Rosetta Stone Language Learning in Hindi made a great gift this Christmas for my wife, who has been scraping internet websites and "multimedia" courses to learn basic Hindi. There are a few early observations I allow to make myself as a witness:
1. Instructional Design is very important. Developing a good script for learning modules has no substitute. A good design here means lots of direct, relevant, performance based feedback.
2. Terrific content: Good teaching strategy, in the sense that the knowledge transfer is both organic and telescopic. Because the knowledge builds in the learning like a seed planted, sprouted, stemming, branching etc. towards the end goal. This holds true for the Pimsler approach too, which I am using to learn Portuguese.
3. USB Headset enforcement: This strategy validates, for me, the recommendation I strongly make to all our distance learners: use USB mic/headsets rather than rely on on-board sound cards. Rosetta Stone CD version ships with a USB headset and I am happy to have found a validation to my tech recommendation; especially because it has been challenged as a tech superstition on my part. I rest my case.
However, the downside is, if I go on to buy another Rosetta product, I will pay for another USB headset. Por Que?!
I already have one from my previous purchase. They will make me buy it, no matter if you already own the $30 USB headset they sold you with your previous purchase. Bad? Terrible.
