KDEEdu/Language/Minutes/20140304

From KDE Community Wiki
Revision as of 21:27, 4 March 2014 by Cola (talk | contribs)

Meeting Notes - 2014, March 04

  • 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:

  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: unknown)

  • 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
    • the is an opportunity for a more general purpose editor in the midterm/longterm future
    • would require to provide specific editing view tailored to the use cases of the individual applications
    • it 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
    • 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 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?
  • Must have the same terminology (lessons, units, learning, trainer...) in all language learning applications (discussed)
    • we want to create a glossary
    • 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