Deciphering Rosetta Stone: A Case Study

Rosetta Stone seems to be everywhere. Bright yellow advertisements grace the pages of national magazines appealing to a variety of audiences. Television ads run day and night on cable television. Kiosks in malls around the world beckon customers. In the last few years, the language software has become for many synonymous with the idea of language learning, even replacing foreign language classes in some cash-strapped school districts (Guevara, 2009). Where did this software come from and how did it become so popular? What is the future for the company behind it, and how might educational technology for language learning develop?

Emergence

The company behind the Rosetta Stone software began in 1992 in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Allen Stoltzfus, his brother Eugene Stoltzfus, and their brother-in-law Dr. John Fairfield envisioned a program that would allow students to immerse themselves in language in the same way a baby learns their native language. Allen compared his frustrating experience with learning Russian in a classroom with his more fulfilling experience of learning German by actually living in Germany. For him, the classroom experience felt forced and unpleasant, while the immersion experience felt relaxed and natural. Their company, Fairfield Language Technologies, began producing a software product they dubbed “Rosetta Stone” after the famous artifact that helped linguists unlock Egyptian hieroglyphics (Rosetta Stone, n.d., Our History).

Adoption

An early difference between Rosetta Stone and other CD-ROM language learning products was the emphasis on “natural learning.” Unlike programs which drill vocabulary or rely on repeating common phrases until they are memorized, Rosetta Stone tapped in to the communicative approach to language learning which had been advocated by Stephen Krashen and James Asher. In this approach, students first encounter simple spoken language with lots of visual cues and feedback, and the production facilities emerge naturally (Stoltzfus, 1997). A typical feature of this approach has been the use of the target language almost exclusively, with very little explanation or translation into the native language of the learner. The software embodied the “natural learning” approach by presenting students with a series of short cues accompanied by four pictures. When a student selects the correct picture, the program responds with a pleasant noise and an affirming visual cue like a check mark (Kaiser, 1997).

Foreign language educators were impressed by the theoretical foundations behind the software, and many colleges and libraries began to adopt the program for use at their institutions (Kaiser, 1997; Macrae, 1997). A typical course requirement for college language courses is to spend time reinforcing language skills in a “language laboratory”, which usually offers a variety of software programs, video and audio offerings in the target languages, and other language learning technology and multimedia tools (Kaiser, 1997). The Rosetta Stone software was a natural fit in college language labs.

The company also struck deals with government agencies and non-governmental organizations to increase the product’s visibility. NASA astronauts used the Russian version of the program to prepare for life on the Mir space station, and an agreement with West Point to use the program in training cadets helped build a bridge for a contract with the United States Army to provide access to the program for all military personnel (Derber, 2006). By targeting respected institutions for reduced rates or even for free product licenses and then using those institutions as examples of clients using their product, the company was able to brand itself as both popular and well-established.

Adaptation

As the program became more widely used, not everyone gave it rave reviews. The company adapted its offerings by releasing subsequent versions of the software with significant modifications.

Some early users had technical complaints about early versions of the software, saying that the non-linguistic interface was confusing and that the speech recognition functions were underwhelming (Brown, 2002). Over successive versions, the company modified the interface and added proprietary speech recognition, as well as offering their program online and in CD-ROM format.

Other concerns have been of a pedagogical nature. Numerous critics have noted that the vocabulary and pictures are not culturally contextualized. Every language follows the same sequence of pictures and sentences, whether or not the particular vocabulary (like “elephant”) or grammatical structures (such as “The boy is in the car”) fit with the language as it is commonly spoken (Kaiser, 1997; Farivar, 2006). Because of the way the program is produced, the company has only made minor modifications for individual languages, though it has introduced four different picture sets for its programs: Western, Latin, Swahili, and Asian (Farivar, 2006).

Some educators have warned against the idea that the program can or should replace instructor-led courses. During the course of encountering language in the program, students will have questions about the grammar rules at work which the program will not be able to answer (Macrae, 1997). Additionally, some students may lack the discipline to pace themselves for the time-consuming task of language learning, and would benefit from the structure that a classroom experience provides (Mossberg, 2005). Furthermore, the effectiveness of the Rosetta Stone in rivaling classroom instruction is unclear. The company commissioned a study of adult language learners and found that after 55 hours of time using Rosetta Stone Spanish, most students would not be able to test out of a one-semester course, though the author of the study hypothesized that after 70 hours of instruction most of the students would have attained enough language proficiency to equal a semester of classroom study (Vesselinov, 2009). It is worth noting that this study dealt with college-educated adults and it is unknown whether similar results would be obtained with younger students (those likely to actually be taking classroom courses at the secondary or tertiary levels). Nonetheless, some schools are beginning to use the program to replace elementary-school foreign language courses (Guevara, 2009).

Diffusion and Integration

The early diffusion of the product relied on increasing acceptance of the software as a legitimate tool and a worthwhile expenditure for individuals. From early on the software was generally recognized by language educators as having a strong, sound theoretical foundation which helped sell the product to educational institutions (Saury, 1998). It is also a widely-held belief that use of the program helps motivate students for language learning. This belief seems to be borne out in student surveys such as those conducted by a Japanese teacher who says Rosetta Stone helped reduce his course attrition rate (Rosetta Stone, 2004). The company also targeted the government as a potential client, and has hired lobbyists to push its ongoing relationship with the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security, among other federal agencies. Around 70,000 soldiers use the company’s product for training purposes (Schlosser, 2007).

The story of Rosetta Stone’s success is not, however, completely explained by its technological or pedagogical superiority to other similar products. The company behind the software has shrewdly positioned itself to dominate the field through advertising and brand awareness. When Tom Adams joined the company as CEO in 2003, he embarked on a “global brand-building” campaign that jump-started the company’s growth (Baar, 2004). His approach emphasized wide-run ad campaigns and sales kiosks in airports and malls, where likely consumers would see the product prominently displayed (Schlosser, 2007). The company now operates 155 kiosks around the world and has recently started opening larger retail locations to let consumers try the software before committing to the significant purchase price of $395 (Ruth, 2009). Thanks to aggressive advertising, the company has had a 69% compound annual growth rate, growing revenue from $25.4 million in 2004 to $209.4 million in 2008 (Rosetta Stone, 2009). Of that, approximately 20% of sales are generated from institutions, 22% from kiosk sales, and 58% from direct-to-consumer sales through the company’s call center and website (Rosetta Stone, 2009).

Future Implications

For the time being, Rosetta Stone seems to have cornered the market in its field. According to the company, awareness of the Rosetta Stone brand was over 40%, which was more than seven times any of its U.S. competitors (Rosetta Stone, 2009). However, the field has changed quickly in favor the company and could just as quickly change again.

The company recognized in its recent prospectus that its competitors include not only other brands like Pimsleur and Berlitz language courses, but also online services which provide language learning solutions very similar to Rosetta Stone for free. The company notes that, “If these free products become more sophisticated and competitive or gain widespread acceptance by the public, demand for our solutions could decline.” (2009, p. 15). Better artificial intelligence can make these free courses more responsive to individual student needs, and open source alternatives based on common technological standards could become the norm for creating instructional units (Godwin-Jones, 2007). In the meantime, competitors like Babbel are already gearing up by creating free tutorials around public domain images and user-generated content. Babbel recently secured venture capital funding to continue its progress and to continue its fight for dominance among other free online services like Mango Languages, LiveMocha, and LingQ (Butcher, 2008).

Conclusion

Rosetta Stone has had a meteoric rise since its first days in 1992, and much of that rise has been in the last few years. While the increasingly interconnected world provides a vast potential market for products like the Rosetta Stone software, technological advancements are making it likely that the company will have to reshape its product to offer something more than what can be found for free online. If the company can manage that while continuing to put its product front and center in the minds of consumers and institutional buyers, it may have a shot at continued growth rates that make other companies drool. In any case, Rosetta Stone has shown the world that computer-assisted language learning is a serious competitor to traditional classroom learning, both in popularity and in results.

References

Baar, A. (2004, Sept. 2) Martin is Runner-up in Rosetta Stone Review. Retrieved May 3, 2009 from Adweek website: http://www.adweek.com/aw/google/article_brief/1000623679

Brown, K.S. (2002, April 19). Language software thorough, but aural technique is limited. Retrieved May 3, 2009 from Silicon Valley Business Journal: http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2002/04/22/newscolumn4.html

Butcher, M. (2008, July 29). Babbel secures funding for language learning. Retrieved May 3, 2009 from TechCrunch UK: http://uk.techcrunch.com/2008/07/29/babbel-secures-funding-for-language-learning/

Derber, Mark (2006) Language Training at West Point: Developing Future FAO’s. Retrieved

May 3, 2009 from Foreign Area Officer Association website: http://www.faoa.org/journal/Lang_USMA.html

Farivar, C. (2006, January 16) Rosetta Stone 3.0. Retrieved April 13, 2009 from MacWorld website: http://www.macworld.com/article/48966/2006/01/rosettastone3.html


Godwin-Jones, Robert. (2007). Emerging Technologies: Tools and Trends in Self-Paced Language Instruction. Language Learning & Technology, 11(2), pp. 10-17. Retrieved April 13, 2009, from http://llt.msu.edu/vol11num2/emerging/default.html

Guevara, E. (2009, April 19). Schools face teacher shortage, language barriers with computer program. Retrieved May 3, 2009 from Beaumont Enterprise website: http:// www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/local/schools_face_teacher_shortage__language_barriers_with_computer_program_04-17-2009.html

Kaiser, M. (1997). Review: The Rosetta Stone for Russian. Retrieved April 12, 2009 from CALL@Chorus Web Site: http://www-writing.berkeley.edu/chorus/call/reviews/rosetta_russian/rosetta_russian_2.html


Macrae, D. (1997) Review: The Rosetta Stone for German. Retrieved April 12, 2009 from CALL@Chorus Web Site: http://www-writing.berkeley.edu/chorus/call/reviews/archives/rosettagerm.html


Mossberg, W. (2005, September 7). Language Learning, the Natural Way. Retrieved April 13, 2009 from http://webreprints.djreprints.com/2057660580889.html


Rosetta Stone (n.d.). Our History. Retrieved April 23, 2009 from Rosetta Stone website: http://www.rosettastone.com/global/history

Rosetta Stone (n.d.) Research Basis for Rosetta Stone Dynamic Immersion Method. Retrieved April 13, 2009 from http://www.plato.com/Secondary-Solutions/ELL-World-languages/~/media/Technical%20and%20White%20Papers/2Rosetta_Stone_Research_Basis_pdf.ashx

Rosetta Stone (2004). Study on High School Japanese Program Attributes Lowered Attrition Rates to Usage of Rosetta Stone. Unpublished Manuscript obtained via email from Rosetta Stone representative.

Rosetta Stone (2009, April 16). Form 424B4 - Prospectus. (SEC Accession Number 0001047469-09-004213). Retrieved May 3, 2009 from U.S. Securities and Exchange

Commission website: http://sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1351285/000104746909004213/a2192325z424b4.htm

Ruth, J (2009, April 29). Rosetta Stone opens doors at the mall. Retrieved May 3, 2009 from NJBIZ website: http://www.njbiz.com/article.asp?aID=77962

Saury, R. (1998) Creating a Psychological Foundation for the Evaluation of Pre-Packaged Software in Second Language Learning. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED428718). Retrieved April 13, 2009 from http://www.eric.ed.gov/

Schlosser, J. (2007, March 13) Parlez-Vous Profits? Fortune, March 19, 2007. Retrieved April 14, 2009 from CNNMoney: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2007/03/19/8402331/index.htm

Stoltzfus, A. (1997, February). The Learning Theory behind the Rosetta Stone Language Library from Fairfield Language Technologies. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Association for Bilingual Education, Albuquerque, NM. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED404883). Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/

Vesselinov, R. (2009, January) Measuring the Effectiveness of Rosetta Stone: Final Report. Unpublished Manuscript obtained via email from Rosetta Stone representative.

Annotated bibliography for modeling and simulation in middle schools

This is a work in progress which is to help me store and share info about the articles I'm reading as part of my coursework.

Bodzin, A., & Cirucci, L. (2009, March 1). A Land-Use-Planning Simulation Using Google Earth. Science Scope, 32(7), 30-38. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ831458) Retrieved July 2, 2009, from ERIC database.

The authors describe an activity for a middle school science class which asks students to use real-world data to recommend a site for a new shopping center that would have minimal ecological impact. Principles of smart growth are interwoven throughout the exercise, which culminates in a simulated planning commission meeting. The computer simulation aspects are minimal and Google Earth is used primarily for gathering real-world data rather than testing hypotheses. The computer piece was, however, central to modeling both the problem posed and the possible solutions.

Canada, D. (2008, November 1). The Known Mix: A Taste of Variation. Mathematics Teacher, 102(4), 286-291. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ819057) Retrieved July 2, 2009, from ERIC database.

The author used a combination of a traditional hands-on simulation and a computer simulation to lead preservice math teachers in an exercise exploring variation. First they did predicted what would happen and had a discussion of their reasons for their predictions, then they did a few rounds of pulling chips out of jars (with a known mix of colored chips) and graphing their results by hand. During another discussion, they made more predictions on what would happen given more rounds and then went to a computer simulation that was able to show them what would happen if they repeated the exercise 30, 100, or 180 times. It strikes me that this combination of hands-on and computer simulation would be great for younger learners who may not clearly understand what real-world actions the computer might be simulating.

Dunleavy, M., Dede, C., & Mitchell, R. (2009, February 1). Affordances and Limitations of Immersive Participatory Augmented Reality Simulations for Teaching and Learning. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 18(1), 7-22. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ829255) Retrieved July 2, 2009, from ERIC database.

This article describes the use of an AR simulation called Alien Contact! with middle school students. Students travel around their school grounds in teams, with each team member gathering individualized information to help the team as the simulation progresses. The activity was designed to promote math and English skills. Most positive student outcomes were related to the novelty of the simulation and the kinesthetic movement, as well as collaboration with classmates. Technological hurdles were persistent and teachers reported that without researcher help the activity would have been unmanagable.

Fortner, R., & Jenkins, D. (2009, March 1). Simulated Sampling of Estuary Plankton. Science Activities: Classroom Projects and Curriculum Ideas, 46(1), 26-32. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ827700) Retrieved July 2, 2009, from ERIC database.

This article isn't about computer simulation at all, but rather a reprint of a pen and paper classroom simulation originally published in 1983. What struck me on reading it is how much easier it would be to use the same types of data in a computer simulation, and how much greater the affordances would be for posing questions of the data rather than simply doing the activities suggested to fill out a worksheet.

Foti, S., & Ring, G. (2008, January 1). Using a Simulation-Based Learning Environment to Enhance Learning and Instruction in a Middle School Science Classroom. Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching, 27(1), 103-120. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ780484) Retrieved July 2, 2009, from ERIC database.

Researchers conducted a small study with two Indiana middle school science classes using a product called PSI Sim modules which offer simulated science experiments on topics like electricity and chemical mixtures. A focus of the article was the use of simulations in a learner-centered environment. One interesting finding was that students were not engaged in the video modules explaining the methodology of the experiments and wanted to jump right into the simulations, which reduced how much of a conceptual framework they had and likely caused them to learn less from the simulations. The PSI Sim modules were a redesign of a previous product, modified to fit into 50-minute class blocks.

Gehlbach, H., Brown, S., Ioannou, A., Boyer, M., Hudson, N., Niv-Solomon, A., et al. (2008, October 1). Increasing Interest in Social Studies: Social Perspective Taking and Self-Efficacy in Stimulating Simulations. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 33(4), 894-914. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ813142) Retrieved July 2, 2009, from ERIC database.

In a simulation of international conflict resolution, middle school students around the country were assigned to different countries (by class) and different issue groups from the perspective of their adopted country. The computer-based portion of the simulation was limited to online communication with peers from other "countries" to achieve consensus and work on proposals for action. This study examined several hypotheses relating to student motivation and interest and found that this simulation most likely increased motivation because of its level of challenge and because of the affordances for social perspective taking (SPT), an emerging and powerful skill for adolescents. An effective computer-based simulation might incorporate the opportunity for social perspective taking.

Lee, H. (2007, November 1). Instructional Design of Web-Based Simulations for Learners with Different Levels of Spatial Ability. Instructional Science: An International Journal of the Learning Sciences, 35(6), 467-479. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ786782) Retrieved July 2, 2009, from ERIC database.

Korean students were presented with computer-based science simulations. The variable was the degree of visual information in the simulation. Researchers found that students with high spatial ability (as measured by an identical pictures test and a card rotation test used in previous similar studies) scored similarly with or without the visual information. But students with low spatial ability benefited significantly from having visual information readily available, lowering cognitive demand of remembering and linking learned information.

Simpson, E., & Clem, F. (2008, March 1). Video Games in the Middle School Classroom. Middle School Journal, 39(4), 4-11. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ788303) Retrieved July 2, 2009, from ERIC database.

Describing a three-week unit in a middle school computer class which used a restaurant management simulation game to teach state standards for vocational education, the authors describe traits of "digital natives" (such as increased reliance on just-in-time information, preferred use of visual information, and comfort with failing and retrying) and suggest best practices for integrating games into the classroom. This was an effective, persistent use of a simulation activity that was well integrated into the goals of the course and was structured to include plenty of collaboration and authentic assessment opportunities.

Stern, L., Barnea, N., & Shauli, S. (2008, August 1). The Effect of a Computerized Simulation on Middle School Students' Understanding of the Kinetic Molecular Theory. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 17(4), 305-315. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ810393) Retrieved July 2, 2009, from ERIC database.

133 Israeli 7th graders were divided into control and experimental groups as they learned about the kinetic molecular theory. The experimental group received lessons that included a computerized simulation of molecular movement. They scored significantly better than the control group on post-tests of understanding, though neither group scored wonderfully. The authors discuss the limitations of the curriculum and point out the need to explicitly discuss the limitations of any simulation with students so as not to develop incorrect generalizations.

Villano, M. (2008, February). When Worlds COLLIDE. T H E Journal, 35(2), 32-38. Retrieved June 29, 2009, from Business Source Complete database.

Augmented reality (AR) is the use of invented storylines and information superimposed on the real world. In some of the simulations mentioned in the article, middle school students use handheld GPS units to travel around their campus finding information about alien invaders. When they reach different locations, their devices show them pre-programmed video, audio, or text files to help them solve the mystery of where the invaders came from. Names to watch in the AR field - Matt Dunleavy at Radford, Handheld Augmented Reality Project from MIT and University of Wisconsin-Madison. Article includes blurbs about a few AR games in different content areas.

Metaplace holds educational promise

Customizable and integrated with other tools like Second Life? Check.

Fast like Kaneva? Check.

Fun like vSide? Check.

Browser-based like Habbo? Check!

Metaplace is a great leap forward for virtual worlds, and may be the synchronous learning solution that K-12 educators have been looking for. It entered open beta this week, and it's free.

Come meet me sometime there - MrAldrich is my name and my first world there is "Paris by MrAldrich".

What I learned from the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic

There are a lot of misunderstandings about what the real dangers are due to the current H1N1 (Swine flu) outbreak, not only by those who are fearing it too much but also by those who are not taking logical precautions. Perhaps we can take a look into the past to get a glimpse into our future.

Over the last several days, I've been doing some research in the collections at James Madison University as well as reading the book Influenza 1918, based on the PBS documentary that appeared of the same name. I wanted to find out what the Spanish flu outbreak looked like in my city (Harrisonburg, Virginia), as well as how people reacted and what lessons we can take from it all.

First, let's set the scene. The 1920 census lists the population of Harrisonburg at 5,875. In the fall of 1918, America was completely gripped with patriotic fever as World War I reached a crescendo. In the town of Harrisonburg, German Street had been renamed to Liberty Street. The Fourth Liberty Loan campaign was in full swing and hot debate raged over whether banks should publish the names of people taking part to shame their non-lending neighbors into supporting "our boys". News of the spreading Spanish flu began to come through the wire services, and on September 28 the local newspaper (the Daily News-Record) reported that the flu was in surrounding Rockingham County, with forty cases reported in nearby Dayton where the outbreak began at Shenandoah Collegiate Institute.

By October 8, the disease had spread in Harrisonburg and the DNR reported

that the Normal School (now JMU) and the public schools would be closed for two weeks: "It developed that out of one hundred and thirty pupils at the High School there were only forty present yesterday, the absentees being in the great majority of cases either being ill themselves [or helping sick family]. The percentage of sickness, it was stated, was not so great in the graded schools as in the High School, and was least of all among the pupils of the colored school." In the same article, it was mentioned that it was "confidently expected" that classes would resume after the two-week period was over.

In the same issue, the newspaper's editor apologized for shortening the normal six pages to four, noting that six of the small paper's staff were out of commission from flu.

The next day's paper said that half of the hospital's staff were out sick, and that there were as many as five hundred cases of sickness in the city already. By October 17, that number had jumped to 1,500 cases, including thirteen named deaths. One death was Cecil Burtner who, delirious with flu, shot himself.

Churches and the local theater had closed, too, as well as several local restaurants and businesses whose employees were out sick. The local Red Cross organized an Emergency Influenza Committee to deliver food to sick families. Although the paper repeatedly declared that the worst seemed to be over, the numbers of sick and dead continued to rise and even more serious outbreaks were reported in nearby cities and towns like Strasburg and Elkton. By October 22, the paper reported that 2,500 of the town's residents were sick, and by the end of the month 26 dead were named as victims of Spanish flu.

There was a lot of medical misinformation dispensed during that month, both by the federal and state governments (who thought the disease was bacterial rather than viral) and by drug companies hoping to hawk their products, like Calomel and Vaporub. One local chiropractor, Dr. Albert Souder, even boldly proclaimed that flu was caused by pinched nerves. "Remember, if your spine is right you will not have the influenza nor any other disease," he advised, adding, "Go see your chiropractor." Many families stuck with old home remedies like asafetida and mustard plaster, which had varying degrees of effect and side effect.

Ultimately, the disease weakened its hold on the city just in time for the November 11 armistice, which sent jubilant crowds into the streets and set off a series of thanskgiving ceremonies. Schools reopened in early to mid-November, and life continued on. There were a few other outbreaks locally in December of that year, but nothing so big as the October epidemic.

Besides the sad stories, like the family of five that suddenly died in nearby Goods Mill (reported in the October 4 DNR) and the family at Naked Creek where a woman buried two daughters and two grandchildren on the same day (told in an oral interview with Benjamin Coffman), there were stories of neighbors doing their best to help neighbors, and health workers giving their all to serve their communities. Elmer Atkins, of nearby Sperryville, spoke in an interview conducted in 1979 about his entire family, except for his dad, being sick. A neighbor would come by twice a day, "no closer to the house than I'd say 200 yards," to see what supplies were needed. The Red Cross chapter in Harrisonburg reported that it had visited four hundred, distributed two hundred gallons of soup or broth, and deliver fifty gallons of milk in the preceding weeks.

So what does all this have to do with the current outbreak and potential future outbreaks of infectious disease? First and foremost, take it seriously. There is a tendency to downplay these kinds of stories, even in the midst of clear epidemics, which works against taking sensible precautions. Second, don't expect that things will function normally during an outbreak - things will close, and you will not have the same access to supplies as usual, especially if you are sick yourself. Third, don't worry that everyone will die. In the end, even the Spanish flu only killed a small percentage of the people it struck.

I implore everyone reading this to have a plan to deal with disrupted food supplies and overwhelmed health care systems. Don't blow it off as media hype, but use it as an opportunity to reflect and prepare.

If the schools close...

The swine flu currently spreading around the world has the potential to become a pandemic, according to the WHO. Back during the last flu pandemic in 1918, which was more deadly than all the wars of the 20th century combined, schools in many places shut for long periods of time. Already, individual schools in Texas and New York where outbreaks are suspected have been ordered to close, as well as all schools in Mexico City. If schools in more areas were ordered to close even for a relatively short period during April or May, it would create a significant disruption since most schools conduct end-of-year testing during those months. What could/should schools do to avoid disruption in the event of mandatory school closures? Are any school districts you know of capable of using online instruction as a serious alternative for most students?

Personal Knowledge Management - Rosetta Stone sources

Here are some articles dealing with my topic, the language learning software Rosetta Stone:

Farivar, C. (2006, January 16) Rosetta Stone 3.0. Retrieved April 13, 2009 from MacWorld website: http://www.macworld.com/article/48966/2006/01/rosettastone3.html

This short review of the 3rd version of Rosetta Stone finds that it is easy and provides a "strong foundation." The author dislikes that less-frequent words are used so early, and that the pictures are culturally inauthentic. He states that the Rosetta Stone uses four different picture sets for its various programs: Western, Latin, Swahili, and Asian.


Godwin-Jones, Robert. (2007). Emerging Technologies: Tools and Trends in Self-Paced Language Instruction. Language Learning & Technology, 11(2), pp. 10-17. Retrieved April 13, 2009, from http://llt.msu.edu/vol11num2/emerging/default.html

The author surveys the general development of Computer Assisted Language Learning with an emphasis on self-paced tools. Beginning with JavaScript, the relative utility of tools like AJAX and Intelligent Tutoring Systems are discussed. The author believes that the non-linear approach offered by ITS, especially in their latest iterations (like the IMS Common Cartridge standard) will provide new opportunities for a natural approach to language instruction. Limitations of the current technology include the small units of study, which become difficult to contextualize. The author briefly discusses the potential for Blackboard to dominate the market, but expresses hope that open source alternatives will continue to grow.


Kaiser, M. (1997). Review: The Rosetta Stone for Russian. Retrieved April 12, 2009 from CALL@Chorus Web Site: http://www-writing.berkeley.edu/chorus/call/reviews/rosetta_russian/rosetta_russian_2.html

This review of an early version of the Rosetta Stone program complains that the language is presented outside of an authentic cultural context, uses stilted grammar and infrequently-needed vocabulary, and is inappropriate for beginning learners. "The entire package lacks any pedagogical foundation. Rather, it utilizes the glitz of the multimedia capabilities of the computer, a dearth of quality foreign language software, and clever marketing to create an economically successful product. It is precisely economics which is driving this product - it is relatively inexpensive to take a database of English phrases and translate them into a dozen or so languages, record a native speaker, and insert the media and text into a shell. Textbooks are not created this way, and good software cannot be either."


Macrae, D. (1997) Review: The Rosetta Stone for German. Retrieved April 12, 2009 from CALL@Chorus Web Site: http://www-writing.berkeley.edu/chorus/call/reviews/archives/rosettagerm.html

The author likes the methodology behind the Rosetta Stone, and emphasizes the technical aspects of the program, declaring that it has a "rich variety of exercises, [and manages to] hold the student's interest for a considerable length of time." The author does take issue with the claim that Rosetta Stone can be a standalone program, since it introduces grammar points without explanation. "I do not think it can be used effectively as a stand-alone means of learning German; consequently, the student who purchases this program with the understanding that s/he will be able to master German alone will be disappointed. In my view we have not yet reached the point where a computer program will replace the role of a good teacher. Nor do I think The Rosetta Stone will foster "rapid" foreign language learning as the manual claims. This is advertising hype which is misleading at best. There is no quick and easy way to language acquisition and nothing which will replace a year abroad, using the target language on a daily basis. That said, however, I think that The Rosetta Stone might be helpful in second language acquisition when used in conjunction with other material in a beginning or intermediate course in German; it might even be fun!"


Mossberg, W. (2005, September 7). Language Learning, the Natural Way. Retrieved April 13, 2009 from http://webreprints.djreprints.com/2057660580889.html

This review which appeared in the Wall Street Journal praises Rosetta Stone for its intuitive approach to language learning, but raises reservations about cost, usefulness of phrases like "the boy is under the airplane", and its self-paced nature which may be a problem for students who need a more regimented pace.


Rosetta Stone (n.d.). Our History. Retrieved April 23, 2009 from Rosetta Stone website: http://www.rosettastone.com/global/history

This page tells of the early history of Rosetta Stone and its subsequent growth under current CEO Tom Adams.

Rosetta Stone (n.d.) Research Basis for Rosetta Stone Dynamic Immersion Method. Retrieved April 13, 2009 from http://www.plato.com/Secondary-Solutions/ELL-World-languages/~/media/Technical%20and%20White%20Papers/2/Rosetta_Stone_Research_Basis_pdf.ashx

In an attempt to support Rosetta Stone as an approach based on scientifically based research, and therefore allowed under the No Child Left Behind legislation, the company produced this summary of four decades of language acquisition research to support their approach. Explanations are given of the deficiencies of models which rely on explaining grammar and memorizing vocabulary, and several underpinnings of communicative methodology are elaborated, including developing listening comprehension, structure and sequence of new language forms, supporting deduction, and waiting for readiness to talk.


Rosetta Stone (2008, Sept. 23). Form S-1 -- General form for registration of securities under the Securities Act of 1933. (SEC Accession Number 0001047469-08-010224). Retrieved April 23, 2008 from U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission website: http://sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1351285/000104746908010224/0001047469-08-010224-index.idea.htm

This filing by the company as they prepared for their initial public offering outlines a little of their history, their challengers, and what they see as the future of the company.

Saury, R. (1998) Creating a Psychological Foundation for the Evaluation of Pre-Packaged Software in Second Language Learning. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED428718). Retrieved April 13, 2009 from http://www.eric.ed.gov/

This article discusses the use of images in Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL), and how it fits into the overall theory of language learning. The article then evaluates several popular computer-based language learning programs, including the Rosetta Stone. The author concludes that it is "one of the more powerful language learning tools on the market today", largely because of its theoretical foundations.


Schlosser, J. (2007, March 13) Parlez-Vous Profits? Fortune, March 19, 2007. Retrieved April 14, 2009 from CNNMoney: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2007/03/19/8402331/index.htm

This magazine blurb about the company's astounding growth notes that CEO Tom Adams has greatly increased the company's visibility through advertising and a contract with the US military, quadrupling revenue to around $100 million between 2004 and 2007.


Stoltzfus, A. (1997, February). The Learning Theory behind the Rosetta Stone Language Library from Fairfield Language Technologies. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Association for Bilingual Education, Albuquerque, NM. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED404883). Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/

Company founder Allen Stoltzfus presents the theoretical approach behind the Rosetta Stone's methodology, emphasizing that it seeks to capture the "natural approach" advocated by Stephen Krashen and James Asher. The seven core themes of the natural approach, also called the comprehension approach, are summarize. The comprehension approach emphasizes a development of passive comprehension skills before actively using language by writing or speaking.


Vesselinov, R. (2009, January) Measuring the Effectiveness of Rosetta Stone: Final Report. Unpublished Manuscript obtained via email from Rosetta Stone representative.

This study commissioned by Rosetta Stone was meant to show that 55 hours of Rosetta Stone Spanish use would produce linguistic competence at the same level as a one-semester college course. The participants were heavily weighted towards the college-educated and upper-middle class, however. By overwhelming majorities, participants agreed that Rosetta Stone was easy, helpful, enjoyable, that they were satisfied with their language learning, and that they would recommend the product to others. Using a placement test common in college-level foreign language programs (WebCAPE), participants were tested before and after the treatment. Before the treatment, only 6 of the 135 participants would have been eligible for a semester 2 course (out of 6) or higher. After the treatment, 86 participants would have been eligible for a semester 2 course or higher. The author projects that after 70 hours of Rosetta Stone study, 95% of the participants would have achieved a sufficient score to place in semester 2 or higher. Using a different proficiency measure (ACTFL), the study found that after 55 hours of Rosetta Stone use between 56% and 72% of participants increased by at least one proficiency level.

Pros and Cons of Various Virtual Worlds

With winter break upon us, I've had the opportunity to explore a virtual world that's been on my list of sites to check out for some time: Kaneva. Overall, it has the feel of an earlier version of Second Life but with some significant positive differences, especially as it relates to education. I may do a more complete review of Kaneva later, but I thought I would end the year with a brief overview of the current state of several virtual worlds. As always, I am looking at it through the prism of potential educational applications.

Second Life
Pros: SL remains the hundred pound gorilla among virtual worlds. It has the most customizability of any virtual world, by far. If you can dream it, it can probably be created in SL. The addition of voice chat has certainly made it a more useful tool for instruction. It has a truly international user base, and has been embraced by many organizations who are creating content in-world.
Cons: It's so huge, it's almost isolating. Sure, there are tens of thousands of people online at any time, but try finding them! When a few people do get together, lag is often an issue as the servers creak under the load of all that customized content. Then there's the question of cost: hosting an "island" is outside the reach of most teachers or schools, as it costs more than a thousand dollars to set up and several hundred each month to keep it going. And did I mention there are separate worlds for teens and for adults? This makes it nigh impossible for K-12 teachers to dip their toes in without a serious financial commitment, and the criminal background checks (no kidding!) don't help adults feel any more welcome in the teen grid. There have been many complaints about the possibility of teens in the adult grid, since there is a lot of "mature" content there.

vSide
Pros: I remain enthusiastic about the long-term potential of vSide, which is probably the most fun and game-like of the virtual worlds on this list. Its slick interface is very user friendly, with a miniscule learning curve when compared to some other worlds. It is open to all ages, and is a very attractive space for young users with its complete integration of several popular (and legal) music streams, as well as the presence of numerous real-world clothing and entertainment brands. Most items in the game, including generously appointed apartments for individual users, are available by earning points rather than shelling out any actual cash.
Cons: vSide remains a teen-targeted consumer experience with little user-generated content. While there are plenty of things to do on your own in vSide, like completing quests, finding secrets, answering trivia bots, and playing rudimentary games, there are not many compelling or educational events. Additionally, the apartments available to users are not persistent; others may only access them while the owner of the space is online.

Kaneva
Pros: Kaneva seems to be coming into its own as a happy medium between the ease of vSide and the customizability of Second Life. Like vSide (but unlike Second Life), it offers a dual payment system, one based on cash paid in and the other based on reward points for spending time in Kaneva and contributing to the community. User spaces from small to huge are available and persistenly exist. Cost of entry is much lower than Second Life and customizability is higher than vSide. There is also a nice merger between social networking on the company's website and live interaction in the "3D world".
Cons: Only available for Windows. While users can upload and sell customized clothing, other user-created objects are limited to their creator's home or hangout as objects cannot be linked or made to do anything, and collaboration on building is not yet possible. Also, the graphics look more primitive than either of the other virtual worlds.