On the Research and Development of a Japanese Audio-visual Courseware

This thesis briefs the background of multimedia application in foreign language teaching and analyzes the importance of multimedia courseware usage in Japanese audio-visual teaching. Based on the theory of constructivism, and a real experience of multimedia audio-visual courseware making, this thesis states in detail how a qualified Japanese audio-visual courseware is made. Discussed in the thesis are some key principles in courseware making, and some striking features of good courseware such as vividness, convenience, interactivity, friendly-looking and scientificity.

I. Introduction

With the application of computer and multimedia technology in the field of education, more and more teachers have come to realize the advantages of multimedia in teaching and learning, including its vividness, interactivity and mass information. In recent years, multimedia technology has also been widely used in foreign language teaching among some foreign languages teachers, and has received warm welcome from learners. However, in some colleges and universities in China, professional development of multimedia courseware for the purpose of Japanese language teaching is still in its initial stage in that some Japanese language teachers do not know how to make use of multimedia technology in courseware development, and that they have not been fully aware of the importance of combination of multimedia technology and foreign language teaching. Such being the case, it is difficult to carry out the Japanese curriculum reform in China. For example, audiovisual course was established many years ago, but there is still no real audio visual course in some universities and colleges at tall just because there are not decent textbooks or course-wares at tall.