Electronic monolingual dictionaries as language learning aids: A case study

A User's Guide to Electronic Dictionaries for Language Learners

“…OWPD, LIED, LI AD and OALD on CD-ROM can all be accessed directly from Windows-based word processing programs, and LI AD provides the same access from texts on the Internet. In one of the few studies of the way students use computer-based dictionaries, Guillot and Kenning (1994) found interfacing to be a very positive feature of the Robert Electronique, and one that was 'much appreciated by our students'. It must be borne in mind, however, that many educational institutions at present only possess a limited number of computers with a CD-ROM drive, and therefore prevent or discourage learners from using these more expensive computers for relatively low-tech applications such as wordprocessing.…”

“…According to Sharpe (1995: 50) some teachers of Japanese have expressed fears that learners will not retain the information they retrieve so quickly and so painlessly. In support of the pedagogical value of electronic dictionary use, however, Guillot and Kenning (1994) write of their students' 'increased capacity for sustained effort' when using the Robert Electronique. They found that the accessibility of computer-based dictionary entries encouraged browsing, and hence vocabulary acquisition:…”

Exploiting the Potential of Cd‐rom Databases: Staff Induction at the University of East Anglia

“…) in the text of the definitions, the wildcard (which makes it possible to look for words on the basis of truncated forms) were, in particular, made much of in the units produced. (See Guillot and Kenning 1994 for a fuller account of the RE features and of their pedagogic benefits).…”

Moving towards perfection: The learners' (electronic) dictionary of the future

“…The alphabet, which has tyrannised over dictionary arrangement and access for centuries, ceases to be a tyrant when your dictionary is electronic, Ironically, it has been argued (see Sharpe 1995: 50) that the very speed and convenience of access is a drawback of electronic learners' dictionaries, because information so easily extracted may be just as easily forgotten by the user! On the other hand, research by Guillot and Kenning (1994) has found that students using an electronic dictionruy show "an increased capacity for sustained effort," with much exploratory browsing of the dictionary and more multiple searches than would otherwise take place.…”