KDEEdu/Language/Minutes/20140304

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