Feasibility report

Web based Chinese tutoring

Sigurur Samik Davidsen Hrafn Jhannesson Liang Sun

Index
Introduction......................................................................................................................... 2 Problem ............................................................................................................................... 4 Objectives ........................................................................................................................... 4 Methods............................................................................................................................... 6 Feasibility analysis.............................................................................................................. 7 Summary............................................................................................................................. 7 References........................................................................................................................... 8

Feasibility Report

Introduction
This report seeks to evaluate the overall importance and relevancy of a website that coherently presents the Chinese language to Icelanders. The websites target audience would be Icelanders planning trips to China or Icelanders simply interested in learning the language. Given the combination of airfares constantly lowering and modern technology in communication the distance between the two countries has been reduced dramatically. As a result we would like to make learning Chinese as accessible for Icelanders as possible. It is important to recall that China has one of the oldest civilizations and there is an approximately 1.052.000.000 people that speak Chinese. Table one shows the most widely spoken languages in the world.
Language Chinese, (Mandarin) Hindi Language of northern India. English, spoken 105 other Spanish, spoken in 44 countries. Arabic, (in various dialects) Official language in 26 countries. Russian, spoken in 31 countries. French, spoken in 54 countries. ISO 639-2 chi/zho hin Population total all countries first language speakers 874.000.000 366.000.000 Including second language speakers 1.052.00.000 487.000.000

eng spa/esp ara

341.000.000 322.200.000 to 358.000.000 280.000.000 (figures: UNHCR)

508.000.000 417.000.000 N/A

rus fra

167.000.000 77.000.000

277.000.000 128.000.000

Table 1, from http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/most_spoken_languages.htm, created in 1999

China offers one of the greatest markets in the world which scope is e.g. from studies, business, science to fashion. Considering the relationship between Iceland and China there has been a drastic change from 1972.

Feasibility Report

China and Iceland established diplomatic relations on 8th December 1971. In May 1972, China assigned the first resident ambassador to Iceland. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China. (August 26, 2003). China and Iceland Retrieved September 23, 2005, from http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/wjb/zzjg/xos/gjlb/3306/t16952.htm) To continue with further quotations from the same reference we see that there is a drastic change in trade between the two countries, see table two for figures. According to statistics of Chinese customs, the total volume of trade between the two countries in 2003 was US$68.3 million, an increase of 107.5% compared with 2002. The main exports from China to Iceland are coal, garments, textiles, footwear and ships, and the main imports from Iceland are fish products and mechanical and electrical products.
Year 2002 2003 2004 2005 January - July Trades in US dollars 32.920.000 68.300.000 73.290.000 128.000.000

Table 2 from http://www.statice.is/?pageid=1260&src=/temp_en/utanrikisverslun/voruskipti.asp

With this web site we will open new doors for those who want to get to know Chinese and explore the endless treasure that the Chinese can offer as well as providing Icelanders opportunity to a great job market in all of the countries where Chinese is the language of commerce and instruction. The project is to teach people Chinese. So the study will be divided into lessons, each lesson will teach Chinese characters, basic sentences, pronunciations, dialogs and it ends with exercises and a basic test.

Feasibility Report

Problem
It is not trouble-free to access material that teaches Icelanders Chinese. One of few ways to learn Chinese in Iceland is to sign up for expensive and time costly course. This is for example available at Mmir-smenntun. The course that is available there has 18 hours of lessons and is taught in a period of nine weeks. A course of that type most certainly does not apply to everyone. Let us assume that a family is going for a vacation for two weeks in China, it is definitely not suitable for a family member to go on a nine weeks course to pickup the basics in Chinese. Chinese is also taught in some colleges for example in the University of Iceland, it has similar structure as the course mentioned above except it involves the history of China and gives some insight about the culture. In order to conquer our problem we will create a web based application, so every person interested in studying Chinese can go to a web site and study via the Internet. This makes the study flexible and the person interested in Chinese can study at any time and place.

Objectives
The main aim of this project is to develop a web based system which introduces and teaches the Icelandic population Chinese and to encourage Icelanders to learn the essential day to day dialogues. This website will entail that Icelanders should be capable of interacting in Chinese with basic understanding of the language. In order to achieve our aims the following objectives will be accomplished: 1. To conduct a research on web based projects that are similar to our project to get a clear overview on our project. 2. To design a web site that will have features such as. a) Instructions, the user can quickly refer to them if he needs assistance with a given problem. b) Audio files, video clips and still images, where users can watch the dialogues in action and observe to pronunciations. This will support learning flexibility since the apprentice can repeat his practice. Audio and video files will be used to teach how to pronounce and speak Chinese, and to simulate a real dialog. Feasibility Report 4

Still pictures and animations will be used to show how to write the Chinese characters. Figure one displays an example of how the web site might look like. Picture Audio files Java script

Figure 1, from http://www.icelandic.hi.is/coursetest.php

c) Categorization, the website will be broken down into a few categorizes such as pronunciation, vocabulary, possibly some grammar, and topics such as getting around, shopping and other activities. II. Pronunciations will be based on what to emphasize on when speaking Chinese. III. Vocabulary will include how to use the Chinese alphabet and word constructions. IV. Grammar will be kept at minimum, perhaps we will include what is definitely wrong and what pitfalls the user can avoid. d) General conversations, for example taking a taxi, asking for directions, shopping etc. Feasibility Report 5

e) Exercises will be used for the user to see how adequate he has become after a few lessons. When the user will be getting high scores from the exercises and practice his pronunciation he should be able to express himself in common every day situations 3. To find and use the right development tools for the implementation, tools such as Java applets/scripts and HTML. 4. To find techniques to evaluate the results of our product.

Methods
In order to achieve our objectives the following actions will be taken to consideration: 1. Web design techniques such as storyboarding. 2. Iterative development. We will be using the Evolutionary prototyping technique, see figure two for details.

Develop abstract specification

Build prototype system NO

Use prototype system

Deliver system

YES

System adequate?

Figure 2 from www.comp.lancs.ac.uk/computing/resources/IanS/SE6/Slides/PPT/ch8.ppt

3. Programming, the web site will use static HTML files and Java scripts/applets and Flash for some functions to make the web pages dynamic and make the study interactive and interesting.

Feasibility Report

Feasibility analysis
Java scripts/applets are programs that can be executed by web browser. The statements in the programs can be made part of an HTML source file to enable some interactive features such as mouse clicks and input to forms. Flash is a graphics animation program, it can be viewed in a web browser, or user may "play" them. Flash files occur most commonly in animated web pages and rich-media web sites.

Summary
The importance and prospective benefits of this website are undeniably profound. First there exists a definite lack of self teaching language websites directed at Icelanders. Secondly there is a growing interaction between Iceland and China, appearing in both business and tourism. Lastly the overall costs will be minimal as the development and maintenance requires few staff members. Therefore this websites feasibility resides in both the growing demand and relatively simple structure efforts. This project is undeniably interesting from all points of view, it is highly interesting and challenging at the same time. We as a group are perfectly adequate to satisfy a project of this kind. Our group of four consists of programmers, website designers and last but not least our native Chinese speaker.

Feasibility Report

References
Intercultural centre Akureyri. Interview with Anna available at, http://nemar.unak.is/not/ha040025/Download.htm Barr, P., Clegg, J. & Wallace, C. (1981). Advanced reading skills. London: Longman. Dix, Finlay, Abowd, Beale. (2004). Human-Computer Interaction (3rd ed.). Essex: Pearson. Mark, Allen, Weiss. (2002). Data structures & Problem Solving using Java (2nd ed). Boston: Addison Wesley. Deitel, H.M., Deitel, P.J., Goldberg, A.B. (2004) Internet & World Wide Web How to program (3rd ed.). Essex: Pearson Mmir-smenntun ehf.(n.d).Tunguml - Knverska I, Retrieved September 22, 2005 from http://www.mimir.is/asp1/mynd_namskeid.asp?nid=102&l=1&f=8 Author N/A. (n.d). Retrieved September 22, 2005, from http://www.chisa.edu.cn/chisa/article/20050113/20050113001374_1.xml Statistics Iceland. (n.d.).Balance of trade, Retrieved September 22, 2005, from http://www.statice.is/?pageid=1260&src=/temp_en/utanrikisverslun/voruskipti.asp Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China. (August 26 2004 ). China and Iceland, Retrieved September 23, 2005, from http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/wjb/zzjg/xos/gjlb/3306/t16952.htm Icelandic Online. (n.d.).Retrieved September 23, 2005, from http://www.icelandic.hi.is/coursetest.php One World - Nations Online. (n.d.). Most widely spoken Languages in the World, Retrieved September 22, 2005 from http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/most_spoken_languages.htm

Feasibility Report