Design Process Overview
A language learner’s attitude can have a positive or negative impact on their learning, as well as their motivating and demotivating factors [7]. The two leading motivations were the learners interest in the target language (integrative orientation) and the involvement of the practical benefits that learning a language comes with (instrumental orientation) [1].
As stated from a study of the virtual immersion with language learners in London, “knowledge of culture is critical to success in English as a Foreign Language (EFL)” [7]. We envisioned the language learner immersing themselves in both the language and its culture through food, a common passion regardless of background.
As many learners desire but struggle to visit a country with the learning language, our application allows the opportunity to be presented with a further insight into the everyday life of that culture.
Steps toward the final prototype.
The team had several potential domains we were interested in, and narrowed the focus down to a specific area to research. Immersive learning and food as motivation stood out the most.
Our initial research then looked at ways we could combine both of those topics, allowing us to define the problem space better before moving forward with suggestions for it.
Initially, our understanding of immersion and how we could use it as a part of our system, was through the idea of “being surrounded by the language” in a literal sense… In our final prototype instead, the immersion comes from spending time participating in culture.
Aizel conducted Interviews with language learners to understand what their experience was. The team then analysed the quotes from those interviews to see what learners valued and prioritised.
Some users found themselves engaging more when they absorbed the culture alongside the language they were learning. There was context associated with what they learnt. Perhaps we could make a dedicated activity that users associate with learning, which they could integrate into their everyday routine?.
Lachlan worked on a prototype that would let us have a system that users could talk to and that would respond to the. However, this prototype had too many limitations and wasn’t pursued further.
The decision had been made to use Malay for the system, as we had a native speaker on the team who themselves had experience engaging with Malaysian culture, and so would be able to provide a clear picture of the feeling / goals the system would deliver on.
This prototype used physical cue cards alongside an interface that encouraged users to break down sentences into words, and then words into syllables, before pronouncing them
A session to see what parts of the prototype needed to be cut or refined, and understand how learners would perceive the learning experience when delivered more interactively than simply reading a word on the screen in no context.
A prototype incorporating feedback from user testing, and involving a more practical scenario of completing a recipe, within specific limitations. This prototype has the context of creating a recipe, with words, concepts and context similar to one that would be found in an everyday situation in a normal kitchen.
Our attempts to create a system that would tell us more about the problem space and learners.
An experiment to see how we could use existing speech recognition to teach words to users… Unfortunately not used in final prototype or tested at all…
This prototype was a simple system that “said” words out loud when users clicked certain prompts
- Provided an understanding of how interface and feedback should work
- Words from everyday situations used for cue cards, but not
While our final prototype was made to be used by learners aiming to solidify their language skills, rather than pick up a language from the start, we learned we needed to :
All segments of the final prototype encompassed in one tablet application with the following improvements:
- Image recognition for the AR word-popup aspect instead of using QR codes and predetermined ingredients This would allow users to show any ingredients to the camera to find out the matching word in their target language.
- More languages and learning concepts The current prototype only has grade school level tasks, and short four word sentences. More difficulty levels can prevent a feeling of stagnation, provided it takes time to ramp this difficulty up.
- Developing for tablet first. User testing revealed that a tablet was the device most likely to be found in a kitchen setting.
- More advanced feedback system via rating the speaker or playing back their utterances The existing LED feedback system would still be implemented since it encourages the speaker’s participation and engagement. Additionally, users could be made to hear recordings of themselves for future critique.
The teams task breakdown..
- Aizel: User research, user testing, logo, LED feedback mechanism
- Amraj: Learning interface (interim + final), providing the voice recordings of pronunciations
- Jessica: Research, poster, documentation
- Lachlan: Google Home prototype exploration, AR prototype
[1] S. Course, “Motivation for Language Learning: After All We Have Been Studying These since Primary School,” Int. J. Lang. Educ. Teach., vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 496–513, Mar. 2018.
[2] I. Waragai, T. Ohta, M. Raindl, and S. Kurabayashi, “An Experience-Oriented Language Learning Environment Supporting Informal Learning Abroad,” Educ. Technol. Res., vol. 36, no. 1–2, pp. 179–189, 2013.
[3] Kristen Sullivan, “Reconsidering the Assessment of Self-Regulated Learning in Foreign Language Courses,” Stud. Self-Access Learn. J., vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 443–459, 2014.
[4] K. Schwienhorst, “The ‘third place’ – virtual reality applications for second language learning,” ReCALL, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 118–126, May 1998.
[5] S. Kavanagh, A. Luxton-Reilly, B. Wuensche, and B. Plimmer, “A Systematic Review of Virtual Reality in Education,” Themes Sci. Technol. Educ., vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 85–119, 2017.
[6] K. Csizér and P. J. Kormos, “The Relationship of Intercultural Contact and Language Learning Motivation among Hungarian Students of English and German,” J. Multiling. Multicult. Dev., vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 30–48, Jan. 2008.
[7] Y. Shih, "A virtual walk through London: culture learning through a cultural immersion experience", Computer Assisted Language Learning, vol. 28, no. 5, pp. 407-428, 2013. Available: 10.1080/09588221.2013.851703.