Development and evaluation of a client-server system for collecting individual difference data of second language learners

我们的目标是设计和建立一个系统，以帮助第二语言教育者利用客户端-服务器系统收集第二语言学习者的背景信息。有三个目标。首先，创建一个系统，让第二语言学习者在一个基于网络的系统上回答问卷和心理测量量表。第二，分析二语学习者的背景资料和个体差异数据；包括通过服务器-客户端系统获得的数据，从而确定与第二语言学习成功相关的因素。第三，提供第二语言教育者的工具和数据作为数据库，帮助他们快速掌握学生群体的特征，并相应地调整他们的教学方法。在给定的研究期限内，我们创建了一个客户端-服务器系统来收集学生的背景信息和个体差异数据。本研究以日本大学生为研究对象，以英语为外语进行学习。在使用客户机-服务器系统收集数据之后，将检查数据，以确定所收集的数据是否与使用纸和铅笔获得的数据兼容。这两个数据集被发现是兼容的。由此，我们可以确定一些反映我国大学生群体特征的指标。一些指标被发现与标准化英语水平测试的分数显著相关。关于我们的第三个目标，我们仍在努力确定公布结果的最佳方式；也就是说，我们应该期望数据的受众有多广泛，以及数据库中的信息在多大程度上需要一般化，但要足够具体，以满足目标受众的学习情况。需要进一步的研究；然而，这项研究强调了基于问卷的调查在客户端-服务器系统上的功能及其对研究人员-从业者的可用性。

We aimed to design and build a system to help second language (L2) educators collect background information of L2 learners utilizing a client-server system. There were three aims. First, create a system for L2 learners to answer questionnaires and respond to psychometric scales on a web-based system. Second, analyze L2 learners' background information and individual differences data; including those obtained through the server-client system, and so identify factors that related to success in L2 learning. Third, provide L2 educators' tools and data as a database to help them quickly grasp the characteristics of their student population and to adapt their teaching methods accordingly.Within the limits of the given research period, we have created a client-server system to collect students' background information and individual difference data. This study involved the participation of Japanese university students learning English as a foreign language. After being collected using the client-server system, data was checked to determine if it was compatible, as collected, with data obtained using paper and pencil. The two data sets were found to be compatible. From this, we could then ascertain some indices that reflected the characteristics of our university student population. Some indices were found to be significantly correlated with scores on a standardized English proficiency test. In respect to our third aim, we are still trying to determine the best way to publish the results ; that is, how broad we should expect the audience to be for the data, and to what extent does the information in the database need to be generalized, but be specific enough for the learning situations of the target audience.Further research is needed ; however, this study has highlighted the functionality of questionnaire-based surveys on a client-server system and its usability for researcher-practitioners.