Textdata is one of the most fundamental data types in computing, and is based on character encodings. In this paper I would like to introduce some little known basic knowledge on character encodings and practical problems of Unicode.

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It is a distict feature of Chinese language that one syllable expresses one meaning, and that if the tone of the syllable changes, its meaning also changes. The purpose of this paper is to show the importance of the pronunciation in Chinese and to analyze some of the problems which reside in Pinyin, the current phonetic system of pronouncing kanji characters using the Roman alphabet. I also would like to offer some effective ways to overcome difficulties in learning Chinese pronunciation.

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University foreign language classes are limited in time, it's preferable that students learn each other. But foreign language beginners’ classes in a Japanese university have students who have different motivational levels, so the relationship students learn each other is difficult to be realized. In order to solve the problem, we created an educational tool which is like the game students quiz each other so that they can participate in the field of learning each other. In this report, I write about expected accomplishments by using the tool in a class based on the trial results.

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Information−communication technology（ICT）progress and rapid expansion of international exchange have a major impact on the educational methods. Especially acquisition of a foreign language is more effective for utilizing ICT and cross−cultural communication environment than other subjects since it requires learners to get a certain level of achievement and to take a practical approach. This paper discusses an educational effect of a listening system using Chinese text−to−speech（TTS）as a case of utilizing ICT in Chinese learning. In the past four experiments, the performance of listening using Chinese TTS is better than the one using natural speech. So TTS is verified to be a reliable material for a listening system. Meanwhile the operation records of TTS sound playback and visual information access in the listening process are analyzed in the correlation with the performance of listening and getting prosody structure, then a learning model of listening using TTS is proposed with reference to the questionnaire result for learners. The function selection conscious of the learner's acceptability is regarded as a common viewpoint for educational usage of ICT.

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Three websites were selected from a profile ranking site on the Internet and the research was conducted on the contents of junior high school students’ profiles registered there. The research covered the students’ personal information and their own websites in addition to their profile. As a result, it was found that the average entry number of their personal information on their profiles was 4.9, which was opened to the public, and that the rate to be registered was higher in the order of the profile registrant's “portrait,” “real name,” “date of birth,” “school／school grade” and “home address.” It was also found that 3.4 sites were owned on the average besides their profiles and that the rate to be owned was higher in the order of “Guest Box,” “Real,” “Album,” “Mail Box,” and “Homepage.”

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FD in higher education has a difficulty in achieving its aims in the field of language education due to each teacher's personality and institutional readiness. In this study, we set up a teachers’ reciprocal community in which teachers would reflect on themselves as well as acquire some ideas triggered by using ICT. After about a year, a place where initially skilled members instructed the others, changed into a more workshop-like place with some core members in which everyone stimulated each other. Then it further developed into a project-type place where each member acted autonomously. However, it is true that LMS and ML didn’t work well enough for the formation of the community. The questionnaire revealed a variety of teachers’ conflicts which prevented them from reflecting themselves.

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