Hua-Li Jian

The Role of Electronic Pocket Dictionaries as an English Learning Tool among Chinese Students

This study addressed the role of electronic pocket dictionaries as a language learning tool among university students in Hong Kong and Taiwan. The target groups included engineering and humanities students at both undergraduate and graduate level. Speed of reference was found to be the main motivator for using an electronic pocket dictionary. Next, the functionality used was found to be connected to the language proficiency of the learner. Finally, multimedia content was ranked least important. The results of this study have implications for the design of electronic dictionaries and for the teaching of second languages with electronic dictionaries. In particular, device developers should focus on improving the accessing speed and pay less attention to multimedia functionality. Educators should ensure that the device functionality matches the language proficiency level of the students.

Pair-wise Variability Index: Evaluating the Cognitive Difficulty of Using Mobile Text Entry Systems

A modified pair-wise variability index for evaluating the cognitive difficulty of using mobile text entry systems is proposed. The index is easy to compute from keystroke logs acquired from typing experiments where keystroke times are recorded. The effectiveness of the pair-wise variability index is demonstrated on the keystroke logs acquired using three different text entry strategies.

User Interface Design for Public Kiosks: An Evaluation of the Taiwan High Speed Rail Ticket Vending Machine

Low hardware costs and high staffing costs have resulted in an increase in public information and transaction kiosks. Ticket vending machines are one important subset of such kiosks. These machines must offer efficient service with zero tolerance for human error, require no user training and be accessible to a wide range of users. This study evaluates the user experience of the Taiwan high speed rail ticket vending machine in light of recent research results in human computer interaction. Several design problems are identified and improvements are suggested. A set of user interface design heuristics are suggested that can help kiosk designers avoid the most common design mistakes.

Cultural factors influencing Eastern and Western engineering students’ choice of university

Insight into factors that affect students’ choice of university is useful when designing study programmes, especially in global competition for students. This study focuses on Taiwanese and Norwegian students’ preferences for university, study programme, course qualities and future career qualities. Hofstedes model was used to predict culture-related differences. A pair-wise decision questionnaire was used to conduct measurements. Cultural differences were observed in relation to choice of university, course qualities and future careers. Discipline of study had only minor impact on students’ preferences. The results suggest that a career-relevant curriculum is culture-neutral. Moreover, personal advice is the most preferred factor among Taiwanese students when choosing university.