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Java Learning Objects: a cross cultural perspective
Presentation at JICC 9 31/1/05 (London Metropolitan University)
Peter Chalk and Mei Qi,
Department of Computing, Communications Technology & Mathematics,
London Metropolitan University, 166-220 Holloway Road, London, N7 8DB, UK
Purpose of study• Learning Objects in introductory Java courses have
proved successful• Now translated into Chinese and used at a
University in Beijing • Study explores differences in perception and
usefulness of Los and whether this may relate to cultural differences
• Translation into a new language raised issues of re-engineering Los
• Size, graphic, text, Java code, explication, icons and navigation are all affected
Two example LOs
Figure 3: An interactive quiz in English and its equivalent, Figure 4, in Chinese, showing that the cue word ‘Quiz’ is retained so as to maintain the element of fun.
Two more LOs
Figures 7 and 8: Examples from the AWT Library: animation of the drawArc method.
Some evaluation results
Comparative satisfaction figures
Lectures Textbook Lab Exercises Beijing students 36.9% 34.8% 24.1% UK students 37% 24% 39% Animations Text Quizzes Beijing students 66% 14% 20% UK students 33% 34% 34%
Conclusions
• Too early to say what the results mean in terms of cultural differences between UK and Chinese university education
• Issues for ‘packaging’ and re-engineering LOs when translation required
• Need to incorporate into XML or other LO standard (eg IMS)
