SpeakCat – Multilingual E-Learning Platform for Catalan Language

Introduction

During my internship at the Broadband Communications and Distributed Systems (BCDS) research group at the University of Girona, I was given the opportunity to work on the Speakcat project under the mentorship of Mr. Antonio Bueno. The project aimed to provide a survival Catalan course for foreign students in a university setting, featuring self-correcting exercises accessible through various learning paths.

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Technologies Used

  • Backend: PHP with CodeIgniter framework
  • Frontend: Bootstrap for UX/UI, JavaScript for interactive features
  • AI Algorithms: waifu2x for image upscaling
  • Multilingual Support: Implemented multilingual capabilities to cater to a diverse student body

Project Goals

  1. To lead the development of a new version of the Speakcat web platform.
  2. To incorporate revised and new exercises, along with a system to track students’ progress.
  3. To enhance the user experience and interface with updated technology.

Challenges Faced

  • Legacy Issues: The original platform had low-resolution images and lacked several modern web functionalities.
  • Complex Architecture: Developing a robust, multilingual e-learning platform required meticulous planning and execution.

Solutions and Approaches

  • AI-Assisted Image Upscaling: Utilized waifu2x algorithms to upscale the low-resolution images to higher quality.
  • Bootstrap: Improved the UX/UI using Bootstrap, making the interface more intuitive and responsive.
  • Progress Tracking: Implemented a new system to monitor and save students’ progress throughout the course.

Key Features

  • Adhoc Dictionary: Created a quick-reference dictionary using JavaScript to aid learners.
  • Multilingual Support: Incorporated multilingual functionalities to make the platform accessible to non-Catalan speakers.
  • Course Material: Over 100 hours of course content and more than 200 exercises.

Outcomes and Impact

  • Enhanced User Experience: The revamped site offers an improved learning experience with its modern UI and additional features.
  • Personal Growth: This project was a tremendous learning experience, particularly in handling complex architectures and implementing AI algorithms in real-world applications.

Lessons Learned

  • AI in Web Development: Gained valuable insights into how artificial intelligence can improve various aspects of web development.
  • Mentorship: Working under the guidance of Mr. Antonio Bueno provided an enriching experience, teaching me the nuances of e-learning platform development.

Future Directions

  • Analytics: Plan to incorporate analytics to understand user engagement and areas of improvement.
  • Additional Content: Considering the addition of more advanced exercises and content to further enrich the course.

Release Date

2015