title: Learner Modelling for Individualised Reading in a Second Language

authors: Walmsley, Michael R.W.

abstract: Extensive reading is an effective language learning technique that involves fast reading of large quantities of easy and interesting second language (L2) text. However, graded readers used by beginner learners are expensive and often dull. The alternative is text written for native speakers (authentic text), which is generally too difficult for beginners. The aim of this research is to overcome this problem by developing a computer-assisted approach that enables learners of all abilities to perform effective extensive reading using freely-available text on the web.
This thesis describes the research, development and evaluation of a complex software system called FERN that combines learner modelling and iCALL with narrow reading of electronic text. The system incorporates four key components: (1) automatic glossing of difficult words in texts, (2) individualised search engine for locating interesting texts of appropriate difficulty, (3) supplementary exercises for introducing key vocabulary and reviewing difficult words and (4) reliably monitoring reading and reporting progress. FERN was optimised for English speakers learning Spanish, but is easily adapted for learners of others languages.
The suitability of the FERN system was evaluated through corpus analysis, machine translation analysis and a year-long study with second year university Spanish class. The machine translation analysis combined with the classroom study demonstrated that the word and phrase error rate generated in FERN is low enough to validate the use of machine translation to automatically generate glosses, but is high enough that a translation dictionary is required as a backup. The classroom study demonstrated that when aided by glosses students can read at over 100 words per minute if they know 95% of the words, whereas compared to the 98% word knowledge required for effective unaided extensive reading. A corpus analysis demonstrated that beginner learners of Spanish can do effective narrow reading of news articles using FERN after learning only 200–300 high-frequency word families, in addition to familiarity with English-Spanish cognates and proper nouns.
FERN also reliably monitors reading speeds and word counts, and provides motivating progress reports, which enable teachers to set concrete reading goals that dramatically increase the quantity that students read, as demonstrated in the user study.

text: Learner Modelling for Individualised Reading in a Second Language Extensive reading is an effective language learning technique that involves fast reading of large quantities of easy and interesting second language (L2) text. However, graded readers used by beginner learners are expensive and often dull. The alternative is text written for native speakers (authentic text), which is generally too difficult for beginners. The aim of this research is to overcome this problem by developing a computer-assisted approach that enables learners of all abilities to perform effective extensive reading using freely-available text on the web.
This thesis describes the research, development and evaluation of a complex software system called FERN that combines learner modelling and iCALL with narrow reading of electronic text. The system incorporates four key components: (1) automatic glossing of difficult words in texts, (2) individualised search engine for locating interesting texts of appropriate difficulty, (3) supplementary exercises for introducing key vocabulary and reviewing difficult words and (4) reliably monitoring reading and reporting progress. FERN was optimised for English speakers learning Spanish, but is easily adapted for learners of others languages.
The suitability of the FERN system was evaluated through corpus analysis, machine translation analysis and a year-long study with second year university Spanish class. The machine translation analysis combined with the classroom study demonstrated that the word and phrase error rate generated in FERN is low enough to validate the use of machine translation to automatically generate glosses, but is high enough that a translation dictionary is required as a backup. The classroom study demonstrated that when aided by glosses students can read at over 100 words per minute if they know 95% of the words, whereas compared to the 98% word knowledge required for effective unaided extensive reading. A corpus analysis demonstrated that beginner learners of Spanish can do effective narrow reading of news articles using FERN after learning only 200–300 high-frequency word families, in addition to familiarity with English-Spanish cognates and proper nouns.
FERN also reliably monitors reading speeds and word counts, and provides motivating progress reports, which enable teachers to set concrete reading goals that dramatically increase the quantity that students read, as demonstrated in the user study.

year: 2015

title: Supremica – An integrated environment for verification, synthesis and simulation of discrete event systems

authors: Akesson, Knut

subjects: computer science

abstract: An integrated environment, Supremica, for verification, synthesis and simulation of discrete event systems is presented. The basic model in Supremica is finite automata where the transitions have an associated event together with a guard condition and an action function that updates automata variables. Supremica uses two main approaches to handle large state-spaces. The first approach exploits modularity in order to divide the original problem into many smaller problems that together solve the original problem. The second approach uses an efficient data structure, a binary decision diagram, to symbolically represent the reachable states. Models in Supremica may be simulated in the environment. It is also possible to generate code that implements the behavior of the model using both the IEC 61131 and the IEC 61499 standard.

text: Supremica – An integrated environment for verification, synthesis and simulation of discrete event systems An integrated environment, Supremica, for verification, synthesis and simulation of discrete event systems is presented. The basic model in Supremica is finite automata where the transitions have an associated event together with a guard condition and an action function that updates automata variables. Supremica uses two main approaches to handle large state-spaces. The first approach exploits modularity in order to divide the original problem into many smaller problems that together solve the original problem. The second approach uses an efficient data structure, a binary decision diagram, to symbolically represent the reachable states. Models in Supremica may be simulated in the environment. It is also possible to generate code that implements the behavior of the model using both the IEC 61131 and the IEC 61499 standard.

year: 2006

title: Indigenous Peoples and the Protection of Their Secret Knowledge: A Promising Pathway Ahead

authors: Masoni, Claudia

abstract: This work focuses on the intangible, secret aspects of indigenous peoples’ cultures and how such secret information is protected by indigenous guardians or holders. This is because much of indigenous culture is imbued with spiritual significance for indigenous peoples and, consequently, it is not made available to the rest of the community and the world at large.
This thesis examines the reasons why it is important to preserve indigenous cultures and secret practices that today survive in indigenous communities. The thesis demonstrates that secrecy is seen as essential to the preservation of indigenous secret knowledge. Indigenous guardians are responsible for the preservation of the information, and they commonly use secrecy to preserve the knowledge and, when they share it, they choose limited, confidential circumstances to do so. This work argues that it is important to make reasonable space in the existing body of laws which have so far failed to effectively protect indigenous secret practices and information. The case study described in this thesis helps understand how states are currently trying to listen, understand and accommodate indigenous claims brought forward at the national and international fora. The thesis reviews the legal protection currently available to indigenous secret knowledge in national and international law. The first 6 chapters introduce indigenous cultures, holism and indigenous peoples and international law, and chapter 7 describes the New Zealand case Wai 262 and the recommendations given by the Waitangi Tribunal. The remaining chapters analyse indigenous cultures and intellectual property laws, identifying gaps in the existing mechanisms for protection and underlining why, as of today, intellectual property law does not guarantee adequate protection to indigenous secret knowledge. The last chapter analyses the law of breach of confidence as a possible instrument to safeguard indigenous secret information and the duty of care performed by indigenous guardians in preserving such knowledge. It argues that the existing law of confidentiality can usefully evolve to protect cultural secret information as a growing category in its own right and that indigenous secret information can find protection as confidential information.

text: Indigenous Peoples and the Protection of Their Secret Knowledge: A Promising Pathway Ahead This work focuses on the intangible, secret aspects of indigenous peoples’ cultures and how such secret information is protected by indigenous guardians or holders. This is because much of indigenous culture is imbued with spiritual significance for indigenous peoples and, consequently, it is not made available to the rest of the community and the world at large.
This thesis examines the reasons why it is important to preserve indigenous cultures and secret practices that today survive in indigenous communities. The thesis demonstrates that secrecy is seen as essential to the preservation of indigenous secret knowledge. Indigenous guardians are responsible for the preservation of the information, and they commonly use secrecy to preserve the knowledge and, when they share it, they choose limited, confidential circumstances to do so. This work argues that it is important to make reasonable space in the existing body of laws which have so far failed to effectively protect indigenous secret practices and information. The case study described in this thesis helps understand how states are currently trying to listen, understand and accommodate indigenous claims brought forward at the national and international fora. The thesis reviews the legal protection currently available to indigenous secret knowledge in national and international law. The first 6 chapters introduce indigenous cultures, holism and indigenous peoples and international law, and chapter 7 describes the New Zealand case Wai 262 and the recommendations given by the Waitangi Tribunal. The remaining chapters analyse indigenous cultures and intellectual property laws, identifying gaps in the existing mechanisms for protection and underlining why, as of today, intellectual property law does not guarantee adequate protection to indigenous secret knowledge. The last chapter analyses the law of breach of confidence as a possible instrument to safeguard indigenous secret information and the duty of care performed by indigenous guardians in preserving such knowledge. It argues that the existing law of confidentiality can usefully evolve to protect cultural secret information as a growing category in its own right and that indigenous secret information can find protection as confidential information.

year: 2017