芝麻街和IBM開發詞匯應用程序

摘自：breakingnewsenglish.com

湖北省黃石市李明娟選譯

芝麻街和IBM開發詞匯應用程序

Sesame Street and IBM上標1 Make Vocabulary App2

摘自：breakingnewsenglish.com

湖北省黃石市李明娟選譯

Sesame Workshop(the company behind the hugely successful children’s TV showSesame Street)and IBM have teamed up to create a revolutionary3new app for kids to learn vocabulary.They have created the first vocabulary learning app powered by IBM’s artificial intelligence software.The app discovers for itself a child’s current reading level and vocabulary range,and then uses its algorithms4to challenge the child with appropriate,new vocabulary to improve the child’s skills.It personalizes5the learning experience for children.As the child continues to use the app,it will make sure that he or she has learned and understood the new words before introducing more and tailored6vocabulary items.

芝麻街工作室（極其成功的一部兒童電視連續劇《芝麻街》的制作公司）與IBM組隊合作開發出一個具有革命性意義的新應用軟件，讓孩子們用來學習詞匯。他們已經創造出了第一個由IBM的人工智能軟件提供動力的詞匯學習應用軟件。這款應用軟件能自動測出一個兒童當前的閱讀水平和詞匯量，然后用自己的算法讓他/她學一些（難度）合適的新詞，讓他/她通過這類挑戰來增強各項（語言）技能。這讓兒童的學習體驗變得很個性化。兒童持續地使用這個應用軟件，就能保證在接觸到更多的量身定做式的詞匯前，他/她已經學會和理解了（之前的）新詞。

IBM says it has just completed a pilot program testing the app.It collected 18,000 multiplechoice assessments7given to kindergarteners over a two-week period.The researchers said the results were very promising8.They said some of the words the kids learned are supposed to be learned at a much later age.The children could also use these words in context.Sesame Workshop CEO Jeffrey Dunn said:“We expect to develop the next generation of tailored learning tools...Educational technology like the platform we’ve created...is a promising new way for learning opportunities inside and outside the classroom,and we’re excited to explore it further.”

IBM表示該公司已經剛剛完成了一項試點工程來測試這款應用軟件。在兩個多星期的時間里，收集了18000道選擇測試題給幼兒園的小朋友做。研究者們說測試的結果顯示這個應用很有前途。他們說孩子們所學的詞有些是應該在年齡更大一些的時候才學的。孩子們同樣能在語境中使用這些詞。芝麻街工作室的執行總裁杰弗里·鄧恩表示：“我們期望能開發出下一代的定制學習工具……類似我們創造出的這個平臺的教育技術……是一個提供課堂內外學習機會的很有前景的新方式。我們非常興奮，會繼續研究和探索它。”

Notes:

1.IBMabbr.美國國際商用機器公司（International Business Machine）

2.APPabbr.應用程序（Application Program）