Computer aided learning.

[Guest guest]

Phil, and all.

 

> My comments on computer-aided learning (CAL) are those of an

> amateur but the List has experts, like Bob Felt, who may want to

> join in this discussion.

 

I'm hardly an expert. However, I do feel that on-line learning is one of the

ways to remedy the practical problems associated with delivering

information without piling more and more on curriculum. The CM colleges

cannot over night become full scale universities offering every course in the

world but neither can the field be forever limited to credential-oriented

education. CAL is a good alternative.

 

>. Bob Felt is involved deeply in trying to solve the

> problems of Chinese-English translation software. Major problems

[ . . .]

> speakers will be able to access digital Chinese texts, select the

> desired output language, and read to their hearts’ content.

 

This is still a ways away. What I am working on is more in the line of

computer aided publication. I am aiming to lower the cost of translated

books through shared look-up and communications software. Translations

are more time-consuming and expensive than other publications for several

reasons. Some are matters of skill and talent, for example, it is much more

difficult to produce good prose without simplification and personalization.

This will always require some degree of research or direct interaction. On

the other hand, the time and cost of the term fidelity, mixed text production

and proofing work can be reduced by computer tools.

 

I believe that software will also have a powerful role to play with data-rich

sources -- formularies, journal articles, research papers and records --

particularly, materials that people may wish to access but not formally

translate.

 

> Meanwhile, Babelfish is the only FREE online package that I know

> to translate Chinese, Japanese and Korean characters.

 

www.mandarintools.com may be worth a look as well.

 

bob

 

 

bob Paradigm Publications

www.paradigm-pubs.com 44 Linden Street

Robert L. Felt Brookline MA 02445

617-738-4664

 

 

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