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INTRODUCTION
In recent years, there is a rapid development of technology. One of the notable technologies which is gaining a fast pace popularity in the global consumer market is the mobile technology. In the survey report of Mark Page and Dr. Maria Molina (2013), there were 3.2 billion mobile subscribers, or nearly half the 7 billion world’s population. This is a significant achievement and it also demonstrates greater opportunity to bring the social and economic benefits of mobile technology to the rest of the world. Thus, giving users not just access to information but better experience in accessing information at their finger tips anytime and anywhere.
With the emergence of this trending mobile technology, there is a considerable probability to transplant academic affairs and information from computer to mobile devices to improve service quality and management efficiency. However, given the rapid pace of technological change over the last decade, many parents and teachers have found it challenging to keep up to date with new technologies and fully exploit the exciting educational opportunities that these new technologies represents.
Taking into consideration the observations of the researchers, on the young minds of elementary students and their individual lifestyle, majority were already exposed and experienced in the use of mobile technology. Thus, the researchers come up to an idea of developing a mobile application that could be an alternative educational tool to elementary students, focusing on the mother tongue subject, identified to have needs pertaining to the correct usage of Hiligaynon words as communication language.
PROJECT CONTEXT
The proposed “English – Hiligaynon E-Dictionary” is an e-learning system development project that will probe on the acceptability level of the proposed English-Hiligaynon Electronic Dictionary mobile application for elementary students.
In this project, the proponents will be undergoing series of activities consisting of; interviews and on-site observations for need identification and problem definition; researches for the formulation of the system requirements; system design and development; system testing, deployment, and data gathering; feedback analysis and system modifications; and system implementation.
The proponents of the study will be utilizing the faculties teaching the K-12 mother tongue subject as well as the Grades 1, 2, and 3 students who were taking up the subject, as the respondents of the study, randomly selected by the proponents of the study.
The findings, based from the feedbacks or survey ratings obtained from the respondents of the study will be used by the proponents of the study to come up with a conclusion and recommendation of the study. It will be the deciding factor for the deployment of the English – Hiligaynon Electronic Dictionary mobile application to the beneficiaries of this e-learning system.
PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT
The proponents of this proposed e-learning system project, English – Hiligaynon E-Dictionary, come up with an idea of developing a mobile application for learning the Hiligaynon language as an alternative educational tool for the mother tongue subject of the elementary students. Based on the initial interview and observations of the proponents, the most of the elementary students were having difficulty in learning the Hiligaynon language, especially those that were having their preparatory schooling in private schools. English language is their medium of instruction. Besides, 70% of the time they were communicating at home using the English Language. Furthermore, the faculties teaching the K-12 mother tongue subject to Grades 1, 2, and 3 students were having a hard time adjusting to this new subject in the basic education curriculum. They even have to translate the Hiligaynon words to English just to let their students comprehend to what they were saying. They even have to think twice if they really have the correct translation of what they were trying to impart to the students knowing that the Hiligaynon words have varied use, pronunciation, and even intonation.
With the problem at hand and the observations of the proponents on the lifestyles of the elementary have, majority of the elementary students were already exposed and experienced with the use of mobile technology, specifically electronic gadgets like smartphones and tablets, the proponents devised an idea of developing a mobile application as a solution to the problem. Mobile technology characteristic of portability, suites the proponents’ concepts and ideas of developing an application that gives the user easy access of information helpful in learning the Hiligaynon language, anytime, anywhere.
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT
The main objective of the proposed e-learning system project entitled “English – Hiligaynon E-Dictionary” will be the development of a mobile application that will be an alternative tool in learning the Hiligaynon language for the elementary students in their K-12 mother tongue subject.
Specifically, the proposed English – Hiligaynon E-Dictionary e-learning system project will be able to:
- Use the mobile application in gathering feedback from the users
- Use the mobile application offline
- Have an update for the mobile application data
- Have a user-friendly graphical user interface
- Search specific English word to its Hiligaynon equivalent using a search box
- Search specific Hiligaynon word to its English equivalent using a search box
- Provide a concise English definition of a given Hiligaynon word
- Provide a concise Hiligaynon definition of a given English word
- Present a sample sentence of the searched word in English and Hiligaynon language
- Provide an audio for the correct pronunciation of the Hiligaynon word
SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE PROJECT
The proposed e-learning system project entitled “English – Hiligaynon E-Dictionary” focuses on the development of a mobile application that is to be used for Beta testing by the identified respondents of the study to solicit feedback and responses regarding to its intended capabilities and use, as designed by the proponents. The proposed mobile application will be specifically developed for smartphones and tablets having an Android 2.3 version or higher. Furthermore, the application can be used offline, regardless of time and place, provided that the mobile device that will be used had enough power to run the application until the user can obtain the needed information. However, an internet connection will be needed in downloading, installation, and updating of the application but not limited to a direct installation and update of the application to a mobile device.
In the conduct of the research study of the proposed project to gather feedback and responses from the respondents of the study. Specifically, in the Grades 1, 2, and 3 who were the grade level with the K-12 mother tongue subject.
INSTRUCTIONS
The following were the enumerated procedures or steps on the actual use of the system:
Accessing the mobile application main page
- The User had to tap on the application icon found on the mobile device. It is the user interface that bridges the gap between the user, the hardware, and the operating system
- The user will then be redirected to the main page of the system. The main page contains the Quick Links section, linking to the three links of the mobile application; links to the help page, to the compiled words page, and to the credits page.
Searching for a word translation
- If the user wants to search for a Hiligaynon word English translation, the user had to tap the compiled word button, under the Quick Links section in the main page. The mobile application will then display the Search for a word search box and an alphabetical listing of Hiligaynon words
- The user could utilize the Search for a word search box, provided that the user knows the exact spelling of the Hiligaynon word. Upon tapping the search button, the word will be displayed, if it is found in the mobile application compiled database. If found, a Hiligaynon definition, an English translation, and an image gallery on the use of the search word will be displayed, otherwise, search again
- If the user wants to search for an English word Hiligaynon translation, the user had to swipe the screen to the left. The mobile application will then display the Search for a word search box and an alphabetical listing of English words.
- The user could utilize the Search for a word search box and enter the exact spelling of the English word. Upon tapping the search button, the word will be displayed, if it is found in the mobile application compiled database. If found, a Hiligaynon definition, an English translation, and an image gallery on the use of the search word will be displayed, otherwise, search again
