Title: Computer supported ubiquitous learning environment for vocabulary learning

Authors: Hiroaki Ogata, Chengiu Yin, Moushir M. El-Bishouty, Yoneo Yano

Addresses: Dept. of Information Science and Intelligent Systems, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Tokushima, 2-1 Minamijosanjima, Tokushima 770-8506, Japan. ' Dept. of Information Science and Intelligent Systems, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Tokushima, 2-1 Minamijosanjima, Tokushima 770-8506, Japan. ' Dept. of Information Science and Intelligent Systems, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Tokushima, 2-1 Minamijosanjima, Tokushima 770-8506, Japan. ' Dept. of Information Science and Intelligent Systems, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Tokushima, 2-1 Minamijosanjima, Tokushima 770-8506, Japan

Abstract: Ubiquitous computing could help the organisation and the mediation of social interactions wherever and whenever these situations might occur. Using those technologies enables the learning environment to be embedded in real daily life. One of the most important ubiquitous technologies is the radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, which is very useful and efficient to realise ubiquitous computing, by mapping the real objects and the information into a virtual world. In the near future, RFID tags will be embedded in a lot of physical objects in order to trace the shipping of the products, and so forth. This paper proposes a computer assisted language learning (CALL) environment called tag added learning objects (TANGO). TANGO detects the objects around the learner using RFID tags, and assigns some questions to the learner related to the detected objects that he usually uses during daily life to improve his vocabulary knowledge. Also, this environment allows the learners to share their knowledge through RFID tags and to learn a language with authentic and tangible objects. This environment is implemented and evaluated.

Keywords: computer supported ubiquitous learning; CSUL; mobile learning; m-learning; pervasive learning; computer assisted language learning; CALL; vocabulary learning; RFID tags; radio frequency identification; ubiquitous computing; tag added learning objects.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLT.2010.031613

International Journal of Learning Technology, 2010 Vol.5 No.1, pp.5 - 24

Published online: 15 Feb 2010 *

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