Research of a CALL System Focusing on Interactivity and Practicality

在本研究中，我们开发了一个注重交互性和实用性的CALL系统。在互动性方面，它的目的是根据学生的反应给予灵活的反馈，类似于教师在实际课堂活动中的表现。该系统具有以下特点：(1)考虑适当的错误/提示信息，例如“正确答案不是~但是—”或“正确答案比这更远”来处理学习者的反应。(2)信息呈现的方法是对话式的，在短时间间隔内呈现一个简单的信息句子给学生的回复。考虑到实用性，我们设计了一个创作工具，在这个工具中，只有通过选择消息模式才能创建各种错误/提示消息。我们的系统是服务器-客户端型的，也就是说，材料在网络上分发，这样学生不仅可以在CALL教室使用材料，也可以在其他计算机教室或家里使用材料。在材料中，学习者一边听一系列英语问题，一边用鼠标将图片移动到正确的位置。系统检查他们的答案并提供错误/提示消息。准备了多种错误/提示消息模式来处理学生可能犯的各种错误。根据消息模式和学习者的答案自动生成消息。经过实验，该系统能够稳定运行。在错误/提示信息指导的功能方面，研究表明学习者的反应随能力测试成绩的变化而变化。基于这些结果，发现该系统成功地提供了计算机与学习者之间的支持性交互，并且可以作为学校课程的材料之一。

In this research we developed a CALL system which focuses on interactivity and practicality. With respect to interactivity, it aims at giving flexible feedback according to the student's response, similar to that a teacher performs in actual class activities. The proposed system has the following features : (1)Adequate error/hint messages, such as "The correct answer is not 〜 but--" or "The correct answer is farther up than that" are considered to deal with the learner's response. (2)The method of message presentation is dialogical such that a simple message sentence is presented at a short interval to a reply of a student.With regard to practicality, we designed an authoring tool in which various error/hint messages are created only by selecting message patterns. Our system is of the server-client type, that is, materials are distributed on a network so that students can use the materials not only in CALL rooms but also in other computer rooms or at home.In the material, learners move pictures with a mouse to the correct destination while they listen to a series of questions in English. The system checks their answers and provides error/hint messages. Multiple patterns of error/hint messages are prepared to deal with the various mistakes students might make. The messages are automatically produced based on the message patterns and learner's answers.As a result of experiments on this newly created system, stable operation was able to be carried out. In relation to the function of error/hint message instruction, the research indicated that the learners' reactions changed with their score result of the proficiency test. Based on these results, it was found that this system was successful in providing supportive interaction between computers and learners, and it could be used as one of the materials in the school curriculum.