Few people who did not grow up speaking Zulu have learned the language later. There are limited resources for second language Zulu learning, whether textbooks, readers, or computerised resources. We set out to develop software for this purpose, to support learners' independent learning. Drawing on research on language learning, we used a number of…

Memorization is essential when new knowledge is based on association with existing knowledge. It is key in acquiring logographic languages, such as Chinese and Japanese. Such languages present challenges to students possessed of alphabet-based mother tongues. To meet these challenges, we discuss a technology-enhanced learning method to address the…

Natural language is highly complex and can be challenging for some learners, yet the contribution of complexity to individual differences in language learning remains poorly understood. This poor understanding appears due to both a lack of consensus among researchers regarding what complexity is, and to on-line language research often employing…

Learning Chinese characters is a difficult task for adult English native speakers due to the significant differences between the Chinese and English writing system. The visuospatial properties of Chinese characters have inspired the development of instructional methods using both verbal and visual information based on the Dual Coding Theory. This…

In this study, we present the analyses stemming from a survey administered to 2149 foreign language learners at Michigan State University. We had three goals. First, we aimed to compile a profile of language learners' technological acumen, access to and ownership of technology, and the current uses of technology across a wide range of languages…

Classifies authoring languages for computer assisted instructional lessons according to a taxonomy based on the hierarchy commonly used for computer languages--the lowest level being the code used by the machine itself and higher levels successively more removed from the machine language. (Author/JJD)

A clearly defined and formal method for comparative analysis and evaluation of computer author languages would permit the worker in computer-based instruction to select a language by its effectiveness for the task rather than its easy availability. Such a comparative framework is put forward in this study. The report identifies the useful features…

As a first step in a systematic approach to instructional design, an attempt is made to develop public linguistic systems which would permit a designer to communicate with his colleagues. Abstracting general principles of design from fields other than education, an organized body of instructional design concepts emerges. These concepts are then…