The Usefulness of Second life for Language Learning

Second life in language learning

Innovation in education

distance learning

What is distance learning?

"Any formal educational process that occurs with the teacher and the student separated by either time or distance''

"Distance learning is an educational approach that intergrates technology, connectivity ,curricular content and human resources"

Dr. Jan Wilson

Technology

connectivity

curricular content

human resources

Sceptical teachers. Why?

• "Old ways are more efficient".

collaboration & negotiation

Social learning

>>opportunities for collaborative activities

>>how are they motivated to be done?

>>> stimulating

Learners are not intrinsically motivated unless the learning environment offers motivational features.

-----Jones, 1998

>>>safe environment provided

>>How should games and stimulations involve social learning?

Foster engagement through immersion

Link learning to goals and roles

Create a social context with shared interests

------Jenkins, 2005

Embedding learning activities into games and simulations in an online environment will offer students socially acceptable and personally fratifying opportunities to learn.

-------Thompson & Rodriguez, 2004

The case for second life

23-7-2003

A place to learn?

>5.000.000

m.M.o.r.p.g

''microworld''

"Subset of reality in which one can go

to learn about a specific domain through

pesonal discovery and exlanation."

(Rieber :1992)

building objects

interaction

"Visually based virtual envronments are

an extension of constructivist learning theories"

(Rieber:1992)

second life in practice: composition

operator: Dr. Bryan Carter

context: composition course in University of Central Missouri

objective: learn to write "experientially"

Example topic: Apperance, acceptance, identity, and race

feed back

85% !!!!

15% ????

Second life in practice: foreign language instruction

• Using it in class it is engaging

controlled practice

free communication

Manipulation of the environment

opportunity to apply a

variety of language lessons

>>context: freshman-level German students at the university of Central Mossouri, never taken German before

>> objective: learning the vocabulary for objects in an apartment

>>implementation

Feed back

>>easy or difficult?

>>detriment to their learning?

>>future use?

Discussion

• References

Carter. B. and D. Elseth. (2009). The usefulness of second life for language learning. In Rita de Cássia Veiga Marriott (Ed.) Patricia Lupion Torres (Ed.). Handbook of Research on E-Learning Methodologies for Language Acquisition. New York: Hershey

Davey, K.B.(1999). Distance learning demystifid, National forum, 79(1), 44-46.

Swan, M. (1985). A critical look at the communicative approach (2). ELT Journal, 39(2), 76-87.

Wilson, J. (2002). The power of distance learning: Guest editorial. Education, 122(4), 638, 673.

virtual field trip

audioclips

notecards

floating text to objects

• Is SL appropriate for language learning?

Avatar

• What SLA theories are related with an MMORPG such as second life?

Resident

Machinima

• Younger or adult learners?

Island

• Is it going to be accepted in the future by language teachers?

Second life Grid

Massive

Multi-user

Online

Role

Playing

Game

small

complete

communication

voice

text

course delivery

document exchange

Kathleen Davey(1999)

DISTANT LEARNING

• New innovations do not equal the education experience of the classroom.

• Learning styles.

Benefits using computers to a language course

Autonomy

higher quality of 'exploratory talk'

writing skills

higher order thinking

problem solving

cognitive discourse

We shall probably benifit from the next langage teaching revolution, especially if we can keep our heads, recognize dogma for what it is ,and try out he new techniques without giving up useful older methods simply becuase they have been "proved wrong"

--------Swan, 1985, P. 87

Social learning creates an effective means of collaboration.

Introduction

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