Sympsium n Assessing and Advancing Technlgy Optins in Language Learning
pst-reading activities pst-reading activities based n selected features f the passages features selected fr special attentin well chsen pst-listening activities prmte acquisitin f vcabulary Reading strategy instructin explanatin abut the benefits f using reading strategies systematic practice in the use f reading strategies users can see that certain tasks are mre easily accmplished with strategy use chice f reading strategies depending n learning style feedback n the effectiveness f strategy use Reading tls links available t the spken versin f the passage the whle passage sentence-by-sentence phrase-by-phrase wrd-by-wrd written glsses available mnlingual bilingual hint-type spken glsses available mnlingual bilingual hint-type visual glsses available images graphics vides additinal resurces available tpical glssaries backgrund infrmatin cultural infrmatin nline dictinary nline reference grammar Reading interface ease f navigatin navigatin between text, activities, glsses, and tls simple navigatin between screens fast Evaluatin criteria fr language learning sftware 7
appearance f the text texts preserve their riginal frmat texts presented in a variety f fnts and typefaces fnts and typefaces attractive and easy t read illustratins and graphics aid in text cmprehensin glsses equal access t different types f glsses glssed items marked unbtrusively glsses cver up text r make it disappear different types f glsses can be custmized by users timing enugh time t cmplete activities archiving users wrk can be saved users wrk can be printed ut Checklist fr speaking sftware Speaking input general qualities f the input authenticity situatinal apprpriateness cultural apprpriateness interest t intended users tpics tpics f interest t intended users variety f tpics tpics lgically sequenced users have a chice f tpics vcabulary vcabulary apprpriate fr the intended level vcabulary rganized int well-defined thematic units prgram fcuses users attentin n specific vcabulary vcabulary recycled thrughut the prgram grammar grammar apprpriate fr the intended level presentatin f grammar lgically sequenced prgram fcuses users attentin n specific structures grammar recycled thrughut the prgram grammatical explanatins clear 8 Invitatinal Sympsium n Assessing and Advancing Technlgy Optins in Language Learning
Speaking activities speaking activities simulate real-wrld interactins activities challenging and fun activities prgress frm mechanical drills t pen-ended respnses activities require integratin f linguistic, scilinguistic, and pragmatic skills speaking activities cntextualized variety f activities users have a chice f activities What is the quality f the speaking prmpts? examples fr the activities t be perfrmed respnses allwed nly ne mre than ne Speaking strategy instructin prgram explains why the use f cmmunicatin strategies can be helpful systematic practice in the use f cmmunicatin strategies users can see that a task is mre easily accmplished when a particular cmmunicatin strategy is used chice f cmmunicatin strategies depending n learning style Speaking tls feedback n effectiveness f strategy use nline tls are available reference grammar mnlingual dictinary bilingual dictinary talking dictinary thesaurus scilinguistic and cultural ntes Speech interface speech interface user-friendly speech recgnitin (SR) pedaggical gals f the prgram culd be achieved withut SR tasks assciated with SR creating a sentence with audi and/r visual cues cnversing with the system (cnversatin changes depending n respnse) Feedback frm SR Is the feedback frm SR crrelated with hw well smething was said feedback relies nly n learners wn assessment users can recrd and cmpare their respnses with crrect mdels Evaluatin criteria fr language learning sftware 9
SR prgram prvides feedback n accuracy in respnses chsen frm a clsed set in pen-ended respnses archiving users wrk can be recrded and saved Checklist fr writing sftware Input fr writing activities input prvided in rder t cntextualize writing tasks written texts listening passages vides input at the apprpriate level f difficulty variety f input users have a chice f type f input Writing activities writing tasks have cunterparts in the real wrld tasks at the apprpriate level f difficulty tasks culturally apprpriate writing prmpts clearly and cncisely wrded writing prmpts specify an audience a functin a mtivatin fr writing chice f writing tasks Writing strategy instructin explanatin f he benefits f using writing strategies prgram ffers systematic practice in the use f writing strategies users can see that certain writing tasks are mre easily accmplished when strategies are used chice f writing strategies depending n learning style feedback n the effectiveness f strategy use Writing tls macr-aides available nline templates fr brainstrming writing tasks nline templates fr rganizing the writing tasks nline samples fr imitatin 10 Invitatinal Sympsium n Assessing and Advancing Technlgy Optins in Language Learning
micr-aides available nline bilingual dictinary nline thesaurus nline grammar reference editing aides available nline spell checker nline grammar checker Writing interface enugh time given fr task cmpletin prgram can save successive drafts f users wrk users wrk can be printed ut prgram can keep track f user queries prgram includes a netwrk cmpnent fr grup wrk r peer editing Checklist fr vcabulary learning sftware Input fr vcabulary learning basis fr the chice f vcabulary included in the prgram frequency assciatin with a particular tpic r tpics assciatin with a particular textbk vcabulary apprpriate fr the intended users in terms f level f difficulty interest usefulness Vcabulary learning activities activities challenging and fun users have chice f difficulty level activities relate new vcabulary t vcabulary previusly intrduced users have a chice f activities vcabulary learning activities ffered repetitin f the wrd recgnitin/matching activities pairing the wrd with its native language equivalent pairing the wrd with its target language synnym pairing the wrd with its target language antnym finding the related wrd in a list pairing the wrd with a picture pairing a wrd with a vide listening t the wrd being prnunced and finding it in a list Evaluatin criteria fr language learning sftware 11
prductin activities giving the target language equivalent fr a native language wrd finding the right wrd t describe a picture finding a target language synnym fr a wrd finding a target language antnym fr a wrd putting a wrd in the apprpriate semantic grup prducing derivatinally related wrds (e.g., nun frm a verb) using the wrd in a sentence games Vcabulary learning strategy instructin explanatin f different kinds f mnemnic strategies explanatin f why the use f certain strategies can imprve retentin f vcabulary systematic practice in the use f mnemnic strategies users can see that a task is mre easily accmplished when a mnemnic strategy is used users ffered a chice f mnemnic strategies depending n their learning style feedback n whether the use f a particular mnemnic strategy was effective r nt Vcabulary learning tls vcabulary search engine glsses prvided mnlingual bilingual hint-type examples f usage visual audi vide Vcabulary learning interface vcabulary search engine glsses prvided mnlingual bilingual hint-type examples f usage visual audi vide 12 Invitatinal Sympsium n Assessing and Advancing Technlgy Optins in Language Learning
Checklist fr sftware t teach prnunciatin Prnunciatin input wrds presented in citatin frm nly in different cntexts suprasegmental features included in the prgram intnatin included in the prgram native-speaker mdels include a variety f vices and dialects Prnunciatin activities activities well-sequenced activities challenging and fun activities prgress frm easier t mre cmplex users have cntrl ver selectin f activities pprtunities t review the material tasks assciated with the use f speech recgnitin reading ne wrd at a time filling in a blank in a sentence reading frm a selectin f several wrds reading ne sentence at a time reading frm a selectin f 2-5 sentences reading frm a selectin f 6 r mre sentences creating a sentence with audi and/r visual cues Prnunciatin interface speech recgnitin system reactin t nnnative speech recgnizes despite mistakes asks fr repetitin des nt recgnize recgnitin system rbust t varius disfluencies recgnitin system sensitive t ambient nise feedback recgnitin system prvides crrelates with hw well smething was said relies nly n learners wn assessment users can recrd and cmpare their respnses with crrect mdels mistakes in learner respnses are marked and displayed accuracy f vwels and cnsnants accuracy f speech rhythm and timing accuracy f intnatin cnturs Evaluatin criteria fr language learning sftware 13
methd by which visual prnunciatin feedback presented speaker s face vcal tract spectrum infrmatin speech wavefrms Checklist fr sftware t teach script Script input basis fr selectin f characters frequency tpic assciatin textbk assciatin infrmatin abut the histry f the writing system general descriptin f the writing system and its distinguishing features Script learning activities characters (r symbls) practiced in islatin in cmbinatins in meaningful sequences frm the mre simple t the mre cmplex characters (r symbls) presented earlier are recycled thrughut the prgram variety f activities users have cntrl ver chice f activities Script strategy instructin prgram explains what techniques are helpful in learning t write the target language script prgram prvides systematic practice in the use f these techniques Script learning tls characters (r symbls) linked t their prnunciatin links t glsses mnlingual bilingual images vide Script learning interface prgram shws strke rder f the characters r symbls animatin f hw characters r symbls are written search engine 14 The cntents f this NetWrk were develped under a grant frm the Department f Educatin (CFDA 84.229, P229A020002). Hwever, the cntents d nt necessarily represent the plicy f the Department f Educatin, and ne shuld nt assume endrsement by the Federal Gvernment.