Michelle Schrader

ENGL 436 Writing for Informational Interactive Media

Dr. Mark Mabrito

27 May 2015

Informational Interactive Media Critique: Duolingo mobile app

Duolingo is a completely free educational website and mobile app (available on iOS, Android, and Windows Phone) that uses interactive media and gamification to study another language. Their promotional YouTube video claims “Duolingo teaches you to read, write, listen, and speak.” For the purposes of this critique, I will primarily be analyzing the Duolingo Android mobile app on my Google Nexus 7 tablet, and occasionally analyzing aspects of the website application, although the same experience is provided on all platforms.

Defining Interactivity and Multimedia

In order to critique Duolingo as an informational interactive media, interactive media/multimedia must first be defined. In the text, Garrand defines interactive media as “all types of computer-delivered media with interactivity” and multimedia as having many media with the user being in control. According to Garrand in the Chapter Overview, the “key concepts relating to interactivity” are “interactivity versus control, thinking interactively, linking, high-level design, [and] interactive devices” (3).

Duolingo fulfills the requirements of being interactive multimedia since it incorporates pictures, text, audio, and speech recognition. In this critique, I will analyze the effectiveness of the application in relation to the key concepts presented by Garrand.

Interactivity Versus Control

Interactivity is when “the user can control the presentation of information or story material on the computer” (Garrand 6). Duolingo gives the user a fair amount of control over the application; however, there are limitations.

As Garrand explains in the text, one limitation can be when the user’s equipment isn’t powerful enough or does not have the capabilities to access the level of interactivity (6). Since Duolingo utilizes audio and speech recognition, users will need to have access to speakers and a microphone. Most, if not all, smartphones and tablets have these capabilities, but not all users, particularly on desktop PCs, may have these. Without audio and speech, the user cannot use the application to its fullest extend and this will impact the effectiveness of learning.

Another limitation explored in the text is that of limitations imposed by the

maker of the content. Because Duolingo incorporates the gamification mechanic of leveling, the user is limited in terms of access to content. Access is granted through successfully completing and mastering the levels, or gaining access through completing a Placement Test. Although it is a web connected application, it does not link to sources outside of the application. Level links that cannot be accessed are grayed out. If an option existed to forgo the gamification aspect and “unlock” all levels automatically, therefore surrendering more control to the user, Duolingo could possibly be an even better informational interactive multimedia application.

Thinking Interactively

Garrand elaborates on the important of “knowing the user” when describing how writers must think interactively (8). Duolingo effectively knows what their users need in terms of learning a new language. The material is organized in an effective manner that builds knowledge and the use of multimedia incorporates crucial aspects to learning a language (reading, writing, listening, and speaking.)

Linking

The links in interactive media “are the connections from one section […] to another section of the same program” (Garrand 9). Duolingo uses intelligent links since the application can remember the user’s place. If the user chooses to create an account, the account will remember the user’s place and accomplishments on whichever device they will sign in on.

When first using the app, the user can either start at the beginning or taking a “Placement Test” to be allowed to progress to more difficult levels. If the user selects to begin at “the Basics,” they will be directed to the first lessons. If the user selects “Placement Test,” then they shall be directed to the test which will determine at what level the user can continue on.

Taking the Placement Test will open up links (or access) to the more

complicated materials. Because of Duolingo’s use of the gamification mechanic of leveling, not all links are accessible, therefore limiting the user’s control when it comes to accessing the information.

Duolingo also uses indirect links. If the user selects the wrong answer, a red flag with the correct answer will appear. The user selects the link to continue and is given another question, but the gamification mechanic of progression shows that the user has not made progress. The user cannot click the link to “Continue” until an answer, even an incorrect one, is selected.

High Level Design

Duolingo has an effective structure for learning another language. Because of its level mechanism, users will follow a path that will build upon the information they learn. This structure allows for the application to build upon the information. Unlike other types of information, language learning is best done in steps and not skipping ahead. Garrand says that “good information architects knows [sic] what information to put on the top level of the interactive program, such as a web site’s home page, to engage the user’s interest” and then “after hooking the user, this top-level information has to lead the user logically to the information that the user wants” (12). While perhaps not necessarily what Garrand had in mind, Duolingo gives the user the beginning on top, the basic words. A first time user would most likely feel intimated if the most complicated lessons were displayed first and foremost. The user gets reeled in with the idea of starting at the basics first, then when they are “hooked” they will progress. The progression gamification mechanic aids this structure.

Duolingo provides a simple map “that represents the overall structure” of the application. Although inaccessible levels are grayed out, the user can scroll through the map and see the map of levels as well as how many activities there are within a level.

One of the most interactive features of Duolingo, although previously mentioned as a possible limitation, is that of speech recognition. At the time of publication in 2006, Garrand could only speculate of the power that speech recognition would add to interactive multimedia. Since then, it has already become very common, especially in intuitive educational and informational multimedia. Duolingo’s speech recognition is very effective. Nick and I have been very successful at speaking into the mic and receiving accurate feedback, with only a few instances of the application rejecting a proper pronunciation. In my opinion it is more effective than other speech recognition I have used in the past.

Interactive Devices

Garrand’s examples of interactive devices includes “icons, on-screen menus, help screens, props, other characters, cues imbedded in the story or information, and more” (17). Duolingo uses many of these to create an effectively usable application that is easy for any user to pick up quickly.

Duolingo primarily uses icons or buttons to indicate where the user is to touch/click. These buttons, on both the app and website, also include text on them which can avoid possible confusion.

Level icons include text and an image relevant to that level’s theme, such as this hamburger to represent “Food” and quote bubbles to represent “Phrases.”

The website allows the user to hover over underlined words to see the translation. On the mobile app, the user can tap the underlined word to see the translation (then tap again to remove the bubble).

Both the website and app use recognizable menu icons as well:

Duolingo’s green owl acts as the user’s guide throughout the application.

This iconic green owl is also the image users will find on their mobile device, making it even more recognizable. The owl is similar to the example Garrand provides of characters in children’s educational programs in that he “suggest[s] what actions to take and what information to explore” (20). Unlike characters within a narrative, such as a video game, he does not have a storyline or backstory. However, when the user sees him, they know that there will be some sort of information provided.

Conclusion

To conclude, I find that Duolingo is a highly effective informational/educational interactive media application. While it may place potential limitations on certain users who do not have access to all of the multimedia and only provides the information within the application with no outside sources, when all the multimedia can be utilized to its fullest potential it provides a thorough learning experience. Duolingo is one of my favorite interactive multimedia applications.

Works Cited

Garrand, Timothy. Writing for Multimedia and the Web: A Practical Guide to Content Development for Interactive Media, 2006. Third Edition.