Today’s post is very similar to one of my earlier posts titled “How to teach Algorithms ?“. In that earlier post, I announced an Algorithms App for iPad. Recently, I ported Algorithms App to Mac. Today’s post is about “How to learn Vocabulary efficiently ?”.
This summer, I went to a local bookstore to checkout the vocabulary section. There are several expensive books with limited number of practice tests. I also noticed a box of paper flashcards (with only 300 words) for around $25 !!! After doing some more research, I realized that the existing solutions (to learn english vocabulary) are either too hard to use and/or expensive and/or old-fashioned.
So I started building an app with ‘adaptiveness’ and ‘usability’ as primary goals. The result is the Vocabulary App (for iPhone and iPad). Here is a short description of my app.
Vocabulary app uses a sophisticated algorithm (based on spaced repetition and Leitner system) to design adaptive multiple-choice vocabulary questions. It is built on a hypergraph of words constructed using lexical cohesion.
Learning tasks are divided into small sets of multiple-choice tests designed to help you master basic words before moving on to advanced words. Words that you have the hardest time are selected more frequently. For a fixed word, the correct and wrong answers are selected adaptively giving rise to hundreds of combinations. After each wrong answer, you receive a detailed feedback with the meaning and usage of the underlying word.
Works best when used every day. Take a test whenever you have free time.
Go ahead and download the Vocabulary App and let me know your feedback/opinion (or) suggest new features.
At any given waking moment I spend my time either (1) math monkeying around (or) (2) code monkeying around. During math monkeying phase, I work on math open problems (currently related to directed minors). During code monkeying phase, I work on developing apps (currently Algorithms App, Vocabulary App) or adding new features to my websites TrueShelf or Polytopix. I try to maintain a balance between (1) and (2), subject to the nearest available equipment (a laptop or pen-and-paper). My next post will be on one of my papers (on directed minors) that is nearing completion. Stay tuned.
My Brain is Open 