Abstract:

The aim of this research is to improve the educational quality of hypermedia-based CALL systems. It is argued that many of the deficiencies of current systems can be attributed to an insufficient consideration of the needs of users and to the lack of an explicit educational philosophy guiding their design. Accordingly, a methodological framework has been developed which draws on recent developments in the field of human-computer interaction regarding interactive system design and a general constructivist approach to the design of computer-based learning material. The methodological framework involves a number of key features including use of learning scenarios to identify user requirements (Carroll, 1995), the development of prototypes embodying different design options, and a series of formative workshops to evaluate the prototypes. This article reports progress so far in the use of the methodology. The overall results provide broad support for the general approach of basing design on a constructivist model and confirm the general validity of the user-centered, scenario-based methodological approach.

Author: Jae-eun Shin, David G. Wastell