Positiveness and Negativeness of Google Classroom

Google classroom was introduced nearly four years ago on May 6,2014 and has been growing rapidly ever since.

Google classroom is an online learning management system designed for schools.

Google Classroom is a free web service developed by Google for schools that aim to simplify creating, distributing and grading assignments in a paperless way. The primary purpose of Google Classroom is to streamline the process of sharing files between teachers and students.(Wikipedia)

Through this,we can access in Google Drive,Google Docs,Google calendar etc.

Benefits of Google classroom

1)Easy to use and accessible from all devices

2)Effective communication and sharing

3)Can submit assignments and speeds up the assignment process

4)Effective feedback

5)No need for paper

6)Clean and user friendly

7)Great commenting system

8) Can use everyone

9)Can upload videos

10)Can give audio,photographs and information

11)share documents resources with students

12)Teachers can edit post

Limitation of Google classroom

1)Student cannot edit their post

2)Cannot add people from outside the domain

3)Need a new Gmail account

4)Limitation integration options

5)Too much Googlish

6)no automated updates

7)Difficult learner sharing

8)Editing problems

9)No automated quizzes and texts

10)Impersonal

11)Closed environment and communication challenges

Google classroom has a lot of benefits and limitations, but still it is good to use.

Corpora or Corpus and Corpus Linguistics

Corpus Linguistic:

Linguistics being the scientific study of language and it's structure. Corpus linguistic is the study if language 'on the basis of text corpora'

Corpus linguistic is the study of language by examining a collection of natural language data,often in the form of texts.

"Corpus linguistic thus is the analysis of naturally occurring language on the basis of computerized corpora. Usually, the analysis is performed with the help of the computer. i.e. with specialized software, takes into account of frequency of the phenomena investigated"(Nesselhauf,2005)

As corpus linguistic focuses on language data,it is usually considered more of a linguistic approach than a linguistic theory. It is a very principled approach. It is actually the study of language as expressed in corpora of 'real world' text.

Corpus or Corpora:

The word corpus derived from the Latin word meaning 'body', may be used to refer to any text in written or spoken form. However in modern linguistics this term is used to refer to large collection of texts which represent a sample of a particular variety or use of languages that are presented in machine readable form.
Corpus is the singular form and corpora is the plural form. Corpus or Corpora are now largely derived by automated process.

Definition:

Corpus means a collection of written or spoken material stored on a computer and used to find out how language is used. It is a body of currently or naturally occurring language, collected with explicit linguistic criteria with a particular purpose in mind and structured in view of its representativeness.

Computer - readable corpora can consist of raw text only. Many corpora have been provided with some kind of linguistic information which is called markup or annotation.

Types of corpora:

There are four varieties of corpora. The four corpora are -

a) General corpora
b) Specialized corpora
c) Learner corpora
d) Parallel corpora

1.General Corpora: General corpora consist of general texts,texts that do not belong to a single text type,subject field or register. These  corpora are much larger than specialized corpora.
Sometimes these corpora are called 'Sub language or Reference corpora or corpus'.

Example: British National Corpora

2.Specialized Corpora: Specialized corpora mean a corpus of texts of a particular type. Specialized corpora reflect the type of language a researcher wants to explore. We may also restrict the corpus to a social setting,to a given topic.

Example:
Editorial, Academic Articles, Lectures, Essays etc.

3.Learner Corpora: Learner corpora are electronic collections of language data produced by L2 learners, that is second or foreign language learners.
It is a computerized textual database of the language produced by foreign language learners (Leech,1998)

The first computerized learner corpora were collected in the 1995 when several learner corpora projects were launched,the Longman Learners' Corpora,the Cambridge Learner Corpus,the HongKong University learner Corpus and the International Corpus of learner English. It is used to identify differences among learners, frequency and type of mistakes etc

Example:

i)Longman Learners'     Corpora
ii)Cambridge Learner Corpus
iii)Hong Kong University learner Corpus
iv)International Corpus of learner English.

4.Parallel Corpora: Parallel corpora consists of a collection of texts which have been translated into one or more other languages. This can be used by translators and learners to find potential equivalents in each language and to investigate differences between languages.

Example:

i) The Canadian Hansard proceedings in English and French
ii) The PENDANT project,Gutenberg, Sweden

Features of Corpora:

--Quantity
--Quality
--Representation
--Simplicity
--Retrievability
--Verifiability

Advantages of Corpora:

There are some advantages of corpus ---

1) short time
2) flexibility of time and place
3) Drag and drop option
4) Some unique test items
5) Multimedia integration
6) Instant feedback
7) Accessible
8) Store and use data
9) Continuous assessment techniques

Disadvantages of Corpora:

These are the limitations of corpora-

1) Reliability
2) No human interaction
3) create, manage and administer computer - adaptive tests
4)Teacher training
5) Digital literacy

References:

Corpus linguistic Retrieved from
www.slideshare.com

Corpus linguistics Retrieved from
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpus_linguistics

Corpus linguistics Retrieved from
https://slideplayer.com/slide/4740460/

TESOL International Association, 2017.Corpus Linguistics and Language Learning and Teaching: Basic introduction

Personal Experience and Class Lectures

Limitation in Utilising of Artificial Intelligence in Bangladesh: An overview

Intelligence has  the  capacity  to  adapt  one's  behaviors  to
appropriate  new  conditions.
It  is  additional  defined  as  the capability  to  observe  information,  and  recall  the  data  to  be more  functional  towards  adaptive  behaviors  within  an environment.
Intelligence  is  most  generally  considered in humans,  which  also  observes  the  non-human animals and  in  plants.  The  degree  of  intelligence  is the  ability  to  change.

Artificial Intelligence:

It can be difficult to define artificial intelligence,even for experts.
In general,artificial  intelligence  is  an  intelligence  in machines like software.

"Artificial intelligence is the development and use of computer programs to copy intelligent human behavior"(Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary,1999)

"Artificial intelligence is the capability of a machine to imitate intelligent human behavior"(Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

The term 'artificial intelligence' (AI) has been mentioned for the first time in 1956 by John McCarthy during a conference where several scientists decided to meet to see if machines could be made intelligent. Since then AI is usually defined as the capability of a computer program to perform tasks or reasoning processes that we usually associate to intelligence in a human being.

Artificial intelligence brings to mind to the notion of replacing human intelligence with something synthetic.In general use,the term artificial intelligence means a machine which mimics human cognition.

In my point of view,artificial intelligence is the ability of a computer program or a machine to think and learn. It is about designing machines that can think.

The AI field draws upon computer science, psychology, mathematics,philosophy, linguistics and many others.

Examples:
1)Google translate service,which nowadays is able to translate from and to more than 70 languages,is based on statistical machine learning which is part of artificial intelligence

2)Web searches,such as those that we ask of Google,rely on AI to give us the web pages that are most relevant to our query

Some of the actions which computers deal with artificial intelligence are designed includes:

a)Learning
b)Reasoning
c)Perception
d)Problem solving
e)Language - Understanding

Artificial Intelligence Strategy:

i)a vision and long term strategy
ii)resolution of medico - legal issues
iii)effective management of change
iv)effective management of complexity
v)empowerment of users
vi)adequate investment and continuity of effort

Advantages of Artificial Intelligence:

1)With artificial  intelligence,  the  probabilities of  error  are almost  nil,  which  has better  accuracy  to  be  achieved.

2)Organizations  custom  the  avatars  that  are  numerical assistants  who  interrelate  with  the  users,  thus  saving the  essential of  human  resources.

3)Robotic  pets  can  help  patients  with  despair  and  also save  them  active.

4)Their  job  is  almost  infinite  as  the  machines  will  be  able to  do  everything,  essentially  as  they  doesn’t  have  any boundaries.

5)Can be  able  to  complete  work  faster  than  a  human. They  need  not  stop  at  any  time  as  the  machines  no need  to  sleep,  because  they  don’t  get  ill, there  is  no need  for  breaks 

6)Smart phones are a great example of the application of AI

7)Fraud detection in smart card- based system is possible with the use of AI

8)Lacking of emotional sides. Emotions that often intercept rational thinking of a human being are not a hindrances for artificial thinkers

9)AI can be utilized in carrying out repetitive and time - consuming tasks efficiently

Disadvantages of Artificial Intelligence:

1)If  the  control  of  machines  drives  in  the  incorrect  manner it  may  lead  to  destruction.  Machines  won't  think  before acting.  They  might  be  programmed  to  do  the  wrong things,  or  for  mass  destruction.

2)If  robots  start to  switch  humans  in  all field,  it  will  finally lead  to  unemployment.  People  will  be  left  with  nothing to  do.  So  much  empty  time  may  affect its  destructive  use

3)Can be  changed  foremost  to  mass  scale  destruction. 

4)The  malfunction  can  do  the  opposite  of  what  they  are programmed  to  do 

5)It has the  efficiency  to  corrupt  younger  generation.

6)The  AI  mainly  lacks  in  human  touch,  since  it  does  not have  the  capacity  to  think,  it  can  only  function according  to  program 

Artificial Intelligence to Education:

The application of artificial intelligence to education(AIEd) has been the subject if academic research for more than 30 years.
AIEd tools that are very flexible, inclusive,personalized, engaging and effective. AIEd is also a powerful tool to open up what is sometimes called "black box of learning" giving us deeper and more fine-grained understandings of how learning actually happens. AI involves computer software that has been programmed to interact with the world in ways normally requiring human intelligence. This means that AI depends both on knowledge about the world and algorithms to intelligently process that knowledge.
This knowledge about the world is represented in so called 'models'

There are 3 key models at the heart of AIEd-

a)Pedagogical model
b)Domain model
c)Learner model

Advantages of AIEd:

1.AIEd can provide an intelligent,personal tutor for every learners

2.Expert facilitation

3.AIEd will help learners gain 21st century skills

4.AIEd will provide new insights into how learning is progressing

Limitation Faced in implementing Artificial Intelligence in Bangladesh:

There are several limitations in implementing AI in Bangladesh. Some problems are described here -

1. Poverty: our country is a developing country. People are starving in this country. For people AI is like a dream which never come true.

2. Social rejection: people of our society do not take technology positively. They sometimes reject this kind of technology.

3. Lack of knowledge: people have no idea about technology. People don't know how to use it.

4.lack of self-confidence: people have poor self-confidence. That's why,they are sacred to use technology.

5. Lack of training: Teachers are not well trained. They don't know how to use it for teaching.

6. Costly: AI is highly expensive for Bangladeshi people.

7. Classes: in our country, classes are teacher centred not learners centred. Learners only learn what teacher taught them.

8. Religious Superstition: some people are religiously superstitious. They decided to take technology negatively.

9. Affordability: people cannot afford AI tools because of its high price.

There still have many problems in implementation AI in Bangladesh, but government takes step to digitalized our country. Many seminars was held like a seminar was held in February of this year on a topic titled "Robotics and Artificial Intelligence in Bangladesh" and a key note paper was presented by Lafifa Zamal,chairman of Robotics and Macatronics,University of Dhaka. Actually the day is not so far when technology or artificial intelligence tools are available in Bangladesh and everyone is using it.

References:

Luckin R, Holmes W, Griffiths M, Forcier L.B.,Intelligence unleashed, 2016. Pearson, UCL.

Artificial Intelligence Retrieved from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/artificial%20intelligence

Artificial Intelligence Retrieved from
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/pros-cons-artificial-intelligence-mike-fekety

Artificial Intelligence Retrieved from
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_intelligence

Artificial Intelligence Retrieved from https://www.daily-sun.com/printversion/details/291543/2018/02/26/Robotics-and-AI-in-Bangladesh

Different Teaching Methods in Teaching in Bangladesh: A Review

   Different Teaching Methods in       Teaching in Bangladesh: A Review

Abstract

A teacher always teaches students. How the teacher teaches students, teachers’ way of teaching, class controlling, and interaction with students actually called teaching method. This paper aims to provide an overview of different teaching methods and implementation of these teaching methods in Bangladesh and which method is much more appropriate teaching method in Bangladesh. The paper concludes with the results of implementation of teaching methods in Bangladesh and which method is more applicable.

Introduction

Language Teaching is sometimes discussed in terms of three related aspects: approaches, methods, and techniques. “Different theories about the nature of language and how languages are learned (the approach) imply different ways of teaching language (the method) and different methods make use of different kinds of classroom activity (the techniques)”( Longman Dictionary of Applied Linguistics, 1985)
There are several kinds of methods. Each method refers a different way of language learning and   teaching. Name of the methods which will discuss in this paper –

1.Grammar Translation Method
2.Direct Method
3.Audio lingual Method
4.Community Language Learning
5.The Natural Approach

Grammar Translation Method:

The grammar Translation method is an old method, not a new method. It is one of the traditional methods of foreign language teaching. This method focuses on grammatical rules, memorization of vocabulary.

The Grammar Translation method was prevalent in foreign language classrooms from the mid-19th century to the mid- 20th century. This is an old method which was originally used to teach dead languages which explains why it focuses mainly on the written form at the expense of the oral form. It was first introduced in Latin and ancient Greek classrooms in the early 19th century. It was designed according to the Faculty Psychology Approach which was very popular during the 18th and 19th century. It contended that “mental discipline was essential for strengthening the powers of the mind”. By the mid- 19th century the method has been adopted for teaching modern languages by German Scholars such as Karl Plotz and Johann Seidenstucker, and it quickly spread to classrooms throughout Europe and the United States. 

The Grammar Translation method is one kind of method which focuses on translation from native language to target language, grammar of target language, only writing skill developed. It is a method of foreign or second language teaching which makes use of translation and grammar study as the main teaching and learning activities. Grammar Translation method was known as Prussian Method in United States.

According to Wikipedia, the Grammar Translation method is a method of teaching foreign languages derived from the classical sometimes called traditional method of teaching Greek and Latin.

“At one time it was called the Classical Method since it was first used in the teaching of the classical languages, Latin and Greek” (Chastain 1988)

Goals

Developing students’ reading ability
Developing students’ general mental discipline
To read and translate literary masterpieces and classics
Learn grammar rules of their native language

Direct method:

Direct method means to be conveyed directly into the second language. This method teaches the language not about the language. The Direct Method also called Natural method was established in Germany and France around 1900. This method became widely known in U.S through it use by Sauveur and Maximilian Berlitz in successful commercial language school. In the mid and late 19th century Europe experienced a wave of increasing opportunities of communication, due to industrialization and international trade and travel. A need was felt to develop oral proficiency in foreign languages. Language teachers had already found Grammar Translation method inadequate and ineffective in developing communication ability in learners. They strongly advocate an alternative method in which language was presented in contexts and the mother tongue was avoided. It referred as the natural method started with François Gouin and was picked up by Berlitz, Pendergast and Sauveur in the 19th century. Teachers, frustrated by this limits of the Grammar Translation method in terms of its inability to create communicative competence in students, began to experiment with new ways of teaching language like this method in post – war and depression era classrooms. As it’s based on the way children learn their native language. Later this Natural Method that suggests radical change from Grammar translation method came to known as direct method.

The Direct Method is named “direct” because meaning should be connected directly with the target language without translation into the native language. It is also known as Phonetical method, Anti – grammatical method, reform method etc.
The Direct method was developed in the late 19th century as a reaction against the Grammar Translation method. It sought to immerse the learner in the same way as when the first language is learnt. The purpose of learning a foreign language is that students learn how to communicate by learning to think in the target language.

According to Longman Dictionary of Applied Linguistics (1985), “it is a method of foreign or second language teaching which has the following features:

1.Only the target language should be used in class.
2.Meanings should be communicated “directly” (hence the name of the method) by associating speech forms with actions, objects, mime, gestures and situations
3.Reading and writing should be taught only after speaking
4.Grammar should only be taught inductively i.e. grammar rules should not be taught to the learners”

Goal

Establishing the direct bond between thought and expressions and between experience and language. It is based on the assumption that the learner should experience the new language in the way as he experienced his mother tongue.

Audio – lingual Method:

The Audio – lingual method is known as new key, informant method etc.  This method is a kind of method for foreign language teaching which emphasized the teaching of listening and speaking before reading and writing.
The term ‘Audiolingualism’ was coined by Professor Nelson Brooks (1964). In the 1960s Audiolingualism began to lose its popularity, but this method is still used today. The audio - lingual method of teaching English as a second language had its origins during World War II when it became known as the Army method. The audio – lingual method is based on the theory that language learning is a question of habit formation. It has its origin in Skinner’s principles of behaviour theory. Since learning is taught to be a question of habit formation, errors are considered to be bad and to be avoided. Further, teachers rewarded students by saying “Good!” and praising the class when they perform well. This method addresses a need for people to learn foreign languages rapidly. It is best for beginning level English classes in a foreign language setting. All instruction in the class is given in English. It uses dialogues as the main form of language presentation and drills as the main training techniques. Mother tongue is discouraged in the classroom. This method or new key is a style of teaching used in teaching foreign languages. Charles Fries (1945) of the University of Michigan led the way in applying principles from structural linguistics in developing the method and for this reason; it has sometimes been referred to as the ‘Michigan method’. It is also called ‘Army method’.
The method is combination between behavioral psychology and linguistic. It is based on behaviorist theory, which postulates that certain traits of living things and in this case humans, could be trained through a system of reinforcement. This approach to language learning was similar to another, earlier method called the direct method. Like the direct method advised the students should be taught a language directly, without using the students’ native language to explain new words or grammar in the target language. However unlike the direct method the audio-lingual method did not focus on teaching vocabulary. Rather the teacher drilled students in the use of grammar. This method drills students in the use of grammatical sentence patterns. Most importantly, audio-lingual method is directly opposite to grammar-translation method and communicative language teaching.
Skinner’s behavioristic theory
Audiolingual method follows Skinner’s behavioristic theory. Behaviorists believe that humans are organisms capable of learning many behaviors.
It depends on three elements –

Stimulus – bring out or serve to elicit behavior

Response – triggered by stimulus

Reinforcement – serves to mark the response as being appropriate or not and encourages repetition which is vital in the learning process.

Community Language Learning:

Community Language Learning (CLL) was primarily designed for monolingual                 conversation classes where the teacher – counselor would be able to speak the learners’      L1.(http:/ www.teachingenglish.org.uk)
Community Language Learning was developed by Charles A. Curran and his associates in Chicago 1955. Audiolingualism was rejected in the United States in the mid -1960s. Curran application of psychological counseling techniques to learning is known as Counseling – Learning. CLL represents the use of Counseling – Learning theory to teach languages. This method is responding to the students’ feeling and student security in the lesson, mostly focuses on understanding and speaking skills. CLL differs from other methods by which languages are taught. It’s based on an approach modeled on counseling techniques that alleviate anxiety, threat and personal and language problems a person encounters in the learning of foreign language.
Stages in CLL

Learners go through 5 stages in their learning process.

“Birth” stage: feeling of security and belonging are established. Dependence on the knower as learners has little or no idea of the target language.

“Self- stage”: As the learner’s ability improve and starts to gt an idea of how language works, they achieve a measure of independence from the parent although they still seek help from the knower.

“Separate existence”: Learners can speak independently.

“Adolescence”: The learners are independent although they are aware of gaps in their knowledge and feel  secure enough to take criticism and being corrected.

“Independence”: Complete independence from the knower. The child becomes an adult and becomes the knower.

Natural Approach

Natural approach is a language teaching method which is based on the assumption that learning a foreign language must follow the same patterns as the learning process of the native language and also emphasize the necessity of exposing the learner to hearing and understanding the language before requiring the learner to speak.(http://cy.linkedin.com). This method is a method of language teaching developed by Stephen Krashen and Tracy Terrell in the late 1970 and early 1980s. It is a method of foreign language teaching which aims to apply the principles of natural language acquisition into classroom. It focuses on helping beginners to become intermediate, enhancing communication skills and the primacy of meaning. It is a natural language learning process and more acquisition than learning. This method follows Krashen’s language acquisition theory or monitor model.

Krashen’s Monitor Model

The Acquisition – Learning Hypothesis
The Monitor Hypothesis
The Natural Order Hypothesis
The Input Hypothesis
The Affective Filter Hypothesis

Implementation of Methods in Bangladesh

In teaching, different methods have different rules, features. In Bangladesh, teachers always follow Grammar Translation Method. Our education system is totally following this method. Basically, in our all educational institute teachers follow this method. As the syllabus designed in traditional method, teachers are bound to follow this method to teach. Most of the teachers of Bangladesh are not fluent in target language that’s why they use native language for teaching. In the past, this method is used to teach the dead language ‘Latin’, ‘Greek’ etc. This method is appropriate for teaching literature. This method developed writing and reading skills but in this method there is lack of communicative skills of language which is the first part of language teaching. GTM has so much lacking that’s why it should be banned from Bangladesh. 

Direct method is invented as a reaction of Grammar Translation Method. This method now follows in Universities to teaching foreign language. Four skills of language are taught in this method. Direct method is far better than other methods. In my own experience I thought in universities this method is actually followed. Our all course teachers follow this method. Our course “Use of Technology in English Language Learning and Teaching” was held fully in this method. In my point of view, Direct method is better method for Bangladesh.

Audiolingual Method is applicable for foreign language teaching like Spanish, French, and German etc. I do a German course in IML. Our German teacher uses audio lingual method to teach. She uses target language, no native language. She showed us different pictures and asks what it is. She read a dialogue in German Language and we repeat with her, with other students. From class 1 to 4 of school this method can be applicable in some extent. From our childhood, we learn to greet people, announce anything, and communicate with people in this method. This method is actually not focus on four skills of learning, it focuses on memorization. This method is not much effective in teaching in Bangladesh

Community Language Learning is for those people who have some problems or special issues. In classroom, every person cannot adopt every parts equally because of their shyness, fear, anxiety etc. some students are afraid to talk before class and teacher, for them CLL classroom is more appropriate. As it is also called counseling approach that’s why the teacher is a counselor. In this method there is no accurate syllabus structures, students can discuss anything what they want really. Through this method we cannot learn language because it lacks skills, no syllabus.

If anyone want to be fluent in speaking, then Natural approach is more appropriate for him or her. This method is not much effective in classroom, it is much applicable when we learn any language by our own. In this approach,, learner gets a lot of input in target language but suddenly they won’t speak, Language production only happens then when it will ready to produce. This approach is more appropriate for child learner. Natural Method is an exaggeration of direct method. In DM learners speak immediately but in NA learner speak later.

Conclusion

From century to century linguists proposed and invented many teaching method, however still there is no method which fulfill all the requirements of language teaching. Every method have some lacking, no method is still perfect. That’s why teacher should follow the method in according to students need.

Reference

Richards, J. C. and Rodgers, S. 2001. Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching. Cambridge University Press 
Larsen – Freeman. 2004. Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. Oxford University Press
http://www.wikipedia.com
http://www.teachingenglish.com http://www.slideshare.com
Class notes & own experience

Challenges Faced by Teachers in Implementation of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality in Bangladeshi Context

Challenges Faced by Teachers in Implementation of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality in Bangladeshi Context

Introduction

Augmented reality (AR) is a new technology that involves the overlay of computer graphics on the real world. Virtual Reality is a term used for computer generated 3D environments that allow the user to enter and interact with synthetic environments. This paper provides reader the challenges faced by teachers in implementing AR & VR in education in Bangladesh.

Historical Background

The first appearance of Augmented Reality (AR) dates back to the 1950s when Morton Heilig, a cinematographer, thought of cinema is an activity that would have the ability to draw the viewer into the onscreen activity by taking in all the senses in an effective manner. In 1962, Heilig built a prototype of his vision, which he described in 1955 in “The Cinema of The Future” named Sensorama, which predated digital computing. In 1966, Ivan Sutherland invented the head mounted display. Sutherland was the first person to create an augmented reality system using an optical see – through head – mounted display. In 1975, Myron Krueger creates the Video place, a room that allows users to interact with virtual objects for the first time.
In 1990, Researcher Thomas Caudell coined the term augmented reality to describe how the head mounted displays that electricians used when assembling complicated writing. Today Google glass and heads – ups displays in car windshields are perhaps the most well – known consumer AR products. The term Virtual Reality (VR) was used in the Judas Mandala, a 1982 science fiction novel by Damien Broderick. Virtual Reality (VR) in its modern usage was popularized by Jaron Lanier through his company VPL research.

What is Augmented Reality?

Many people think that augmented reality is the evolution of virtual reality. Augmented reality technology integrates digital information with real environments in which people live. Everything is processed and produced in real time. Augmented reality uses the real world and completes it with digital information. Augmented reality (AR) is a live direct or indirect view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented by computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics or GPS data. AR applications for Smartphone’s include GPS (Global positioning system) to locate and detect the exact location of user.

What is Virtual Reality?

Virtual Reality is an artificial environment that is created with software and presented to the user in such a way that the user belief and accepts it as a real environment. Virtual realities artificially create sensory experience, such as sight, touch, hearing, and smell. Virtual Reality is an artificial environment that is created with software and presented to the user in such a way that the user suspends belief and accepts it as a real environment. On a computer, virtual reality is primarily experienced through two of the five senses: sight, sound. Virtual reality can be divided into –
The simulation of a real environment for training and education
The development of an imagined environment for a game or interactive story
According to American Heritage Dictionary, virtual means "existing or resulting in essence or effect though not in actual fact, form, or name."
Also, it can mean "created, simulated, or carried on by means of a computer or computer network" (“virtual,” 2005)
Another interesting definition for virtual reality is an interactive computer simulation which transfers sensory information to a user who perceives it as substituted or augmented (Abari, Bharadia, Duffield, & Katabi, 2017).
Therefore, virtual reality could be defined as an environment created by a computer system that simulates a real situation.

Mixed Reality

The term “mixed reality” coined by Microsoft. Mixed reality is the result of blending the physical world with the digital world. Mixed Reality is the next evolution in human, computer and environment interaction and unlocks possibilities that before now were restricted to our imaginations (http:// docs.microsoft.com)
“The blending of AR and VR is called mixed or extended reality” (Alemi et al., 2015)
According to Wikipedia, “Mixed reality (MR), sometimes referred to as hybrid reality, is the merging of real and virtual worlds to produce new environments and visualizations where physical and digital objects co-exist and interact in real time. Mixed reality takes place not only in the physical world or the virtual world, but is a mix of reality and virtual reality, encompassing both augmented reality and augmented virtuality via immersive technology.”

Similarities between Augmented reality and virtual reality

The similarity between AR and VR is both have the remarkable ability to alter our perception of our presence.

Differences between Augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality

Augmented reality provides digital elements to a live view by using camera on a smartphone. But virtual reality includes a complete immersion experience that shuts out the physical world. Examples of AR – snapchat lenses, pokemon go. VR examples – HTC vive, Oculus Rift, Google Cardboard.  Mixed reality combines both elements of AR and VR, real world and digital objects interact. MR example – Microsoft Hololens. Augmented reality takes our current reality and adds something to it. It does not move use elsewhere. Apple is also not so secretly excited about and investigating in the augmented reality space. VR is more immersive, AR provides more freedom for the user.

Characteristics or features

In present era there are several new features of augmented reality and virtual reality in different fields –
Microsoft Hololens – it is known as a pair of smart glasses of mixed reality developed and manufactured by Microsoft. Hololens gained popularity for being one of the first computers running the Windows Mixed Reality platform under the Windows 10 operating system.

Advantages
Advantages of Augmented Reality:
 Nowadays augmented reality can be used for increase user knowledge and information.
 People can share experiences with each other in real time over long distances.
 Games that provide an even more "real" experience to the user.

Advantages of Virtual Reality:

 One of most important advantage of VR can create a realistic world so that user can explore world. 
 Virtual Reality in education field makes education more easily and comfort.
 Through Virtual Reality user can experiment with an artificial environment

Limitations

Limitations of Augmented Reality:

Openness: Other people can develop their own layers of content to display. That could cause information augmenting without permission.
Interoperability: The lack of data portability between AR environments.
Regarding user experience, socially using Augmented Reality may be inappropriate in some situations.
Spam as it is easy to imagine that spam could overwhelm the augmented world with unwanted advertising or unwanted information of any kind.
Price – as the technology is still developing it may be quiet expensive to use it in everyday life and it might be less accessible for small businesses
Explicit versus implicit interaction
Unintelligent interfaces
Requires custom devices
No understanding of real world

Limitations of Virtual Reality:

 VR is becoming much more commonplace but programmers are still stuck with how to interact with virtual environments.
 The idea of escapism is common place among those that use VR environments and people often live in the virtual world instead of dealing with the real one. 
 Training with a VR environment does not have the same result as training and working in the real world. This means that even if someone does well with simulated tasks in a VR environment, that person might not do well in the real world.

Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality in Education

Augmented Reality (AR) as a mixed and enhanced reality has compelling features for educational purposes; its potential and affordances can be further extended when an AR system is designed by connecting multiple types of technologies.

Features and affordances of AR in five aspects for educational purposes –

1)Learning content in 3D perspectives
2)Ubiquitous collaborative and situated learning
3)Learners’ sense of presence, immediacy and immersion
4)Visualizing the invisible
5)Bridging formal and informal learning

Theories

These are the theories of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality -
1)SAMR model
2)21st century skills
3)Immersive Experience
4)Situated Learning
5)Experiential learning

Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality in Bangladesh

Today’s Bangladesh called Digital Bangladesh because it steps forward to digital emergence. In Bangladesh, augmented and virtual reality is not new. These augmented reality and virtual reality now used in different sectors like Universities, companies, and fashion house etc. In 2013, More than 200 postgraduate resident students, deans, directors and teachers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) attended virtual class of Australia’s renowned pharmacologist Brent Mcparland, senior lecturer at the University of Sydney. Like this AR & VR contributes in different sectors.

Challenges Faced by Teachers in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a developing country, not like the developed countries. Use of technology in Bangladesh in some context tough, people in our country are very poor.

Eye sight problems: people who have problem with their eyesight, they faced problem in using AR and VR

Class structure: class structure is also a challenge for using it. Well-structured classroom is needed for using it

Social Rejection: Our society still takes technology in a negative sense. People always reject technology without knowing its benefits

Costly: Augmented reality and virtual reality is so much expensive for Bangladeshi people. People cannot afford it. Actually high price is the main issue

Poverty: Poverty is the main challenges for incapability of using technologies. VR and AR sets are so expensive that hardly some people can manage it, everyone cannot afford it

Lack of knowledge: Teachers of Bangladesh have lack knowledge of technology. They do not know how to use it

Lack of proper training: Teachers are not well trained, they sometimes do not know how to teach through multimedia.

Health issues: The use of AR and VR causes health issues like discomfort, stress injury, obesity etc. Kaylee (2018) talked about some health issues related to VR technology and problems including seizures, low growth of children, twitches, blackouts, repetitive stress injury etc.

Security and safety issues: In Bangladesh, everyday people face some safety problem. In our country, people are not well skilled in using technology and about safety issues. That’s why, there is a risk of harassment

Affordability: Implementing VR and AR in institution of Bangladesh is like a dream because of its high price. Some of the educational institutions can afford it, every institution cannot afford it. It is more costly than traditional tools

Lack of Power supply: “Sufficient power is needed to run technological devices” (Mahmuda, 2016). Load shedding is important challenge. Good power supply is needed.
Internet connection: Good internet connection is essential for using AR and VR 

Obsession or distraction: people nowadays mostly depend on technology. Use of AR & VR distract people in the wrong direction and people become so much obsessed of it

Religious Superstition: Most of the adult people of our country think that use of technology is bad things. They think technology makes their children and children life worst

Conclusion

To increase the use of AR & VR and solve the challenges, government should take necessary steps and also other non-government companies also provide in development of VR & AR. Government now takes some development project of technology. If everyone try together, then the day is not far when VR & AR gain popularity in Bangladesh like other developing countries. 

References

1)Journals
Chavan, R. S. 2016. Augmented reality vs. Virtual reality: Differences and Similarities Retrieved from http:// www.ijarcet.com
Fernandez, M. 2017. Augmented virtual reality: how to improve education systems. Retrieved from http://www,hicjournal.com.
Rouse, M. Virtual Reality Retrieved from
https://tis.techtarget.com/definition/virtual-reality

2)Newspaper articles
Uzzal. M. 2013. BSMMU holds virtual classroom Retrieved from
      https://www.dhakatribune.com/uncategorized/2013/10/30/bsmmu-holds-virtual-class

3)Websites
Mixed reality Retrieved from
             https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixed_reality
Virtual Reality Retrieved from
           https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixed_reality
Differences between AR & VR Retrieved from
            https://cramer.com/story/the-difference-between-ar-and-vr/
Mixed Reality Retrieved from https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/mixed-reality/mixed-reality

A review on the app “Ankidroids”

A review on the app “Ankidroids"

I used many apps in my life but this app “Ankidroids” is very difficult to use specially for those people who are using it for the first time. When I downloaded it from play store and open it, I was just stupefied. This app is a language learning app. I used the learning app “Duolingo”, but “Ankidroids” is bit different. Actually, “Ankidroids” is more or less opposite from “Duolingo”. I watched a video in you tube to know how to use this app “Ankidroids”. After watching the video, I learned how to use it.
And this article is an attempt to give a review of the app “Ankidroids”. In this article, I shared the advantages and limitations of this app.
When I used the app “Ankidroids”, I faced some advantages and limitations. I first talked about advantages of this app.

ADVANTAGES

1. Helps to remember things correctly
2. More effective study methods
3. Saves notes in cards
4. Questions and answers give in a list view and in charts
5. Supports images, audio, videos,. scientific markup and establish these things in flashcards
6. Can use studying for medical and law exams
7.Can memorize people’s names and faces
8. Can useful for geography
9. Can practice guitar chords
10. Can synchronize cards in multiple devices
11. Night and day mood both is available
12. Handle decks of 1,00,000+ cards
13. Add – ons available
14. Data is always safe because code and storage format is always open
15.Can send feedback

LIMITATIONS

1. Has not any sign up or login options
2. Need a third party accounts to use the cloud sync login
3. Wrong answers are add in notes and add cards for wrong answers
4. Don’t have a clean and tidy data set
5. Has no way of tying related cards. 6. It does provide the option of burying cards generated from the same note when I study one, but does not provide any way of tying related notes together
7. Lack of official, curated decks
8. Have to use community – created decks or make an effort to create your own decks
9. Sub – decks cannot be moved to top – level
10.Have to close and reopen the card browser window to see changes taking effect
11. When try to correct something wrong in my cards, Ankidroids often crashes

Everything in this world is not perfect. Everything has some limitations. This app is also imperfect. Despite of many demerits, this app is easy to use. It is a better flashcard app to use. It is opposite to another flashcard app to use. It is opposite to another flashcard apps but still it is more beneficial.

A review on audio book app “audiobook.com”

Many of us heard about various audio apps, but audiobook.com is fully different apps…I’m so much amused by using it. I like books and read books. I cannot read the book page by page sometimes due to time shortage. So this app is very helpful for me. I can use this app and hear the novel in audio recording…This app provides different books from different factors like it has upcoming film adaptation audio, science and fiction audio, love novel audio, nonfiction novel audio etc…but it has limited source of books…it cannot be used offline…when I used it, my phone became hang…and unfortunately app does not work…however we can use it without log in…moreover it is a good audio books app to improve both listening and speaking skills. According to my point of view, this app is good….!!!

A review on English Pronunciation App “Awabe”

Phonetics and Phonology!!! , It was a bitter experience to read it…I was in 1st year and as a student of English Language I had to read this subject anyhow. So I started reading with lots of fear in my heart. I read the books and beside the books I also started to use some apps as a helping hand like ‘tophonetics’, ‘phonemic chart’, ‘phonetics & phonology’...but English Pronunciation App “Awabe” is totally new to me.

After using this app, it can be said that it has both avail and limitations….

Avail:

1. Describe different sounds

2. Introduces long, short, double vowels, voiced consonants, voiceless consonants

3. Describes Tongue and Mouth position at the time of pronouncing sounds

4. Support Multi language

5. Easy to practice

6. Easy to understand

7. A educational software

8. Gives examples of some words with transcription and stress marks

9. Easy to use

10. User Friendly in some point

11. Can send feedback

Limitations:

1. Cannot use offline

2  No phonemic charts

3. Limited words transcription

4. Cannot transcribe other words

5. In some American words  
pronunciation are British and for British words pronunciation are American

In conclusion, I want to say that after having some avail and limitations, this app is good and useful.

My plan to improve my listening skill -

Firstly, I will try to learn pronunciation of the difficult words.
Secondly, hear different English songs and practice listening with the lyrics.
Thirdly, use different pronunciation apps
Fourthly,hear English news,movies,English drama,BBC etc

That's the way, I will try to increase my listening skills....