Usability
Interface
User-friendliness/complexity of the tool´s interface
Straightforward.
Time efficiency
Time needed for mastering the „how-to“ of the tool and a production of a task
Medium; it might take some time to find a suitable penpal and to have them answer.
Interface language(s)
The number of languages in which the tool is currently available/adaptable to
12 languages.
Respect for privacy
Does the tool require registration? Who can see my data? Can I remain anonymous?
Medium. Penpal Gate requires users to provide some personally identifiable information, including username, date of birth, gender, and location. Moreover, it collects log data, including IP address, browser type, and others, mainly used for operational purposes. Penpal Gate uses Google AdSense to display personalized advertisements. It acknowledges users’ rights to delete their data but does not comply with the GDPR. See more here.
Saving work for future use
Possiblity to save your or others´ work for reuse/reproduction
Yes, with an account.
Tailorability (If so, how?)
Possibility of the tool to be used for a range of different activities (e.g. to what extent you can organize a project assignment with a central activity based on this tool)
Medium; Penpal Gate can be used to learn several languages at different learning states.