Enhancing Learning through Online Audio Communication

Project Title

Enhancing Learning through Online Audio Communication

Project Leader

Prof David Rossiter

School / Dept

SENG / COMP

Project Duration

Sept 2002 - Jun 2003

Project Description

Internet technology now allows communication to move beyond text. What may serve Internet based teaching better is to support communication through non-textual formats. Bearing this in mind, this project developed a tool supporting Internet-based audio communication. The GONG system (http://www.cs.ust.hk/gong/) being accessible by students and instructors, supported both real-time communication and immediate access to the full history of recorded communications, extendable with further recordings at any point in time. GONG was especially useful for language learning since it provided students the chance to practice language in an easy environment e.g. at home at their own pace. But it also had potential use for an online course where learners were working from different locations.

Project Outcome

• Development of the Gong system by releasing an initial version, and then building additional features and fixing bugs through a series of improvements, all released through the Internet: Versions 1.0.0, 1.0.1, 1.1.0, 1.2.0, 1.2.1, 1.2.2, 1.2.3, 1.3.0, 1.3.1, 1.3.2, 1.3.3.
• Main features of the developed Gong system: i) Text/audio board inside a browser; ii) groups of people can talk to each other with text and/or audio chat; and iii) a web-based administration module provides ease in managing the system.
• Working with CL3, Language Center, and the Computer Science Department to try out the Gong software in real-world environments.
• Forthcoming - extension of the Gong system by 10 Final Year Project students from the Computer Science Department.

Status

Completed

Project Documents
(Only accessible by HKUST users)

• Project Plan
• Final Report

Adaptation

Full Project