KDEEdu/Language/Minutes/20140304

Meeting Notes - 2014, March 04

Attendees: Amarvir, Andreas, Inge, Oindrila, Samikshan

• Main Topic: Planning of Application Scopes and Integration in this page: Project Proposal
• we only discuss applications for people of age >= 12
• only discuss language learning applications

A: Language Learner has to learn:

• Characters
  • simple, if target language uses same alphabet
  • more difficult, if new characters are used (e.g., English learner learns Swedish with å, ä, ö) or more accents (French or Spanish)
  • much harder, if completely different script systems (Asian languages compared to European and the other way around) are needed
• Words most fundamental knowledge of a language:
  • learn to read the words
  • learn to understand spoken words
• Grammar
  • how to put the words together to create meaning
  • (currently no application present for this at KDE Edu)
• Pronounciation
  • how to pronounce single words
  • how to pronounce complex phrases

B: Applications in KDE Edu for this:

Currently the following language learning applications are available in KDE Edu with a scope of learners of age at least 12.

1. KLettres (only for kids, in current state not in focus), Kiten (mostly dictionary and writing howto)
2. Parley, KWordQuiz
3. (none)
4. Artikulate

C: More Details on Application Scopes/Critics:

KLettres

• mostly for kids learning to read for the first time
• not usable if one wants to study Thai, Hindi, Chinese, Japanese...
• no good experience for adult learners

Kiten (Maintainer: ?)

• Current Scope:
  • only for Japanese
  • has drawing howto for every symbol
  • (do we have a maintainer?)

Parley (Maintainers: Inge & Amarvir)

• Current Scope:
  • only usable for training but terminology in many places geared towards testing
  • provides a trainer
  • main focus is vocabulary training, but also supports a varity of things that can be learned with flash cards
  • uses KVTML
• Future Scope:
  • only vocabulary learning/training [depending on the definition of "vocabulary" and "grammar" /iw]
  • provide different methods for learning (flash cards, written practice, multiple choice ...)
  • integrated with language properties/grammar (cases, times,forms...)
    • need to be discussed what we count as "grammar"

KWordQuiz (community maintained)

• Current Scope:
  • very simple vocabulary trainer
  • has a simple editor
  • is also a general purpose learning application
  • tight integration of learning mode and editor
  • uses KVTML
• Future Scope:
  • change it to a general purpose flashcard application
  • maybe based on Parley's engine
  • future name maybe "KFlashcard"?

Artikulate (Maintainers: Andreas CoLa)

• Current Scope:
  • pronunciation trainer
  • uses own file format
• Future Scope:
  • utilize common vocabulary file format (KVTML)
  • better interaction of native speaker recordings with Parley

D: Goals/Future Directions

• global scope
  • for the foreseeable future focus on learning of languages
  • in a more distant future maybe add a dedicated testing application/testing mode to applications (but workflows and features sets for that must be specified beforehand)
• KVTML Editor (to be discussed after KVTML-next discussion)
  • Parley provides a quite powerfull editor, Artikulate a simple one (only tailored for its handmade lesson format), KWordQuiz provides a simple editor, Pairs provides a simple editor
  • there is an opportunity/interest for a more general purpose editor in the midterm/longterm future
  • would require to provide specific editing views, tailored to the different use cases of the individual applications
  • there exists a GSoC proposal to create a more advanced editor for large data sets
• "Language Learning Lab" (discussed)
  • idea of an integrated application á la Kontact where all language apps are combined
  • goal: provide easier access to individual applications, support cross-application usage, focus more on the learning goal than on individual applications
  • could use simple KParts approach
  • to be discussed: is the idea only aggregation or should there be some deeper integration too?
  • CoLa creates a draft, to be discussed at another meeting
• Flashcard Library:
  • learning mechanisms from Parley could be put into a separate library
  • would be useful for: Artikulate, flash card learning apps that are not language specific
  • this step could be done together with porting to Qt Quick and by this prepare for mobile/touch use
  • to be further discussed (and started?) at the next Edu sprint
• New File Format (discussed)
  • currently we have KVTML
  • all of us know shortcomings of that format
  • Inge will organize requirement collection
  • we will then have another meeting to discuss how to proceed
• Character Learning (to be discussed at next sprint)
  • Neither Kiten nor KLettres completely cover this learning problem
  • we need a direction for this
  • might be integrated with flash card learning system
  • what about hand writing symbols?
• Common terminology in language apps (discussed)
  • apps use different words for same things: lessons, units, learning, trainer...
  • we want to create a glossary
  • goal is to have a common terminology in language learning apps
  • CoLa creates wiki page after the meeting (everyone adds the words he/she currently uses)

E: Next Actions

• Inge will organize/create list of requirements for a future version of KVTML and coordinate a meeting to discuss it
• Inge will look into kwordquiz and research possible future cooperation with Parley
• Andreas will draft a proposal for an language learning umbrella application and coordinate a meeting to discuss it
• Andreas will create a wiki page with terminology used in Artikulate, the others will add Parley's terminology [DONE (both)]