A Discussion on Effctivf Implfmfntation and Prototyping ofVoicf Usfr Intfrfacfs for Lfarning Activitifs on Moodlf
Toshihiro Kita1, Chikako Nagaoka1, Naoshi Hiraoka1, Katsuaki Suzuki1, Martin Dougiamas2
12

Research Center for Instructional Systems, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
Moodle HQ, Perth, Australia

Voicf Usfr Intfrfacfs (VUI) arf fffctivf and intuitivf for many pfoplf. Thf VUI is rapidly bfcoming suitablf forvarious practical purposfs using voicf-opfratfd smartphonfs, or smart spfakfrs. If VUIs, which may rfquirf lfsscognitivf load to usf, arf availablf on lfarning managfmfnt systfms (LMS) likf Moodlf, thfy could fnhancf
LMSs’ functionality. Examplfs of fxisting fducational applications for VUIs, and dfsign suggfstions of VUIs forsfvfral Moodlf activitifs arf dfscribfd. A prototypf VUI for Moodlf quizzfs has bffn dfvflopfd with Dialogfow
platform.

What is a VUI?
A Voice User Interface (VUI) is a human-computer interface that allows people to use voice input to controlcomputers and devices. It has a long history going back to the 1950s (Pearl,2016) During the last decade VUIs
have quickly grown smarter thanks to evolving Natural Language Understanding (NLU) techniques, andhave become well known through the spread of smart speakers, such as Amazon Echo and Google Home.

Existing Application Examples of VUIs to Education
Alexa Skills (apps for Amazon Echo)●“Canvas” : provide information like user’s grades, missing assignments, due dates, etc. by connecting to user'sCanvas LMS.
●“My Blackboard for Blackboard Learn” : connect to a user's school Blackboard account and report the user's
grades and course announcements.

●“News for the Moodle.org Community” : provide Moodle.org announcements, forum posts, etc.
(general information about Moodle, not learner's individual information)… Thfrf arf no VUI apps that fnablf usfrs to do lfarning activitifs on LMS yft.

Moodle Activities Expected to be More Efective with VUIs
Quiz quickly grasp what will be learned in a course
U: Open Moodle Quiz. (U: user)
S: Do you want to attempt a quiz? (S: smart speaker)
U: Yes.
S: Which quiz do you want to attempt?
U: First quiz.
S: OK. Please answer questions by saying '1','2','3'.
dialogexample: Question 1. When an eigenvalue of a matrix is greater than 1.0,
the characteristic of the matrix is: 1.rotating, 2.stretching, 3.static.
U: 2.
S: Your answer is 2. Question 2. ...(snip)
U: 3.
S: Your answer is 3. This is the end of the quiz.
The frst question score is 1.0 out of 1 points. (snip)
You can review your attempt on the Moodle course page.

LessonDashboard(not yet implemented)(not yet implemented)

roleplay simulations
or decision-making
exercises withconversation andsound efects

by voice messages, easilyand quickly getinformation (due dates,etc.) that learners cannot
miss to keep learning,(e.g., what to dowhen an earthquakeoccurs)
From https://docs.moodlf.org/34/fn/Dashboard

Prototype of a VUI for Attempting Quizzes on a Moodle Site●●●

Demo video

smart speaker (Google Home)

http://tkita.net/ai/vui.html●●

Dialogfow (https://dialogfow.com/) was used for prototyping.
Communication between Moodle and a smart speaker is done
through Moodle web service API.
Supports only multiple-choice questions.
Currently works only with Google Home (for limited users).
Learners are able to review their attempts on the Moodle site.
References

Findings through the prototyping●●●●

VUIs should always speak in short phrases. (Long phrases may annoy users.)
LMS content needs redesigning to make the most of learning through a VUI.
For more efective learning, apps with VUIs should be more interactive.
Interactions with voice (conversation) are expected to positively afect learners'motivation.

●●

Pearl, C. (2016). Designing Voice
User Interfaces. O’Reilly Media.
Amazon Alexa
https://developer.amazon.com/alexa●

Actions on Google
https://developers.google.com/actions/