View source for KDEEdu/Language/Personas

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= Personas for Language Learning =
We use personas to define the scope and target audience for our applications. The following personas specifically apply to language learning applications. Since learning is a continuous process where we expect a user to become more proficient, we use the following approach
* a persona defines the characteristics of a user group
* the proficiency a user is given by the states A, B, and C, according to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages Common European Framework of Reference for Languages]

== Notes about Personas in General ==
Personas is an established usability practice. Personas should represent the different user types. As such they are an useful tool: They help the designers to step out of their own shoes to figure out users' goals, preferences, limitations and behavior.

A persona description should consist of behavior patterns, goals, skills, attitudes, and also a description of environment of use. A realistic description brings the persona to life and opens different views to the designer: For example two different personas might approach the same problem from a different angle and probably they would use different ways of action to achieve the same goal. So the same use cases should be possible to do in different ways, depending on the personas skills, behaviour patterns etc.

== Language Learning Personas ==
=== Tina, the Professional ===
* very motivated to learn a new language (e.g. for job)
* also requires very specialized vocabulary

=== Gan, the Hobby Learner ===
Somebody who has time to learn a language and does so, since she/he maybe wants to be able to speak basic phrases in the next holidays
* just retired
* goal is enjoy learning a language, wants to be able to have simple conversations in target language

=== ???, the Student ===
* has to fulfill demands of teachers and pass exams
* gets homeworks form teacher
* gets vocabulary list
* 14 years

=== Others ===
There are more possible target groups (e.g. learning in class) but currently out of scope.

== Proficiency Levels ==
We define a coarse set of CEFR inspired levels. A level describes what a learner is supposed to be able to do in reading, listening, speaking and writing.

=== 0: Starter ===
* nothing expected

=== A: Basic User ===

=== B: Independent User ===

=== C: Proficient User ===