About Nielson's article on language learning software

Self-study or group study?
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In his article "Self-study with language learning software in the workplace: what happens?", Nielson (2011)presented to us a fact that, despite the enthusiasm of learners and promises given by commercial companies about the effectiveness of their self-study language products, "severe attrition" turned out to be one major finding of an investigation of the use of self-study CALL materials by motivated USG employees in the workplace. I could not agree with him more in saying "learning a language is far from simple, especially for adult learners". 

I had taught for several semesters adult students who went to night school to study English. Most of them were highly motivated students, considering the fact that they were willing to pay for tuition and come to school after a whole day's hard work. One of the most important reasons for them coming to night school, according to their own words, they "want more systematic training, consistent instruction, constant encouragement, moderate pressure from instructors and peers, and opportunities to interact with others", which, I believe, echoes with what Nielson believed that self-study materials should be taken as supplements to instructor-mediated training and human support and interaction was indispensable in language learning.  From the first day I started to learn English, I was told that there was no short cut in language learning, just as there is no one "complete", "stand-alone", or "simple" solution to it even in this information explosion era.