The Chung-Ang University(CAU) library launched ‘Auto English,’ a language learning application for smart phones this summer. This application can be used in all kinds of iPhones and Android devices, offering 50 different topics including TOEIC, TOFLE, TEPS, English conversation, Japanese conversation, Chinese conversation, France conversation, German conversation, Spanish conversation, and so on. ‘Auto English’ has a system of borrowing/returning. Students can borrow five books for 2 weeks and reserve up to three books that are already checked out by other students. If a student does not borrow a reserved book in three days after it has been returned, the next student who reserved the same book will have priority to borrow the book. Special application needs to be installed to study each learning course, and this may result in an extra charge when data is downloaded by via 3G network.
<How To Use>
Scan the code next to this article or search “AE App Library” at ‘application store’(iOS)/ googleplay(Android OS) → Install this application → ‘Library List’ → ‘CAU Library’ → Login at CAU homepage ID/PW (same as CAU portal) → Choose desired application → Borrow
<Interview manager> (CAU library scholarship information team ‘Shin Seong-ki)
Q. Why did CAU start this application?
A. At first, the electronic book application company suggested this application. These days, students do use smart phones and tablet PCs. Considering that the library offers scholarly information, CAU decided to provide the language content application, ‘Auto English’.
Q. What is the expected effect?
A. The CAU library already had electronic contents such as e-books, journals which utilize mobile webpages, smart phones and most kinds of PCs. Because this application connects library contents to a special corporation, students can use more information. This is because the special corporation has a lot of electronic contents about English learning. Therefore, a student may be provided more assistance when they study a language. Moreover, Auto English supports languages that have been established as a major at CAU such as English, Japanese, Chinese, French, etc. So students can receive help from this app according to their needs.
Q. What is a weakness of this?
A. CAU does not grasp the concrete contents of Auto English because it is operated not by CAU, but by the corporation. This is our weakness. If students want new books or have some problems however, CAU will take the steps to help.
<Students’ assessment>
An International Logistics student of Business & Economics College said, “the objective of this application is good. However, advertisement is intensely insufficient. In addition, considering other language learning applications, ‘Auto English’ doesn’t have a unique characteristic. If CAU doesn’t secure a special feature for this app, it might not be differentiated.” A Department of Urban Planning and Real Estate student of The College of Social Sciences said, “In this application, the user can’t read e-books in advance. So the student must borrow e-books unconditionally even though they do not know the contents of the books. Moreover, I have some doubt about its test. Maybe Auto English doesn’t support all kinds of smart phone. CAU should improve this problem.”
Kim Min-ji
alswl1278@hanmail.net