CALICO Software Review CALICO Journal, Volume 19 Number 2, pp. 390-404 Vocabulary/Kanji/Conjugation Exercise for Japanese (VKC/J2.0) Eiko Ushida - Carnegie Mellon University Product at a glance Product type: Vocabulary practice; kanji (Chinese characters); verb and adjective forms exercises; and an authoring system Language: Japanese Level: Elementary level Activity: Word-level practice/exercises Media format: WWW download Computer platform: Macintosh OS 7+ Hardware MAC: 68030+ requirements RAM: 8Mb 8Mb Harddisk space Supplemental Japanese Language Kit (JLK) or Japanese system is required for software creating own vocabulary databases. HyperCard Player is requirements: downloaded automatically with VKC/J2.0. Price: Freeware General Description Vocabulary/Kanji/Conjugation Exercise for Japanese (VKC/J2.0) is a useful program for practicing vocabulary, kanji and verb/adjective conjugation for elementary level learners of Japanese. It consists of the VKC/J2.0 system, VKC/J2.0 editors, data sets for two major Japanese language textbooks (i.e., Nakama 1 & 2, Situational Functional Japanese) and the VKC database. These are all freeware so that any one can download them from the VKC/J2.0 homepage, which introduces features of the software as well as the instructions. The VKC/J2.0 system includes the program starter and example exercises. The VKC/J2.0 editors include three types of data editors; vocabulary, kanji, and sound. VKC/J2.0 creates a vast number of exercises on vocabulary, kanji and verb/adjective conjugation based on the selected database, allowing students to practice as much as they would like. It also has a quiz function for vocabulary and kanji exercises, where students can test their progress. VKC/J2.0 was developed by Professor Kazumi Hatasa, Purdue University and Professor Yukiko Hatasa, Iowa University, who have published many Japanese CALL products. It has been difficult to implement computer-based learning software within the elementary level Japanese curriculum due to hardware problems running a Japanese-based system and a mismatch between course content and software content. The authors claim that VKC/J2.0 was developed to overcome these technical and practical problems. Although VKC/J2.0 does not have the bells and whistles of the latest multimedia packages, it is aimed at overcoming the previously mentioned shortcomings of Japanese CALL products while placing a focus on pedagogical values and utility during the product’s development. The authors also claim that the implementation of VKC/J2.0 involves little additional demand on the instructor’s time (Hatasa & Hatasa, 1997). VKC/J2.0 is released as freeware for non-commercial use, therefore anyone who is interested in using this program to teach and/or study Japanese can download it for individual use. On-line help is not available, however the authors do assist users by email when necessary. It is intended that Japanese instructors should be able to integrate the program into their curriculum with minimum preparation workload. That is, using VKC/J2.0, the instructors can easily develop their own exercises which suit their own curriculum by taking advantage of the editor functions. In this respect, VKC/J2.0 serves as an authoring system. For easy adoption, it contains a vocabulary and kanji database as well as exercises for two major elementary Japanese language textbooks widely used in many countries: Situational and Functional Japanese (SFJ)(Tsukuba Language Group, 1992), andNakama (Makino, Hatasa & Hatasa, 1998 & 1999). The size of each database is 16.8MB(SFJ), 11MB (Nakama 1), and 29MB (Nakama 2) respectively. To run all of the exercises, the instructor has to prepare vocabulary sets, kanji database, and sound files. To create a vocabulary data file, instructors need to enter: (a) kana alone, (b) kana/kanji, (c) meaning, and (d) type of verbs/adjectives (see Figure1 for an example). To create a kanji data file, they need to enter: (a) kanji, (b) reading inhiragana and (c) a lesson number for each reading. Figure 1 A sample of a vocabulary set customized by the reviewer Once these databases are saved in the course file, VCK/J2.0 creates both vocabulary/kanji exercises and verb/adjective conjugation exercises providing furigana (kana superscript for kanji) selectively for unlearnt kanji. The Sound editor provides a ready-made sound database containing approximately 1700 words. However, instructors still need to record, digitize and save sounds for words that are not included in the database to create their own sound file. The activities in VCK/J2.0 are quite simple. Learners first select a type of exercise (either vocabulary/kanji or conjugation), and then proceed in the following manner: For both exercises, larners can practice many times for both preview and review, choosing different lessons and types of Question and Answer format to suit their needs/learning stages (Table 1). VCK/J2.0 provides interactive exercises during processes No.2 through No.4 above. For the quiz option, learners can select the lesson, but cannot select the Question-Answer format. The program randomly selects ten words and presents five questions in Japanese and the remaining five questions in English. It does not provide feedback as in the exercise, but presents scores as well as answer summaries in the results, which can be printed out. Students who used VCK/J2.0 in the authors’ pilot study found the program useful and easy to use to learn vocabulary, particularly with the sound. However, they did not value highly the use of VCK/J2.0’s feedback system, nor were they motivated to use VCK/J2.0 voluntarily. Evaluation Technological features It is very quick and easy to download VCK/J2.0 from its homepage. VCK/J2.0 currently runs only on the Macintosh platform, which of course limits the potential number of users. The authors are aware of this shortcoming (Hatasa & Hatasa,1997) and plan to develop the program for a more cross-platform environment, including Windows and the Web. VCK/J2.0 is a HyperCard application, yet users do not need to install the HyperCard Player as it is automatically downloaded with VCK/J2, which enables computers to run this program at an adequate speed. The reviewer found it very useful and convenient in this regard. Learners and instructors may both find it difficult at first to operate the HyperCard-based language exercises, as it is slightly different from more familiar CD-ROM or Web-based software in terms of navigation procedures and user interface. But the instruction command buttons should be able to guide users with few problems. The authors of VCK/J2.0 do not employ visually-attractive multimedia technology typical of recent CALL software. VCK/J2.0 consists of just text and sounds (pronunciation models and right/wrong buzzer). While these exercises can be conducted effectively, the software would have been more appealing had it incorporated some multimedia features. Computer Control One of the best features of VCK/J2.0 is that it makes full use of special tools called Development Tools for Japanese (DTJ) to handle Japanese characters in the HyperCard environment without additional Japanese language programs such asKanjiTalk or the Japanese Language Kit (JLK). This is a great advantage for students who would like to study at home but don't have access to the Japanese system or language kit on their personal computers. When typing Japanese in an English environment, it is usually necessary to switch between Japanese and English by changing the language setting, and two types of characters (hiragana and katakana) with a shift key. VCK/J2.0 changes these language settings (hiragana/katakana/English) automatically when students type their answers, which allows them to focus on their practice. On the other hand, learners accustomed to manually shifting between two languages and two types of kanamodes may need to adapt to the auto-shifting feature. Text editors in VCK/J2.0 require instructors to use such language programs as JLK when adding to the original vocabulary and kanji database because they have to type in Japanese in SimpleText. This should be no problem because most institutions where Japanese is taught have Japanese input software available. VCK/J2.0 makes use of a unique feedback system called "error mark-up symbols" (Hatasa & Hatasa, 1997, pp.5-7), used for both vocabulary/kanji exercises and conjugation exercises (see Learner fit section for details). Although this feedback system has its limitations, the reviewer found this type of feedback quite innovative and useful. User Friendliness VKC/J2.0 is very user-friendly in terms of technical support, as it requires no modification of the existing operating system. The VKC/J2.0 homepage functions as a user’s manual which introduces basic features and instructions on how to set up VKC/J2.0. A slide presentation shows how to start it and directions are given on the use of the text editors. As the download VKC/J2.0 package does not provide this instructional information, it would be advisable to read the VKC/J2.0 homepage thoroughly before implementation and to make a hard copy of it for future reference. The slide presentation offers user-friendly step-by- step instruction; however, it lacks detailed instructions on various setting options such as kanji lesson number, Know-Katakana option and sound. The authors of VKC/J2.0 could significantly reduce instructors’ preparation time by including these sorts of instructions in the homepage and/or the download package. The VKC/J 2.0 editors are intended to allow easy customizing of the database. The VKC/J2.0 homepage explains how to use three editors: the vocabulary editor, the kanji editor and the sound data editor. The vocabulary set and kanji database are quite easy to create if you follow the set of data-entry conventions specified in the instructions (Figure 1).