Developing an Efficient Authoring System for Web-Based CALL Materials

本研究的目的是开发一种创作系统，使得使用视频素材制作基于网络的计算机辅助语言学习课件变得更容易，成本更低。对于英语教学的方法论框架，我们采用了三步听觉理解法，在我们之前的研究中，我们使用这种方法成功地开发了一系列光盘。随后，我们确定了创作系统的规格，该系统使学习者能够根据用户的环境使用CD-ROM或互联网通过网络浏览器访问材料。创作系统还具有便于CALL材料开发的功能。文本，包括说明、问题、提示、答案和解释，按照方法写在Excel文件上。然后，只需将文件拖到我们开发的转换器上，即可将Excel文件转换为XML文件。XML文件被链接到存储在特定文件夹中的音频、视频和图像文件，并且所有多媒体组件都使用预先安装的JavaScript自动集成到呼叫系统中。在不需要了解XML或Java脚本的情况下，转换过程可以在几秒钟内完成，为了展示该创作系统的有效性，我们使用该系统开发了一组调用材料。国际学生和日本一所大学教授之间的对话被录像和转录。然后，我们编辑的多媒体文件和文本被成功地集成到呼叫系统中。除了我们在以前的研究中开发的光盘外，还有26名学生使用了互联网上的材料。问卷调查显示，用户对新材料的满意度与对旧材料的满意程度相同，后者需要更多的资金。我们的结论是，新的创作系统大大改善了材料开发的环境。

The purpose of the present study was to develop an authoring system which made it easier and less expensive to create web-based Computer-Assisted Language Learning courseware using video materials.For a methodological framework to teach English, we adopted the "Three-Step Auditory Comprehension Approach," as we successfully developed a series of CD-ROMs in our previous studies using this methodology. Subsequently, we determined the specifications of the authoring system, which enabled the learner to access the materials through a web browser using a CD-ROM or the Internet, depending on the user's environment. The authoring system also had a feature for the ease of CALL materials development. The text, including directions, questions, hints, answers and explanations, was written on Excel files in line with the methodology. Then the Excel files were converted into XML files, simply by dragging the files onto the converter we developed. The XML files were linked to audio, video and image files stored in particular folders and all the multimedia components were automatically integrated into the CALL system using the preinstalled JavaScript. The conversion process can be done in a few seconds, without the knowledge of XML or JavaScript.To demonstrate the efficacy of the authoring system, we developed a set of CALL materials using the system. Conversations between international students and a professor at a university in Japan were videotaped and transcribed. Then the multimedia files and the text we edited were successfully integrated into a CALL system. Twenty-six students used the materials on the Internet in addition to the CD-ROMs we developed in our previous studies. The questionnaire survey revealed that the users were as satisfied with the new materials as with the older materials which required significantly more funding. We concluded that the new authoring system considerably improved the environment for materials development.