With the ever-increasing number of available language technology products, there is also a need to evaluate them objectively. Unsubstantiated beliefs about what language technology can and cannot do inside or outside the language classroom often influence decisions about the choice of language technology to be used. The declarative/procedural…

This paper presents a design case that describes the design, development, and user experience testing of a Google Docs revision add-on. The add-on is an instructional, peer review tool intended to help students distinguish surface-level feedback from text-based feedback in order to develop their revision task schema. Eleven secondary teachers…

Research has shown that any assumption that L2 learners of English do well to rely on the feedback provided by generic spell checkers (for example, the MS Word spell checker) is misplaced. Efforts to develop spell checkers specifically for L2 learners have focused on training software to offer more appropriate suggestion lists for replacing…

Computer simulations are widely used in physics instruction because they can aid student visualization of abstract concepts, they can provide multiple representations of concepts (graphical, trajectories, charts), they can approximate real-world examples, and they can engage students interactively, all of which can enhance student understanding of…

In this paper behavior during the teaching-learning process is modeled by means of a fuzzy cognitive map. The elements used to model such behavior are part of a generic didactic model, which emphasizes the use of cognitive and operative strategies as part of the student-tutor interaction. Examples of possible initial scenarios for the…

This article discusses the development and functionalities of an intelligent computer-assisted language learning (ICALL) system. By way of example, we describe "E-Tutor", an ICALL system for L2 learners of German that has been in use for a decade. Based on advancements in technology, user studies with L2 learners of German as well as feedback…

This paper presents a "didactic triangulation" strategy to cope with the problem of reliability of NLP applications for computer-assisted language learning (CALL) systems. It is based on the implementation of basic but well mastered NLP techniques and puts the emphasis on an adapted gearing between computable linguistic clues and didactic features…

"The Montessori Observer" is mailed four times each year, in March, May, September and November, to Society members throughout the world. The purpose is to provide news and information about the Society's work in Montessori education, and to extend awareness of Montessori principles throughout the world. This issue contains a feature…

The study of student error, important across many fields of educational research, has begun to attract interest in the field of e-learning, particularly in relation to usability. However, it remains unclear when errors should be avoided (as usability failures) or embraced (as learning opportunities). Many domains have benefited from taxonomies of…

Data-driven decision-making (D3M) appears to be the new buzz phrase for this century, the information age. On the education front, teachers and administrators are engaging in data-centered dialog in grade-level meetings, lounges, hallways, and classrooms as they brainstorm toward closing the gap in student achievement. Clearly, such discussion…

In an age when the paperless office is fast becoming a reality, the need for a paperless writing course has arisen. This paper presents an easy and inexpensive way to design a paperless writing course by taking advantage of the annotation feature available on many word processors, such as Microsoft Word or Lotus Ami Pro. The annotation feature…

Provides computer literate foreign language specialists in higher education with a manageable set of domain-specific design principles and guidelines for alleviating the complexity of design issues arising out of authoring hypermedia second language learning applications. Notes that the guidelines proposed result from a tailored selection process.…

Replicates an earlier study that used videotapes to examine the types of errors made by novice economics students in graphic analysis of a simple supply-demand problem. Further explores the issue by improving the framework for analyzing errors and documenting some methods used by novice groups to correct errors. (MJP)