Improving literacy in developing countries using speech recognition-supported games on mobile devices (original) (raw)
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SMART: speech-enabled mobile assisted reading technology for word comprehension
2011
In this study, we designed and developed two educational games on mobile phones with support for speech-recognition to examine and train the cognitive underpinnings of word reading in English as a Second Language (ESL) learners in rural India. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that articulating a word aloud will be more advantageous for strengthening the sub-lexical components required for word reading–orthographic, phonologic, and semantic–than silently practicing it.
Improving Hindi decoding skills via a mobile game
Reading and Writing, 2019
Previous research with alphasyllabaries has shown that children struggle with akshara that have two or more consonants, known as complex akshara. We developed a mobile game that teaches 4th grade children Hindi decoding skills, with an emphasis on complex akshara. All of the children were second language learners of Hindi. There were two versions of the game that varied in terms of stimuli spacing (massed and distributed). We found that the game improved participants' akshara recognition and their ability to read and spell words that contain complex akshara. There is also evidence of learning in the online data; participants were able to more quickly arrive at the correct answers as the game progressed. Both versions of the game yielded equivalent levels of improvement, but participants played the massed version faster. The spacing results are interpreted using the desirable difficulties framework. Overall, the results suggest that mobile technology can effectively improve akshara knowledge.
2019
Filipino learners' lack of English language proficiency is a major barrier to higher education opportunities and participation in high-value industries. Computer-based learning systems have the potential to increase educational quality, equity, and efficacy in the Global South. However, a key challenge is to design systems that are developmentally and socioculturally appropriate and engaging for the target learners. In this paper, we describe the design, development, and preliminary testing of Ibigkas!, a collaborative, mobile phone-based game designed to provide phonemic awareness and vocabulary building support to Filipino learners aged 10-12.
2008
Abstract: Literacy is one of the great challenges in the developing world. Even more challenging is the tension between regional and ���world��� languages���that economic opportunities are often closed to those who are literate only in a regional language. India for instance is a country with 22 regional and two ���national languages��� Hindi and English. But for most practical purposes, English is the language of economic opportunity.
Speech-enabled card games for language learners
National Conference on Artificial Intelligence, 2008
This paper debuts a novel application of speech recognition to foreign language learning. We present a generic framework for developing user-customizable card games designed to aid learners in the difficult task of vocabulary acquisition. We also describe a prototype game built on this framework that, using a Mandarin speech recognizer, provides a student of Chinese with opportunities to speak vocabulary items in a meaningful context. The system dynamically loads only the necessary vocabulary for each game in an effort to maintain robust recognition performance without limiting the lexical domain. To assess the Sentence Error Rate (SER) of our prototype, we asked college-age students from various universities in the United States and beyond to participate in a Web-based user study. The three central concepts of the game were recognized with a SER of 16.02%, illustrating the feasibility of deploying this system in a university curriculum via the Internet. Finally, to ensure that our recognizer is behaving appropriately with regard to learner speech, we perform a rigorous analysis of the recognition errors to determine their underlying causes.
A mobile game as a support tool for children with severe difficulties in reading and spelling
Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 2020
We used a randomised controlled trial to investigate if a mobile game, GraphoLearn (GL) could effectively support the learning of first graders (N = 70), who have severe difficulties in reading and spelling. We studied the effects of two versions of the game: GL Reading, which focused on training letter-sound correspondence and word reading, and GL Spelling, which included additional training in phonological skills and spelling. Children trained with tablet computers which they could carry with them during the six-week intervention. The average exposure time to training was 5 hours 44 minutes. The results revealed no differences in the development of reading or spelling skills between GL players and the control group. However, children's pre-training self-efficacy moderated the effect among GL Reading players: children with high self-efficacy developed more than the control group in word reading fluency, whereas children with low self-efficacy developed less than the control group in spelling.
Vocalnayno: Designing a Games-Based Intervention to Support Reading Development in Primary Schools
Proceedings of the 6th European Conference on Games-Based Learning, 2012
Encouraging children to read frequently and helping them to develop their reading skills as effectively as possible can be a challenge for some primary schools. Often, institutions have to rely on external teaching assistants and parent volunteers to provide pupils with additional one-on-one support in order help them to achieve an acceptable standard of read-ing. However, there are inefficiencies to this approach. For example, some volunteers lack the necessary instructional knowledge to deliver learning material effectively, while others may possess limited agency to assess pupil progress through the standard mechanisms. Consequently, this can delay the identification and communication of individual needs, which can be essential for tailoring such support. This research questions whether the use of a game-based intervention can integrate into the existing teaching culture at a primary school and aid teaching assistants to achieve a more significant impact on pupil reading development. In order to synthesize an appropriate design, an action-research inspired approach at a local school has been adopted. This is very much a work-in-progress as several methodological challenges have already been encountered. In particular, addressing barriers to entry and including a wide variety of stakeholders in each stage of participatory design. However, the approach helps to main-tain scope within relevant cultural boundaries while also addressing new weaknesses that emerge through the observation and discussion of current practices. A prototype based on an initial process of gathering re-quirements is presented using Multimedia Fusion Developer 2. The design incorporates a game-like exercise where a foam volcano character releases bubbles containing letters and words. Pupils must read these aloud in order to burst them open, which is recorded as a metric of reading ability. This example could be deployed as an assessment tool on a laptop or tablet device, providing assistants with an indicator of phonetic strengths and weaknesses.
Kes Sesi: A mobile game designed to improve kindergarteners' recognition of letter sounds
Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 2018
Learning letters is an important area of language learning, conducive to the beginning of reading and writing. Indeed, today's generation prefers to learn through digital games rather than through formal teaching processes. Inspired by this need, the researcher designed this study (a) to test the effectiveness of an instructional digital game, "Kes Sesi," designed to teach letter recognition skills and (b) to briefly present its instructional development process, which was based on the ADDIE model. This was a quasi-experimental study with two treatment groups and a control group involving 87 kindergarteners. Treatment groups played the game for 12-6 weeks for learning, 6 weeks for practice. The control group continued with its regular class activities. One treatment group played the game based on predefined sound categorization, the other without any categorization. A test on children's sound recognition abilities was administered three times as a pretest, a midtest, and a posttest. The treatment groups performed significantly better than the control group. The game enhanced the kindergarteners' ability to practice uncategorized content while it enhanced their ability to learn categorized content. The results are promising in that Kes Sesi can be useful in self-supported learning contexts with little adult input and with minimum outside interference.
Improving literacy in rural India: cellphone games in an after-school program
2009 International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development (ICTD), 2009
Literacy is one of the great challenges in the developing world. But universal education is an unattainable dream for those children who lack access to quality educational resources such as well-prepared teachers and schools. Worse, many of them do not attend school regularly due to their need to work for the family in the agricultural fields or households. This work commitment puts formal education far out of their reach. On the other hand, educational games on cellphones hold the promise of making learning more accessible and enjoyable. In our project's 4th year, we reached a stage where we could implement a semester-long pilot on cellphone-based learning. The pilot study took the form of an after-school program in a village in India. This paper reports on this summative learning assessment. While we found learning benefits across the board, it seemed that more of the gains accrued to those children who were better equipped to take advantage of this opportunity. We conclude with future directions for designing educational games that target less well-prepared children in developing regions.
Learning English using children's stories in mobile devices
British Journal of Educational Technology, 2016
The topic of this paper is to describe the development of an interactive application that can be used in teaching English as a second language using children's stories in mobile devices. The aim of this experimental study has been to find out the potential of using the developed interactive mobile application in improving the learning skills such as vocabulary, pronunciation, listening and comprehension of the learners of the English language without the help of a teacher. The novelty of the research in this paper has been the use of a speech recognition engine on the mobile phone to identify spoken words of the learner in an attempt to teach correct pronunciation of words. The learning is interactive and it takes place entirely on a mobile phone. In this experimental study 37 voluntary students have participated. A Pre‐Test and a Post‐Test have been performed to find out the learning abilities of students. The results of the experimental study clearly indicated that English lea...