So I’ve been learning Chinese and for the most part I feel this app has accelerated my learning far more than any other thing I’ve tried. I am truly thankful for the existence of this app above all others.
I only have one suggestion:
Whenever there is a time to select an answer (e.g. 3 audio clips or 6 cards) the answers at level 2 are too obvious. For example, when there is 3 audio clips, I’d say 80% of the time two of the three clips are ‘Ni’ and ‘Ni hao’, which makes it too easy to deduce the answer. The same goes for cards, though not as frequent. Let’s say the question is ＇饿＇. Many of the cards will be cards from level one which will have already been drilled into our brains, or all but the right answer will be a completely different subject - again making it too easy to deduce the answer as the question is new and unfamiliar. I find this has hurt my ability to learn because I find myself just deducing answers and not absorbing information. My feedback (or recommendation) is to make the wrong answers close to and/or even from the same level. This will raise the confusion level and incentivize the brain into absorbing more of what it sees and hears.
Have you considered turning OFF any multiple-choice or listen audio questions completely?
How is M-C using RECALL testing within spaced repetition SR?
I am personally using Cooljingle’s “all typing” Tampermonkey user script on the web portal for classic reviews (it won’t work with a mobile Memrise app) to test from L1 English to L2 Portuguese writing in an empty text field:
If I can type the Portuguese word or phrase/sentence and RECALL it rather than recognizing any given hints (guessing, too easy), then I really know it or the answer is marked red or yellow (near miss).
The only problem I have is to constantly clear my backlog queues for completed courses.
Once you make a break of multiple weeks or months, you hardly get back to a course because of the lack of “Overdueness” support and to catch up with the next (current) SR intervals.
For some harder Asian languages the additional challenge may be for you to have to write all the symbols with a hardware keyboard in the free form text field so you need to add a specific switchable software keyboard to Windows/Linux/Mac.
Sorry, I have not any experiences with this - Portuguese is thankfully readable/writable like German/English.
Typing takes more time than M-C or speed reviews, especially when a course has not only single words which you could use the “Memrise Turbo” user script for but you also need to type the correct phrase/long sentence (with missing many answer alternatives in contrast to Duolingo).
It really works much better (for me) with courses which do not contain longer sentences.
If you truly want to use the Memrise application on a smartphone/tablet, the next challenge for you would be to switch from the mobile app to the "mobile compact view" or “full desktop mode” in a Firefox/Chrome & Co. browser on your device.
You would have to get the addon Tampermonkey/Violentmonkey running there to make use of any user scripts.
Neither have I tried / done this - I stick to my (Laptop) computer and full desktop browser and hardware keyboard.
Hopefully you got at least some new ideas how to workaround the Memrise mobile app until any change requests are realized.
Also, flipping back and fourth between the option isn’t ideal at all, nor is turning it off. It’s good to have other options to induce confusion as well as make testing more fluid. Just spelling everything out would just make learning a language harder and more discouraging.
As a software architect and developer myself, I can’t see how a change like this would be much to bear. If the folks at memrise need a contributor, I’d be happy to help.
Ah, I thought so.
Sorry that I cannot be any help then.
FYI: Duolingo made some code improvements for quite similiar multiple-choice questions (with sentences) so the difficulty is now harder to see any obvious errors for the other options in the sentences on the first view a few months ago in 2018 (maybe sommer or autumn) and now they are more like you describe it here.
I am curious: Do you use the Android Memrise app or IOS?
I read once that the Memrise IOS app should support a toggle switch for a keyboard typing option doing classic reviews.
I didn’t understand it completely. And I can’t test / see it either.
But I have not found it on the Android app for classic reviews @KOPlayer.
When I was using the Memrise mobile app I used a much older (more stable) version for Android.
It was nice to learn 10 NEW words per learning session or make use of the **half-**planting concept across several course levels.
I use the Android Memrise app. It does have an option called “Test Types: Tapping (On\Off)” which essentially switches the tests to what you’re describing, but again I don’t believe that is ideal, especially for learning new words.
This advice has proven interesting. I certainly can’t blow through lessons as quickly as I would on the mobile app. The letter selection, the choice selection, and even the recordings are all the opposite of what I described in the original post. It’s unfortunate really. If I knew that the mobile app would be like this, I likely wouldn’t have paid for an entire year of learning up front I honestly don’t have the time or desk space to give to learning on my desktop. Why does the web site version and the mobile app differ when it really shouldn’t have to…at all.
The Memrise web portal default isn’t too great.
There is the annoying timer, multiple-choice which lack your change requests.
I did not understand this recording thing as I do not learn Chinese.
If you would want to use the web portal, you would have to install a Chinese hardware keyboard, as the Memrise popup on-screen (hinted) keyboard is not made for the purpose having to use the mouse all the time.
My Portuguese courses just show me ALL of the letters with accents/diacritics, so I do not have any hints on-screen.
I heard this changes with the Asian courses that a view possible characters are shown and so you get hints which you do not want to have.
AFAIK there are ways to disable it.
But as you said, you don’t have the time to use the Laptop/computer at home or take it with you when you are away.
If I were you, I would probably export all of my Memrise courses into AnkiSRS and use the AnkiDroid (Android) app or the commercial IOS app, directly supported by the AnkiSRS developer on their forum.
You can sync the Windows AnkiSRS application to the mobile app.
I have not tried it personally, but it:
supports more than one self-rating answer button
does not rely on multiple-choice (where there is no M-C, there is no need to improve the algorithm for parallel options and make guessing harder)
cloze deletion flashcards (you do not need to use typing if you do not want)
You can probably export CSV from the AnkiSRS Windows application, so you might be able to use different mobile apps if you favor another application over the two available AnkiSRS mobile apps.
I have no idea how SuperMemo supports mobile devices.
I honestly don’t have the time or desk space to give to learning on my desktop. Why does the web site version and the mobile app differ when it really shouldn’t have to…at all.