Interactive Handwriting Device for Enhancing Active Recollection of Character Forms by Voice Assistance for Chinese Character Learning
Kouyou Otsu, Tomoko Izumi · 2023
Learning the Chinese characters used in Japan and China is a relatively difficult task, and even native speakers often have difficulty recalling them. Despite the existence of numerous platforms for learning Chinese characters, there is still a lack of interactive resources that can help with retrieving information during composition and improving retention simultaneously. In this study, we propose an interactive handwriting-support device that provides verbal hints about Chinese characters’ compositions and how to write the character. The device has the shape of a pen and can audibly indicate to the user how to write a character while writing. From the experiment, it is found that retention tended to be highest when the character composition was guided only by a voice assistance, compared to when the correct character form was presented visually. This result suggests that presenting human-like cues through speech may promote active recollection activities compared to presenting visual information.