Personalized and context sensitive foreign language training supported by mobile devices

Abstract

In this research project I try to answer how context sensitive mobile devices can be used to complement traditional foreign language learning in a classroom. My approach to answering this question is based on the goal of creating a prototype application called the Personalized And context sensitive foreign Language training system for real Life situAtions using mobile devices (PALLAS). To be able to develop PALLAS satisfactory I start by performing a prestudy to create a theoretical ground for my ideas. This allows me to come up with ideas of how PALLAS could be used. To systemize my process I create a scenario-based development method. I start by writing user scenarios of the PALLAS system in use. This is the part where new ideas are included into PALLAS. Then I analyze the user scenarios and create formalized models of how PALLAS is supposed to work. The models are in turn used to design a system architecture, which finally is used to implement the PALLAS prototype. I finish my research by comparing the finished PALLAS prototype to the original user scenarios. It turns out that the process has resulted in an architecture that can almost completely satisfy the features found in the user scenarios. With this solid architecture in place the next natural step for PALLAS will be testing in real-life scenarios with students and teachers using the system.