Mad at Duolingo's new "improvement"

[Maus]

So, Duolingo just decided to switch to a linear model. You can no longer choose the story tab -- the stories are integrated into the path. You can no longer choose which topic to learn next inside each level.

I am not happy. I was focusing on comprehension myself by repeating each story until I actually understood the conversations without having to translate every word in my head.

And I will never be able to get my kids to stick to it. They've cried their way through Waterford's Upstart, K12, and BYUonline because they were locked into the learning path and couldn't go back to the parts they enjoyed.

I sent an email to Duolingo at their "support" address, but they announced this change as being directed by their "learning experts," so I don't have my hopes up.

[Pam in CT]

Is this why my beloved half-spanish, half-english podcasts disappeared between last night and this morning?  (I was attributing it to user error and planning to, you know, turn the phone on/off and push buttons randomly; it didn't occur to me that they'd changed the programming).

I PUFFY HEART LOVE THOSE PODCASTS

I mean, I know I can still listen to them online... but I really loved accruing those XP points while taking my afternoon walk, lol!

[catz]

I've had this change for a while but I find it super irrtating as well.  I had been riding in the highest league for a long time and I got bumped down a couple because it's harder to stay motivated.  I still do have a  500+ streak but UGH!  
 

I also LOVED the podcast option too!  I would listen and relisten to those like working in the kitchen.  They were so well done.  It was a nice way to get your points in on a busy day.  Disappointing Duo!

 

[Miss Tick]

Sad to hear this. My interface hasn't changed yet - but I expect it to any day now.  Mostly I don't like change, so there's that. However, I like having multiple areas that I cycles through working on. I would have a row at level 5, then a row at 4 and down. I would increase each row up and then increase each row back down. I would be cycling through about 10 topics at any one time. Now it sounds like that isn't an option?

[maize]

Yeah I hate the new learning path. I'm hoping if they get enough negative feedback they will switch back.

[cintinative]

I haven't been on in many months. I liked to give myself a break from the other things by doing a story once in awhile though. Ugh.

[Jean in Newcastle]

It changed to this a month or so ago. I am not happy with it either. 

[alisoncooks]

Yep. My 14 year old was trying to complain about it to me, but I haven’t been on recently enough to understand the changes. 

[Ausmumof3]

Mine updated a few days ago. I haven’t used it enough to be sure, but I’ve found some of the recent lessons include concepts I hadn’t covered with the old model so I’m having more trouble with errors. I feel like I have less control - I can only access the latest practice not do different levels etc. 

[Ausmumof3]

Also my hearts didn’t top up overnight weirdly. I started a lesson this morning not realising I only had one heart 😬

[Matryoshka]

I'd heard this change was coming, but as of last night, it hadn't hit me yet.  Have 20 min to keep my streak going; now I'm worried what I'll find!

[silver]

Mine changed over about 6+ weeks or so ago. I found the new format to be so discouraging, because I'd have to work so long to get to new content, that I let my 250+ day streak end and haven't done duo in several weeks.

It also placed my son strangely into the new path. I think the new format is basically forcing you to get a unit to gold before you start a new unit (before you only had to pass level 1 to move to a new unit, and then you could go back and up the unit later). But rather than map 1-to-1 what he had actually completed and mark it as done in the new format (leaving some of each unit undone), it moved him back something like 30 units (he only bothered making the grammar lessons gold before, so his crowns weren't as high as you'd expect for his unit). And testing out of a unit is way harder, as there are more problems for a test, so it's more likely that you'll get 3 wrong due to simply making dumb mistakes. 

[Guest]

I dislike it too. I am something like 670 days on a streak but I am thinking of not maintaining it. I liked being able to choose my own adventure, so to speak. I would have three or so lessons I was working on at once. Also, I don’t like that you can only get the stars by doing those timed tests! I despise the timed test because they are practically impossible unless I guess for some of it without reading the whole question. I think it is a strategy to make you buy timer boosts. 

[Ottakee]

I must be in the minority, I was kinda happy to see the change as I never knew which level to go to when.

i had take a break after about 400 days. Getting back at it.  It does seem like the lessons they have me in now are a bit easier but that is ok as I need the review.

 

we will see over time how i like it

[Beth S]

1000% totally disappointed in the "improvement".
I've had it for 2 days.  I can't do what I usually do.
Plus the whole new graphic design looks like it's for a 7 year old (like Candyland?).

I miss the Stories.  I miss determining where I am, and where I'm going.

 

Edited November 17, 2022 by Beth S

[Matryoshka]

Still hasn't hit me... now I feel like I'm just waiting for the axe to fall!!

[elegantlion]

I've had the change on my desktop for a few months. I find it kind of  annoying. It only switched over on my phone (same account) last week. I don't know that I hate the new mode but I'm less motivated. 

[gardenmom5]

dh really likes Spanish with Paul.

I'm with you - and I was doing something similar.  very frustrating.  Debating if I want to just drop it or not. 

I have been reading short articles in the church children's magazine (I'm trying to read read read) - they're aimed at kids, so easy reading and I can read most words without having to look them up, or concentrate on figuring out what the words mean.  I do have both an english and spanish copy open on my computer at the same time.  (and Spanishdict.com, and bing/translate at the ready) and spanish and english scriptures.  (Isaiah made me want to cry, and I'd have to force myself to "just read one verse".)

- but there are no grammar lessons. . . . at least I'd gotten some before duo changed format. -  but with the new format, I can't find any grammar lessons for refreshers. . . . (e.g. why/when hablar/habliendo etc.)

 

[gardenmom5]

3 hours ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

It changed to this a month or so ago. I am not happy with it either. 

wow, it hasn't been that long for me - two weeks at most, it was after I returned from my trip.  (Jean and I live 20 minutes apart).  I wonder if it's how many days a person has for their streak? what league they're in?  or language a person is studying?

[Ottakee]

1 minute ago, gardenmom5 said:

dh really likes Spanish with Paul.

I'm with you - and I was doing something similar.  very frustrating.  Debating if I want to just drop it or not. 

I have been reading short articles in the church children's magazine (I'm trying to read read read) - they're aimed at kids, so easy reading and I can read most words without having to look them up, or concentrate on figuring out what the words mean.  I do have both an english and spanish copy open on my computer at the same time.  (and Spanishdict.com, and bing/translate at the ready) and spanish and english scriptures.  (Isaiah made me want to cry, and I'd have to force myself to "just read one verse".)

- but there are no grammar lessons. . . . at least I'd gotten some before duo changed format. -  but with the new format, I can't find any grammar lessons for refreshers. . . . (e.g. why/when hablar/habliendo etc.)

 

I was gifted a Spanish/English bilingual Bible.   I can read the verses side by side.  I also used to read the passage in English and then listen to it as I followed along in Spanish.  My Spanish reading far exceeds my listening/speaking skills. It is not great, but I am trying to do the Duolingo with my eyes shut so I hear it and try to translate it before I open my eyes and read it.

[catz]

I feel like I've had the change for months at this point.  Interesting people are seeing it at different times.  

[I talk to the trees]

44 minutes ago, Ottakee said:

I must be in the minority, I was kinda happy to see the change as I never knew which level to go to when.

i had take a break after about 400 days. Getting back at it.  It does seem like the lessons they have me in now are a bit easier but that is ok as I need the review.

 

we will see over time how i like it

Well, count me in with you, because I like it too. Maybe it’s because I needed a change. The part I really find useful is the new guidebook setup. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

12 minutes ago, gardenmom5 said:

wow, it hasn't been that long for me - two weeks at most, it was after I returned from my trip.  (Jean and I live 20 minutes apart).  I wonder if it's how many days a person has for their streak? what league they're in?  or language a person is studying?

Hmmm. I don’t know?  I have been in the Diamond league forever. The Japanese specific change that occurred (perhaps 2 weeks ago?) was that the Japanese script  has been dumbed down to include Romaji (English alphabet to spell out the syllables) in small script on top. I find it distracting. 

[gardenmom5]

33 minutes ago, Ottakee said:

I was gifted a Spanish/English bilingual Bible.   I can read the verses side by side.  I also used to read the passage in English and then listen to it as I followed along in Spanish.  My Spanish reading far exceeds my listening/speaking skills. It is not great, but I am trying to do the Duolingo with my eyes shut so I hear it and try to translate it before I open my eyes and read it.

I'm there too - needing to listen.  But as a kid, I had to "see" the words in english, and couldn't just rely upon hearing them.

14 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

Hmmm. I don’t know?  I have been in the Diamond league forever. The Japanese specific change that occurred (perhaps 2 weeks ago?) was that the Japanese script  has been dumbed down to include Romaji (English alphabet to spell out the syllables) in small script on top. I find it distracting. 

I wonder if it's language specific for when changes happened?

[elegantlion]

35 minutes ago, gardenmom5 said:

wow, it hasn't been that long for me - two weeks at most, it was after I returned from my trip.  (Jean and I live 20 minutes apart).  I wonder if it's how many days a person has for their streak? what league they're in?  or language a person is studying?

I've been in the top two leagues since at least summer. During that time I've been studying German, Spanish, and Japanese, mostly German though. I've probably had the change since July or August. At the time, it appeared to be a random application of the new version, at least according to a few articles I read at the time. 

[alisoncooks]

19 minutes ago, gardenmom5 said:

I wonder if it's language specific for when changes happened?

My dd is doing German and her app changed within the last week. 

[Ausmumof3]

4 hours ago, Ottakee said:

I must be in the minority, I was kinda happy to see the change as I never knew which level to go to when.

i had take a break after about 400 days. Getting back at it.  It does seem like the lessons they have me in now are a bit easier but that is ok as I need the review.

 

we will see over time how i like it

I just realised that with the new set up I’m only four units away from done! That’s making me more motivated 

[Matryoshka]

7 hours ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

Hmmm. I don’t know?  I have been in the Diamond league forever. The Japanese specific change that occurred (perhaps 2 weeks ago?) was that the Japanese script  has been dumbed down to include Romaji (English alphabet to spell out the syllables) in small script on top. I find it distracting. 

This change did show up for me a while ago (well, similar,  pinyin along with Chinese characters). It really annoyed me, but I found an option to turn it off (could choose pinyin for all lessons, just new ones, or none). I bet there's one for Japanese/Romani.  I turned it off for all, and it's back to the way it was.

What changed for me a while ago was leagues disappeared.  I still sometimes get notifications,  but I can no longer look to see where I am in the league, and I think I've dropped out of Diamond (where I'd slso been forever) or even further. I have no idea anymore.  No longer have motivation to rack up double XP stuff...  I assumed they were phasing out leagues...

They also just offered me a new 'status' for having a long streak (726 days now) and gave me a new orange app icon, which is just a bit creepy!

But still have the old lesson structure...

Edited November 17, 2022 by Matryoshka

[EmilyGF]

Thanks for reminding me about Duolingo! I was learning Hebrew with a tutor for quite a while but took a break when he raised his rates by 50% (and his slots are all still full a few weeks ahead!). Maybe I could use Duolingo now to keep up some of what I learned.

Emily

[Pam in CT]

re lower level content

15 hours ago, silver said:

Mine changed over about 6+ weeks or so ago. I found the new format to be so discouraging, because I'd have to work so long to get to new content, that I let my 250+ day streak end and haven't done duo in several weeks.

It also placed my son strangely into the new path. I think the new format is basically forcing you to get a unit to gold before you start a new unit (before you only had to pass level 1 to move to a new unit, and then you could go back and up the unit later). But rather than map 1-to-1 what he had actually completed and mark it as done in the new format (leaving some of each unit undone), it moved him back something like 30 units (he only bothered making the grammar lessons gold before, so his crowns weren't as high as you'd expect for his unit). And testing out of a unit is way harder, as there are more problems for a test, so it's more likely that you'll get 3 wrong due to simply making dumb mistakes. 

You can still "base jump" -- once you've done the first 2? or 3 exercises you can hop down to the next unit and test into it.  But you may be right about the base jump test being longer/harder -- I wasn't doing it much before so I don't really remember.

In general, there does seem to be a greater focus on ensuring against making dumb mistakes.

(the vast majority of my mistakes are either the same all-thumbs-typos I do in regular texting, or mistakes on gender pronoun/ adjective agreements -- the changes have really made me slow down and think more about agreement)

 

13 hours ago, Beth S said:

...I miss the Stories.  I miss determining where I am, and where I'm going.

And the audio content, generally -- Stories, the really short conversational audio lessons that used to be over on the far-right button, and MY PODCASTS.... where IS all that content?  I mean... it's CREATED already. It EXISTS.  Where did they PUT it?

 

13 hours ago, Ottakee said:

I was gifted a Spanish/English bilingual Bible.   I can read the verses side by side.  I also used to read the passage in English and then listen to it as I followed along in Spanish.  My Spanish reading far exceeds my listening/speaking skills. It is not great, but I am trying to do the Duolingo with my eyes shut so I hear it and try to translate it before I open my eyes and read it.

That is a good technique -- will try that. 

On the exercises where you listen to the audio only (without the text) and have to write it (in the target language, not into English translation) I try to write it all out on "fast" mode and only go into "slow" mode to check it.  (The "slow" mode is where I catch all my errors in adjective gender agreement, sigh)

 

For all the kvetching about the changes: Duolingo is a WONDER.  I mean: honestly.  Did y'all listen to the podcast about the (Guatemalan) founder's back story?

[Miss Tick]

Hah! My app switched to the new structure yesterday after I posted. The Owl is watching me! Sadly it does look like I have to follow a more linear structure, but the lessons I had yesterday were relatively easy. Is there no way to "repair" levels and earn hearts?

Edited November 17, 2022 by Miss Tick

[Jean in Newcastle]

7 hours ago, Matryoshka said:

This change did show up for me a while ago (well, similar,  pinyin along with Chinese characters). It really annoyed me, but I found an option to turn it off (could choose pinyin for all lessons, just new ones, or none). I bet there's one for Japanese/Romani.  I turned it off for all, and it's back to the way it was.

What changed for me a while ago was leagues disappeared.  I still sometimes get notifications,  but I can no longer look to see where I am in the league, and I think I've dropped out of Diamond (where I'd slso been forever) or even further. I have no idea anymore.  No longer have motivation to rack up double XP stuff...  I assumed they were phasing out leagues...

They also just offered me a new 'status' for having a long streak (726 days now) and gave me a new orange app icon, which is just a bit creepy!

But still have the old lesson structure...

Hmmm.  I wonder if that is what's going to happen to me soon?  I don't care about the leagues too much except that I do work a bit harder just to stay in the Diamond league.  I tried once or twice to compete in the actual Diamond tournament (and placed) but that interfered with other things in my life because I had to put time in that took away from other things.  I decided that that level of competition didn't meet my overall priorities. 

Thank you so much for saying that you could change the syllable cheats in the settings!  I just did that now.  (Syllable cheats is my word for it.  I can't remember theirs)

Another person mentioned the stories.  They disappeared for awhile for me but now are back - integrated into the linear learning module.

My streak is 965 days currently.  (I think that Gardenmom5 is over 1000?  At least someone here is.)

 

[Matryoshka]

9 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

Another person mentioned the stories.  They disappeared for awhile for me but now are back - integrated into the linear learning module.

I read an article or announcement from Duolingo somewhere about this change,  which since it hasn't hit me yet is how I knew it was coming, and one of the things they mentioned is that in the new format stories would be integrated,  rather than separate.   

I've already finished all the stories in Portuguese,  though (the only language I'm doing that has them).  There used to be more, but the took them away when they added the new ones with the characters.  But I only had one or two left of the old ones...

I should check out those podcasts before they change the format on me.  Where are they?

Edited November 17, 2022 by Matryoshka

[Miss Tick]

8 hours ago, Matryoshka said:

What changed for me a while ago was leagues disappeared

Hmm. I got the latest home page yesterday, but I can still see the leagues if I tap the shield icon at the bottom of the screen. I am wondering if those will disappear for me next.

[Jean in Newcastle]

4 minutes ago, Miss Tick said:

Hmm. I got the latest home page yesterday, but I can still see the leagues if I tap the shield icon at the bottom of the screen. I am wondering if those will disappear for me next.

Yes, I have to tap the shield icon.

 

[Pam in CT]

re podcasts

18 minutes ago, Matryoshka said:

I read an article or announcement from Duolingo somewhere about this change,  which since it hasn't hit me yet is how I knew it was coming, and one of the things they mentioned is that in the new format stories would be integrated,  rather than separate.   

I've already finished all the stories in Portuguese,  though (the only language I'm doing that has them).  There used to be more, but the took them away when they added the new ones with the characters.  But I only had one or two left of the old ones...

I should check out those podcasts before they change the format on me.  Where are they?

Until yesterday I was listening to them on my phone -- there used to be a curated selection of them in the "audio" section in the rightmost icon.  Now that icon only has the blog posts -- both the audio lessons and the podcasts have entirely vanished from the phone.

The podcasts have always also been on line, somewhat frustratingly ordered newest to oldest and not easily searchable (and you don't get XP points, lol):

https://podcast.duolingo.com/spanish

I listen to them on Stitcher, which lets me search for a particluar series ("Art Mysteries") or country or etc. 

There are zillions in Spanish, and they're GREAT- interviewed person speaks in (rapidfire intermediate) Spanish, narrator lays a frame in English, topics of great cultural / social interest.  They're usually about 25-30 minutes long, and wonderful to listen to while walking, cooking, folding laundry etc.  I don't know what kind of volume they've done in other languages.

[Matryoshka]

1 hour ago, Miss Tick said:

Hmm. I got the latest home page yesterday, but I can still see the leagues if I tap the shield icon at the bottom of the screen. I am wondering if those will disappear for me next.

1 hour ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

Yes, I have to tap the shield icon.

Yep, that's how I used to get to them, but they removed the shield icon!! And I've checked under every other icon in case they consolidated/moved it elsewhere, but... nope! 

Edited November 17, 2022 by Matryoshka

[Matryoshka]

1 hour ago, Pam in CT said:

re podcasts

Until yesterday I was listening to them on my phone -- there used to be a curated selection of them in the "audio" section in the rightmost icon.  Now that icon only has the blog posts -- both the audio lessons and the podcasts have entirely vanished from the phone.

Yeah, as you can see from my screenshot in my previous post,  my rightmost icon is my 'feed', where they send random announcements and encourage me to congratulate friends. None of my icons have blog posts, no less podcasts.  So weird how everyone's interface seems to be different!

[gardenmom5]

2 hours ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

Hmmm.  I wonder if that is what's going to happen to me soon?  I don't care about the leagues too much except that I do work a bit harder just to stay in the Diamond league.  I tried once or twice to compete in the actual Diamond tournament (and placed) but that interfered with other things in my life because I had to put time in that took away from other things.  I decided that that level of competition didn't meet my overall priorities. 

Thank you so much for saying that you could change the syllable cheats in the settings!  I just did that now.  (Syllable cheats is my word for it.  I can't remember theirs)

Another person mentioned the stories.  They disappeared for awhile for me but now are back - integrated into the linear learning module.

My streak is 965 days currently.  (I think that Gardenmom5 is over 1000?  At least someone here is.)

 

That's me.  1041.   And they go and change things up . . .

[maize]

20 hours ago, silver said:

Mine changed over about 6+ weeks or so ago. I found the new format to be so discouraging, because I'd have to work so long to get to new content, that I let my 250+ day streak end and haven't done duo in several weeks.

It also placed my son strangely into the new path. I think the new format is basically forcing you to get a unit to gold before you start a new unit (before you only had to pass level 1 to move to a new unit, and then you could go back and up the unit later). But rather than map 1-to-1 what he had actually completed and mark it as done in the new format (leaving some of each unit undone), it moved him back something like 30 units (he only bothered making the grammar lessons gold before, so his crowns weren't as high as you'd expect for his unit). And testing out of a unit is way harder, as there are more problems for a test, so it's more likely that you'll get 3 wrong due to simply making dumb mistakes. 

It moved me way back as well.

I was annoyed and decided to test ahead almost twenty units (closer to where I was before); on questions I was uncertain on on the test I used Google translate. My personal goals do not include perfect grammar and spelling on the earlier levels before moving ahead.

Edited November 17, 2022 by maize

[wendyroo]

The big change has not hit my Duolingo yet. They did change the icons on my bottom bar a few days ago...but I still have both stories and leagues at this point. And they haven't done anything to the order of my Spanish levels.

I've been pretty unmotivated lately anyway. I had been in diamond league forever, but then it started making me compete in semi-finals and finals just to stay in my current level. Plus, my family has had a miserable month, and feeling beaten down, I decided to just do as little as possible to maintain my streak, but allow myself to just freefall down through the leagues.

My current streak is 2321 days, and I feel Duolingo doesn't do much to encourage those of us with long streaks. It gave me the little +365 badge, but I'm over six times that now. They didn't even throw confetti or anything when I hit the 2000 mark! 

[Miss Tick]

27 minutes ago, Matryoshka said:

Yeah, as you can see from my screenshot in my previous post,  my rightmost icon is my 'feed', where they send random announcements and encourage me to congratulate friends. None of my icons have blog posts, no less podcasts.  So weird how everyone's interface seems to be different!

They do a lot of randomized testing. Maybe you are a test subject for getting rid of the leagues.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I will say though that for something free (at least the way I am doing it), it is good value for the (lack of) money. 

[Matryoshka]

1 minute ago, wendyroo said:

The big change has not hit my Duolingo yet. They did change the icons on my bottom bar a few days ago...but I still have both stories and leagues at this point. And they haven't done anything to the order of my Spanish levels.

I've been pretty unmotivated lately anyway. I had been in diamond league forever, but then it started making me compete in semi-finals and finals just to stay in my current level. Plus, my family has had a miserable month, and feeling beaten down, I decided to just do as little as possible to maintain my streak, but allow myself to just freefall down through the leagues.

My current streak is 2321 days, and I feel Duolingo doesn't do much to encourage those of us with long streaks. It gave me the little +365 badge, but I'm over six times that now. They didn't even throw confetti or anything when I hit the 2000 mark! 

They haven't sent you a flaming owl icon? (Scroll up to see what I'm talking about). You've been cheated! 🤣

[Matryoshka]

2 minutes ago, Miss Tick said:

They do a lot of randomized testing. Maybe you are a test subject for getting rid of the leagues.

Probably.  Sigh.  

[Jean in Newcastle]

1 minute ago, Matryoshka said:

They haven't sent you a flaming owl icon? (Scroll up to see what I'm talking about). You've been cheated! 🤣

If I go to Statistics and hit my streak bar then it gives me a flaming owl with a "Streak Society VIP" label. 

[Matryoshka]

1 minute ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

If I go to Statistics and hit my streak bar then it gives me a flaming owl with a "Streak Society VIP" label. 

Huh, they just randomly offered me this 'honor' which came with the flaming owl icon and three additional streak freezes. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

1 minute ago, Matryoshka said:

Huh, they just randomly offered me this 'honor' which came with the flaming owl icon and three additional streak freezes. 

I got that at the time but then it faded to just being something you have to click on.  Maybe I got a new one to replace it?  I keep getting bumped up to the paid thing for free for X number of days as a reward. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

Oh and I keep having to hit "my answer should have been accepted" on things.  Months later I get a notice that "your answer is now an accepted answer".  Because I actually speak the language I am practicing, I often have to guess as to what narrow answer they are accepting. 

[Miss Tick]

4 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

I got that at the time but then it faded to just being something you have to click on.  Maybe I got a new one to replace it?  I keep getting bumped up to the paid thing for free for X number of days as a reward. 

I think I had to click on that bar on the statistics page in order to get my 3 additional streak freezes and my creepy flaming owl Icon. 😄 Im jealous of you being rewarded with free Duo+. Although, now that I say that, I do get offered that occasionally and I've never clicked it because I figured it would lead to an even harder upsell, so I've just been tuning those out I guess. I'll have to rethink that!