2015年CRI APP Aims to Help Shy Students Speak Out

 

The APP, 'zenkr', allows students to participate in class, not through a show of hands, but by communicating through their smartphones. 

Users scan a QR code projected on screens with their smartphones or other devices and then answer questions. 

The results are then collated¹ and shown to the professor. 

"I feel that the traditional way of the class is low in efficiency, when questions are asked but no one answers. Secondly², many of our generation are relatively³ more introverted, so this traditional way of taking part in class is not something that makes us more comfortable." 

Zhang Xinyu, along with co-designer Ding Shu, came up with the concept to try to help increase communication between students and their teachers. 

The juniors at Fudan University in Shanghai are both majoring in Computer Science. 

Sun Weiwei, Associate Professor with Fudan's Computer Sciences department, says the app has helped her better judge which students in her program are understanding the course material. 

"The most obvious think is that it's made communicating more efficient in my class. Before the students created the app, I would really only hear from a few in my lectures. But now, I know I have a better idea of how all my students are understanding what I'm trying to teach them." 

'Zenkr' is now being used in more than 40 different classes at Fudan University, New York University in Shanghai, as well as certain high schools in the United States. 

"We normally have a lot of questions that need answering during class. But many of my fellow students are afraid to ask questions when taking part in the lectures because they're worried about 'losing face.' But with the new app, if our instructors⁴ ask us if we have any question, at least we're able to inform our teachers whether or not we understand the material." 

'Zenkr' is currenly free of charge, but is only available through invitation from the app's inventors. 

At this point, neither the students or Fudan University have plans to try to make the app a commerical venture, despite being approached by a number of possible investors⁵. 

For CRI, this is Li Jianhua.

1 collated   

v.校对( collate的过去式和过去分词 )；整理；核对；整理（文件或书等）

参考例句：

• When both versions of the story were collated,major discrepancies were found. 在将这个故事的两个版本对照后，找出了主要的不符之处。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Information was collated from several data centers around the country. 信息从城市四周的几个数据中心得到校对。 来自互联网

2 secondly   

adv.第二，其次

参考例句：

• Secondly,use your own head and present your point of view.第二，动脑筋提出自己的见解。
• Secondly it is necessary to define the applied load.其次，需要确定所作用的载荷。

3 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

4 instructors   

指导者，教师( instructor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The instructors were slacking on the job. 教员们对工作松松垮垮。
• He was invited to sit on the rostrum as a representative of extramural instructors. 他以校外辅导员身份，被邀请到主席台上。

5 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会