Developing a Task-Based Dialogue System for English Language Learning

Kuo-Chen Li,Maiga Chang,Kuan-Hsing Wu

doi:10.3390/educsci10110306

Kuo-Chen Li, Maiga Chang + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10110306

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Abstract

This research involved the design of a task-based dialogue system and evaluation of its learning effectiveness. Dialogue training still heavily depends on human communication with instant feedback or correction. However, it is not possible to provide a personal tutor for every English learner. With the rapid development of information technology, digitized learning and voice communication is a possible solution. The goal of this research was to develop an innovative model to refine the task-based dialogue system, including natural language understanding, disassembly intention, and dialogue state tracking. To enable the dialogue system to find the corresponding sentence accurately, the dialogue system was designed with machine learning algorithms to allow users to communicate in a task-based fashion. Past research has pointed out that computer-assisted instruction has achieved remarkable results in language reading, writing, and listening. Therefore, the direction of the discussion is to use the task-oriented dialogue system as a speaking teaching assistant. To train the speaking ability, the proposed system provides a simulation environment with goal-oriented characteristics, allowing learners to continuously improve their language fluency in terms of speaking ability by simulating conversational situational exercises. To evaluate the possibility of replacing the traditional English speaking practice with the proposed system, a small English speaking class experiment was carried out to validate the effectiveness of the proposed system. Data of 28 students with three assigned tasks were collected and analyzed. The promising results of the collected students’ feedback confirm the positive perceptions toward the system regarding user interface, learning style, and the system’s effectiveness.

Highlights

With the rise of Internet technology, many educational institutions are gradually turning their attention to the application of digital education
A task-based dialogue framework was proposed, and a preliminary system was developed to test the effectiveness of the proposed framework
The system was used in a college-level English speaking class to test the perceptions toward the system regarding user interface, learning style, and the system effectiveness

Summary

Introduction

With the rise of Internet technology, many educational institutions are gradually turning their attention to the application of digital education. Technologies integrating various learning approaches such as pragmatic, context, or cooperated learning have shown great success in language learning [1,2,3]. In the context of digital language learning, speaking is considered to be one of the most important parts of learning a foreign language [4]. To address this problem, social interaction is a key factor in improving language fluency in language learning. The cost of creating a social language-learning environment is too high to be widely implemented [5,6]. Researchers seek opportunities to adopt computer-aided technologies to create an environment similar to speaking with native English speakers.

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