Lyceum is a synchronous computer-mediated communication

Computer-mediated communication

Computer-mediated communication is defined as any communicative transaction that occurs through the use of two or more networked computers...

 (CMC) software which allows groups of people to speak to one another in real time over the Internet

Internet

The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...

 using Voice over IP

Voice over IP

Voice over Internet Protocol is a family of technologies, methodologies, communication protocols, and transmission techniques for the delivery of voice communications and multimedia sessions over Internet Protocol networks, such as the Internet...

 conferencing.

Lyceum was developed at the Open University

Open University

The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...

 in the UK and was introduced into language tutorials in 2002. It also offers an interactive whiteboard

Whiteboarding

Whiteboarding is the placement of shared files on an on-screen shared notebook or whiteboard. Videoconferencing and data conferencing software often lets the user annotate the shared documents as on a physical whiteboard....

 (for writing, drawing and importing images, e.g. from the Web), a concept map

Concept map

For concept maps in generic programming, see Concept .A concept map is a diagram showing the relationships among concepts. It is a graphical tool for organizing and representing knowledge....

ping device (for taking notes or writing short texts), a word processor

Word processor

A word processor is a computer application used for the production of any sort of printable material....

 (for jointly writing and editing longer documents) and a written text chat

Online chat

Online chat may refer to any kind of communication over the Internet, that offers an instantaneous transmission of text-based messages from sender to receiver, hence the delay for visual access to the sent message shall not hamper the flow of communications in any of the directions...

 facility.

The software was written in Java

Java (programming language)

Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...

, with some C code to integrate a third party native library used for the Voice over IP

Voice over IP

Voice over Internet Protocol is a family of technologies, methodologies, communication protocols, and transmission techniques for the delivery of voice communications and multimedia sessions over Internet Protocol networks, such as the Internet...

 conferencing functionality.

Lyceum is compatible with the Windows 9x

Windows 9x

Windows 9x is a generic term referring to a series of Microsoft Windows computer operating systems produced since 1995, which were based on the original and later modified Windows 95 kernel...

, Windows NT 4, Windows 2000

Windows 2000

Windows 2000 is a line of operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, business desktops, laptops, and servers. Windows 2000 was released to manufacturing on 15 December 1999 and launched to retail on 17 February 2000. It is the successor to Windows NT 4.0, and is the...

 and Windows XP

Windows XP

Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...

 operating systems

Operating system

An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...

. Use of Lyceum on Windows Vista

Windows Vista

Windows Vista is an operating system released in several variations developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...

 requires the installation of a software patch for Lyceum. Lyceum runs on 32-bit, but not 64-bit editions. It does not run on Mac OS X

Mac OS X

Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...

 or Linux

Linux

Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...

.

The use of the software for language learning has been reported at different stages, from the pilot projects since 1997 (Hauck & Haezewindt, 1999, Shield 2000, Kötter 2001, Hewer and Shield 2001), to reports of the mainstream use (Hampel 2003, Hampel & Hauck 2004). Recent articles include task design (Rosell-Aguilar, 2005), tutor roles (Hampel & Stickler, 2005, Rosell-Aguilar, 2007), tutor impressions (Rosell-Aguilar, 2006a), and student impressions (Rosell-Aguilar, 2006b)