A Digital Library of Language Learning Exercises

Authors

  • Shaoqun Wu University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
  • Ian H. Witten University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
  • Arthur Walter Edwards Universidad de Colima, Mexico
  • David M. Nichols University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
  • Raúl Aquino University of Colima, Mexico

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v2i1.15

Abstract


Abstractâ??Recent years have seen widespread adoption of the Internet for language teaching and learning. Interactive systems on the World-Wide Web provide useful alternatives to face-to-face tuition, and both teachers and learners can benefit from the exercises available. However, although there is a wealth of suitable material, it is hard to find because it is scattered around the web. Moreover, teachers are restricted by the material that is available, and cannot provide their own. To tackle these problems we have constructed a digital library of language learning exercises that presents students with different kinds of exercise, and also lets teachers contribute new material. We first reviewed existing language learning systems on the web in order to develop a taxonomy of exercise types used for language activity. A prototype, ELLE, based on this taxonomy, provides various kinds of interactive exercises using material that teachers submit. The system has been evaluated by practicing language teachers.

Author Biographies

Shaoqun Wu, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

Shaoqun Wu completed her MSc on a digital library of language exercises at the University of Waikato, New Zealand, and is now a research assistant working on the Greenstone Digital Library Project.

Ian H. Witten, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

Ian H. Witten is Professor of Computer Science at Waikato. He leads the Greenstone project. His research interests include information retrieval, machine learning, text compression, and programming by demonstration. He has published widely, including several books.

Arthur Walter Edwards, Universidad de Colima, Mexico

Arthur Edwards is senior professor at the College of Telematicas of the Universidad de Colima.

David M. Nichols, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

David M. Nichols is a senior lecturer in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Waikato. His research interests include digital libraries, human computer interaction and open source software.

Raúl Aquino, University of Colima, Mexico

Raúl Aquino obtained a PhD. in Electric and Electronic Engineering from the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom. Currently he is a Lecturer at School of Telematics in the University of Colima, México. He has Interests on Vehicular Ad-Hoc Networks, Wireless Sensor Networks and Mobile Computing Networks.

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Published

2006-07-18

How to Cite

Wu, S., Witten, I. H., Edwards, A. W., Nichols, D. M., & Aquino, R. (2006). A Digital Library of Language Learning Exercises. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 2(1). https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v2i1.15

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 1 (2007)

Section

Papers