Online e learning application for practicing foreign language skills with native speakers
BackgroundThe paper describes an online e learning web based application for practicing foreign language skills with native speakers. Educational materials are a part of the application, along with the live audio video feed between the participants.FindingsThe proposed technology is designed to supplement traditional methods of studying spoken language by bringing native speakers, students, and language learning materials in one place. The main research question is whether strangers, first met on the internet can teach and learn languages using integrated training materials.ConclusionsIn the developed platform, any native speaker can perform a role of a teacher, i.e. facilitator of foreign language learning. Over 40,000 users registered in the system over a 6 month period. The system includes gamification as the part of user retention and virality mechanisms.