A few words about video games and foreig

Benefits of using 3D virtual worlds in education: § teacher may cooperate with students on less formal basis, and students can choose an individual learning program and establish coopera

Learning a Language

in Virtual Worlds

A Review of Innovation and ICT

in Language Teaching Methodology

International Conference Warsaw, 17th November 2011

Edited by

Prof Sławomir Czepielewski

Scientific Committee

Prof Sławomir Czepielewski – Chairman

Prof Andrzej Filipkowski Prof Piotr Sienkiewicz Ph.D Marek Kinasiewicz

Organisational Committee

Mateusz Czepielewski Magda Nowakowska Tomasz Rączka

ISBN 978-83-88910-36-4

Publisher

Warsaw Academy of Computer Science, Management and Administration

Meksykańska 6 03-948 Warsaw, Polandtel +48 22 616-15-66

Printed by

Przedsiębiorstwo Poligraficzno-Wydawnicze “GRAF”

96-321 Żabia Wola, Żelechów, ul Krakowiańska 12

tel 0 501 376 898, e-mail: janusz.graf@wp.pl

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein

Preface 5

VIRTUAL WORLD AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Sławomir Czepielewski, Catherine Christodoulopoulou,

Judith Kleiner, Wioletta Mirinaviciute, Eduardo Valencia

Virtual 3D Tools in Online Language Learning 7

Sławomir Czepielewski

The Virtual World of Second Life in Foreign Language Learning 15

Luisa Panichi

Virtual Worlds: An Opportunity for Thinking about Learning 25

Anke Berns, Antonio Gonzàlez-Pardo, David Camacho

Implementing the Use of Virtual Worlds in the Teaching of Foreign Languages (level A1) 33

Jessica Driscoll

The Future of Textbooks: Bringing Business English Market Leader to Life 41

Ilaria Mascitti, Monica Fasciani, Daniela Di Marco

Street Artists in a Virtual Space 47

Mats Deutschmann, Anders Steinvall & Anna Lagerström

Gender-Bending in Virtual Space - Using Voice-Morphing in Second Life

to Raise Sociolinguistic Gender Awareness 54

Ciara R Wigham, John Fynn

An Asynchronous Virtual Space for Contact-Based Oral Work with Chinese

Students Learning English 62

Kristi Jauregi

Integrating Meaningful Interactions through Virtual Tools in Foreign Language Education: Looking at the Added Value 73

Monika Nowakowska-Twaróg

The Virtual Teaching System 50+ 81

ICT AND INNOVATION IN LANGUAGE LEARNING

Herta Johansmeier

MemoStep6: Building up a Mental Lexicon in Foreign Languages

A new Approach to Vocabulary Acquisition with Digital Flash Cards 86

Małgorzata Gawlik-Kobylińska, Dariusz Poczekalewicz

Military English (Intermediate) e-Project Students as English Teachers 94

Zdzisław Głębocki

WebQuests Revisited 100

Emilia Korczynska

CALL Software as an Alternative to Natural Immersion in Adult SLA

– a Remedy to the Existing Problems? 106

Jarosław Krajka, Sylwia Maciaszczyk

Implementing Social Media in the Language Classroom 112

Piotr Szałaśny, Marta Grubka

A Few Words about Video Games and Foreign Language Acquisition 157

“If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow.”

John Dewey

Preface

The fast and ongoing development of Information and Communication Technologies brings significant changes to every sphere of human life, including education In order to keep up with the rapidly changing reality, our attitudes towards teaching and learning need a radical transformation This publication presents the proceedings of an international conference

‘Future Language Learning Now: Innovative Applications and Methods for Language Training’ It was held in Warsaw on 17th November 2011, under the patronage of prof Barbara Kudrycka, the Polish Minister of Science and Higher Education

1 Background

The conference was a final event of a two-year EU funded project V-Lang

“Creative and Open Language Training in Virtual Worlds” This international project was realized by a consortium of six institutions from Spain, Greece, Poland, Lithuania and Germany, under the Key Activity 3 – Information and Communication Technologies, of the Lifelong Learning Programme The project focused on development, experimentation and dissemination of an Open Source based Toolkit It consists of a ready to use and upgradeable, immersive virtual learning environment, as well as methodology guidelines, enabling implementation and evaluation of this innovative approach to language learning

2 Conference

The conference ‘Future Language Learning Now: Innovative Applications and Methods for Language Training’, was hosted by one of the V-Lang project partners – Warsaw Academy of Computer Science Management and Administration The event aimed at presentation of theoretical and practical aspects of innovative methods and advanced technological solutions applied

in foreign language learning and teaching It was attended by representatives

of academic world from all over Poland and several other European countries There were practitioners in the field of linguistic education, lecturers, teachers, university and high school students, representatives of national and regional educational institutions as well as representatives of companies acting in the field of linguistic education The programme of the conference was divided into two thematic blocks In the first part the participants were familiarised with the idea of virtual worlds and their practical usage in foreign language

learning and teaching Thanks to multimedia and interactive presentations prepared by the speakers, the conference attendees witnessed an interaction between lecturers and avatars, that represent a new type of students in

a virtual classroom The second part of the conference was focused on other information and communication technologies applied in language learning and teaching at universities, high schools and in private companies

3 Proceedings

The thematic structure of the conference was reflected in the proceedings The first part of this publication is dedicated to “Virtual Worlds As a Foreign Language Learning Environment” It presents the latest ideas, research and findings concerning the application of virtual learning environments in education, with particular emphasis on language learning and teaching It also includes an overview of European projects dealing with virtual learning environments The second part “ICT and Innovation in Language Learning” includes papers presenting a wide range of state of the art tools, applications and learning methods based on innovative Information and Communication Technologies The publication gives an opportunity to reflect on the present and the future of computer assisted education; the changes that are being done and need to be done in future to teaching methodologies, tools and curricula as well as the approach of educators and learners in order to adjust the education of tomorrow to the requirements of a rapidly changing reality

4 Acknowledgements

Obviously no book can be a result of individual work We would like to express many thanks to a number of people who contributed to this publication We are most grateful to Prof Barbara Kudrycka, the Polish Minister of Science and Higher Education for taking patronage over the conference ‘Future Language Learning Now: Innovative Applications and Methods for Language Training’ and the present publication We were truly honoured to have her prestigious support.We are also deeply indebted to all the authors of articles, who have decided to share their passion, enthusiasm, experience and excessive knowledge in the field of educational innovations with the readers Neither the V-Lang conference, nor this publication would come into being without the enormous work of the V-Lang project team and the hospitality of Warsaw Academy of Computer Science, Management and Administration

We are also truly grateful to all those anonymous contributors, whom we are unable to list here, but who have dedicated many hours of hard work to this publication

Virtual 3D Tools in Online Language Learning

Judith Kleiner3, Wioletta Mirinaviciute4, Eduardo Valencia5

1Warsaw Academy of Computer Science, Management and Administration Warsaw /Poland, 2Computer Technology Institute & Press “Diophantus” Patra/Greece, 3Dialoge Sprachinstitut Lindau/Germany, 4Soros International

House Vilnius/Lithuania, 5DOT Pamplona/Spain

The V-Lang project aims at overcoming the above mentioned problems with the results being very helpful The basic results of V-Lang project, open source software for online management of training experiences by teachers and students and ready to use and upgradable Virtual World with a virtual village, virtual classrooms and meeting spaces, are described and it is explained how to use them Methodology Guidelines on the integration of online/blended and virtual learning are presented and clarified We show the results of pilot testing in 3 European countries for 3 different groups of beneficiaries, sharing experiences and conclusions The Toolkit for creation

of virtual worlds is free and available on the website of the V-Lang project.

1 Introduction

Virtual communication becomes an integral part of the 21st century culture

So it becomes a necessity to use it in the process of education Modern teaching with ICT technologies opens up unprecedented opportunities for teachers and students E-learning is growing at a rapid pace and is already properly rooted in educational systems of countries belonging to the EU The next stage in this type of teaching and learning is adopting 3D technology Virtual worlds and 3D communities are useful for teaching foreign languages The benefits of their use are varied They give opportunity to meet strangers

at any time of day or night, in a virtual simulation of real life and to organize virtual meetings with other participants of the course in defined, virtual place This could be a lesson in the school or arranged group activities

Benefits of using 3D virtual worlds in education:

§ teacher may cooperate with students on less formal basis, and students can choose an individual learning program and establish cooperation with other participants,

§ the presence of avatars created according to individual needs,

§ the risks reduction associated with lack of success for the student,

§ activities may be conducted outside the virtual classroom, for example, in any unreal space or based on real examples,

§ creating many communication opportunities between the teacher and the student, both in collective and individual mode, in various forms, such as chat, message, e-mail, verbal and visual communication in real time

Problems with using 3D virtual worlds in education:

§ there may occur some problems with maintaining the discipline,

§ relationships between the participants may cause problems due to possibility of identity changing - it may hinder the building up of trust between students,

§ anonymity offered by the virtual world may provoke some not acceptable behaviours

2 What is V-Lang?

V-Lang “Creative and Open Language Training in Virtual Worlds” is

a European project co-funded by Lifelong Learning Programme under Key Activity 3 – Information and Communication Technologies

The basic assumption of V-Lang project is to create a virtual 3D space dedicated to learning foreign languages On the one hand the project supports teachers in solving problems related to the knowledge about modern teaching tools and their applications in everyday work On the other hand it offers the beneficiaries a modern and attractive opportunity to learn the language The V-Lang project intends to contribute to the promotion of innovative forms of language training by means of applying ICT in the design and implementation of language courses The use of Virtual 3D Worlds in

on line language training provides a full audio communication system which allows putting into practice students’ language skills in immersive and social environments, in Collaborative and Problem-Based Learning environments that promote creativity Creating communication techniques attractive for all kinds of students motivates them to active learning of foreign language and cooperation Another intention of the authors is to use sociological advantages

S Czepielewski, C Christodoulopoulou, J Kleiner, W Mirinaviciute, E Valencia

of 3D virtual worlds and develop informal ways of contact between students and implement group work.

Objectives:

1 To develop V-Lang Toolkit:

§ Ready to use and upgradable Virtual World containing a virtual island, virtual classes and meeting halls

§ Open source software for the on line management of training experiences by teachers and students

§ Methodology Guidelines on the integration of on line/blended & virtual learning

2 To carry out Pilot Testing in 3 EU countries

Impact:

§ More than 240 target groups reached

§ 20.000 people reached by digital means

§ 40 stakeholders using the Toolkit

3 Final Product of V-Lang- a V-Lang Toolkit

Final product will be an affordable and easy to use toolkit for language providers and a very accessible and appealing environment for learners, especially those at risk of exclusion The Toolkit will provide a ready to install virtual village and classrooms allowing for immersive and collaborative training , as well as methodology guidelines for the integration and impact assessment of such approach to traditional on line language training

3.2 Methodology Guidelines[2]

Teaching through 3D virtual worlds requires the development of entirely new teaching methods and new approaches to learning from teachers

and students Methodological solutions proposed in V-lang project are developed for specific needs of teachers to preparing virtual sessions They are accompanied by a number of guidelines for teachers to be successful

in conditions of virtual class, where a teacher is less able to enforce the concentration of listeners, while a student has more autonomy than during

a lesson in the real world

The methodology of teaching foreign languages using 3D virtual worlds in V-Lang project is benefiting from the best practices used successfully by other creators of educational virtual worlds On the basis of these good practices V-Lang created its own original virtual space dedicated to language education The guidelines of the following teaching methodologies: online / mixed and virtual are presented and explained

In particular, the produced Methodology Guidelines contain 2 parts: The technical information and the practical information The topics covered in the Methodology Guidelines are the following:

Technical information

§ What is a Virtual World?

§ How is the Virtual World used?

§ How does a classroom work in traditional conditions?

§ How does a classroom work in a Virtual World?

§ Language learning in Virtual Worlds means:

§ Advantages and Disadvantages of Virtual World

§ Worth knowing

Practical information

How do you teach languages in V-Lang?

§ Several ways of communication with your students

§ The teaching potential of the 3D environment

§ The teaching potential of the Avatar

What to take into consideration when you design your virtual course?

§ “Force” your students to actively communicate with each other

§ Include “role-playing” function in your activities

§ Include socialization aspect

Useful Tips to keep in mind

§ Master technical features

§ Establish clear and specific rules for the communication process

§ Give specific information to your students

S Czepielewski, C Christodoulopoulou, J Kleiner, W Mirinaviciute, E Valencia

§ When your students age ranges from 8 to 11 and from 15 to 17 and the language level is A2 and/or B1

§ When your students’ age ranges from 20-25, they are international students and their language level is B1-B2

§ When your students’ language level is A1

4 Pilot testing [1]

One of the tasks of the V-Lang project was to conduct pilot tests in three groups from three countries: Lithuania, Germany and Poland The testing aimed at examining the produced platform along with the Methodology Guidelines

4.1 Pilot testing in 3 participating countries

Soros International House, LT

The piloting experience took place at Soros International House Vilnius The platform was used to teach English

There were two target groups for piloting:

§ SIH students - age range from 15 to 17

§ SIH summer camp students-age range from 8 to 11

The total number of students involved in piloting - 25.The number of teachers-

2 The piloting was divided into five 30- minute sessions The testing of V-Lang was included into the training programme of 15-17 year olds as an addition to the lesson to revise or consolidate the materials learned during the lesson, which was organized in a normal classroom As summer camp students were not familiar with virtual worlds or second life, therefore their English teacher organized a kind of introduction into the V-lang platform using interactive whiteboard Children and their teacher were in different rooms

Dialoge Sprachinstitut Lindau, DE

The testing of the V-Lang platform used to teach German was organized by Dialoge Sprachinstitut teachers

Target group - former Dialog students from different countries- all adults.The total number of students involved in piloting: 8 The number of teachers: 1.The piloting was divided into five 60-90- minute session for each group

A full online testing was carried out At the beginning there were individual meetings lasting 15 min with each student on the platform and then group

meetings took place Students worked on different language tasks prepared

by their teacher The sessions took place at 7 p.m The students involved

in piloting were in different countries; therefore it was the best time to have them all on the platform

Warsaw Academy, PL

The testing of the V-Lang project took place in Warsaw in May and June

2011 Warsaw Academy was responsible for testing the V-Lang platform used to teach Spanish

Target group for piloting- students-age range from 20 to 40

The total number of students involved in piloting -36.The number of teachers- 2.The piloting was divided into eight 60-minute sessions

Each session consisted of 2 parts: a short technical training conducted in Polish and a 45-minute Spanish lesson

Two professional Spanish teachers were employed to perform this task.The teachers prepared the syllabus of the lesson that was formally set at A1 (elementary) level according to CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) All the sessions took place in the evenings (6pm – 9pm) as the majority of participants were working adults

4.2 Evaluation Process

Evaluation questionnaires were created for teachers and students to evaluate the platform in terms of:

§ the level of difficulty in using the platform

§ the most attractive features of the platform

§ the overall impression of the class experience after using V- Lang for learning

§ the advantages and the disadvantages of the platform

§ Advantages and the disadvantages of virtual teaching

§ Suggestions concerning further improvement of the platform

There was also a question devoted to evaluation of the Methodology Guidelines

4.3 Evaluation results

Usefulness of Methodology Guidelines

The Methodology Guidelines were used by teachers while planning virtual sessions All the teachers commented on their usefulness, pointed out all

S Czepielewski, C Christodoulopoulou, J Kleiner, W Mirinaviciute, E Valencia

the practical hints the guidelines offered The guidelines are relevant for the virtual classroom experience in which the roles of a teacher and a student have to be redefined considering the virtual, not real, environment, which equips the teacher with less power and the student with more autonomy Teachers were of the opinion that the guidelines could be shorter and more practical There should be less text so that it would be easier to find things you are looking for.

The V-Lang Platform management

The overall feedback received after the sessions was very positive The participants liked the innovative and interactive character of the V-Lang platform They enjoyed the functionality of the software which offers tremendous opportunities for learning foreign languages They also enjoyed the platform features which, for instance, allowed them to create and modify avatars, they could enjoy another dimension of activity, could fly and go visiting other places, chat with their friends

Benefits of using V-Lang platform to assist teaching

§ offers a very effective way of learning a foreign language

§ provides simulation of real life environments

§ the role model activities are more enjoyable and engaging for students

§ a full audio communication system which allows students to talk and listen within virtual classrooms

§ at initial stage of language learning the platform should only be used

as a complementary component of a traditional language course

§ the platform would probably perform its task more effectively if used with more advanced students that already can communicate in

§ Projector functioning- it didn’t work properly

§ The software is not suitable for all computers

§ Stressful for the teacher to handle technical problems and at the same time to concentrate on the contents of the lesson

§ Lack of computer skills among students

§ Lack of non-verbal communication

§ Difficulties in keeping students on tasks (especially young learners)

§ Some confusing menu options e.g my library –Open Sim library

§ Less material covered than in a traditional classroom

Advantages of virtual teaching

§ Distance learning: students can learn from home

§ A lot of language educational applications

§ More interesting learning experience

§ Integration of different items into the lesson

§ Possibilities of simulating real life situations

§ It’s not boring

§ Features like note card and chat can be very helpful in organizing language lessons

§ Role playing activities

§ Activities include students teaching each other how to do things

§ Extensive use of inventory as basis for vocabulary expansion

§ All media at hand

Disadvantages of virtual teaching

§ Lack of feedback

§ Frustration experienced by some of the students

§ Class management problems

§ Too much dependency on technology

§ Too time consuming

§ Stressful for the teacher to concentrate on both the technical support and teaching at the same time

Suggestions to improve the platform and the guides

First of all, the functionality of the projector should be improved The projector plays a role of a virtual blackboard and as such it has to be reliable for both students and teachers It should enable showing both Power Point presentations as well as pdf and video files Some students suggested that some V-Lang functions should be removed from the user’s interface as they distract attention and may overwhelm a new user, especially someone who

is not very familiar with IT

References

[1] V-Lang Report on Piloting, Soros International House, 2011

[2] V-Lang Methodologies Guidelines, Computer Technology Institute &

Press “Diophantus”, 2011

S Czepielewski, C Christodoulopoulou, J Kleiner, W Mirinaviciute, E Valencia

The Virtual World of Second Life in Foreign

Language Learning

Sławomir Czepielewski

Warsaw Academy of Computer Science, Management and Administration,

Warsaw /Polande-mail:slawomir.czepielewski@warsawacademy.com

Abstract

The use of ICT has become an indispensable element not only of social life but also business and economic relations It is also slowly revolutionizing the educational process The direction of its development is determined by the 3D technology, which brings incredible and unique opportunity for education, especially in the field of foreign language training This process can be observed

as more and more language schools offer their services in the Second Life (SL), furthermore there are some which were created and offer their services only there, in virtual worlds What makes the virtual worlds gaining more and more popularity among students and teachers? Why the 3D environment is an extremely conducive environment for learning foreign languages?

The uniqueness of SL is mainly determined by strong involvement of all senses and strong commitment of emotions, which gives the feeling that education is becoming “real reality” In SL, there works the phenomenon of linguistic and cultural immersion, which is coherent with “full immersion” in foreign language, by communicating and explaining the entire virtual world only by using a foreign language In addition, the user can also perform individual needs through the creation of virtual identities through his/her avatars Language training in 3D worlds provides students and teachers with unique opportunities and tools which are not available in traditional language training methods It also allows for the use of communication tools and educational resources which are not available in other forms of e-learning Therefore education with use of SL is becoming more and more popular and

it is a real opportunity to make changes in the way learning and teaching is performed.

Introduction

Information and communication technologies are inevitably affecting each sphere of life Today the exchange of information with use of ICT determines the economy and business, as well as social life Individuals exist on the Internet, thus all their affairs pervade the web – at the same time the Internet pervades human life Sometimes it is easier to find somebody in cyberspace

than in real life It also happens that such contacts are quite sufficient [1] Regardless of personal opinions about information and communication technologies the fact is that they are an inseparable element of human life They have become reality and are a part of everyday life, treated either as

a source of information, or as a tool for work, or as alternative reality More and more frequently they are also used as a learning environment

Didactics is being revolutionised by technology Changing means of communication as well as functioning in an environment different from the real one, leaves a stamp on technology Today ICT supplements the learning process realized in real world Still, a 3D technology determines the course of technological evolution A three-dimensional virtual space creates unprecedented educational opportunities – especially for language learning – and can revolutionise the didactic process There are even theories suggesting that in future education may be entirely moved to the cyberspace

What is a virtual world of Second Life?

Second Life (SL) is a virtual, three-dimensional environment that simulates reality The user of SL creates an avatar, that is kind of an alter ego, enabling unrestricted individual creation Avatars, like people, communicate with voice, text messages, body language and gestures SL is a place where people originating form different countries, environments and cultures contact one another in real time The website provides the users with entertainment, social life, business opportunities It can also be a field of marketing activities and, more and more often, educational ones

The most popular Serious Virtual World is Second Life – a product of Linden Labs It is estimated that over 15 million people all over the world have their user accounts on the platform Educational career of Second Life began

in 2007, when the first language schools appeared on the platform Their success initiated a new stage in development of e-learning Due to an enormous educational potential of 3D environments, the usage of “second life” in educational process is gaining greater and greater popularity What does determine this attractiveness? It is based on a variety of options offered by tools available in SL Individual or group lessons can have much more interesting form than traditional classes or even participation in 2D multimedia education Second Life belongs to a category of Serious Virtual Worlds Even though they were initially made for entertainment, they are not games They are an imitation of the real world, where each of the participants can realize his own objectives – connected with social life, entertainment

or business One of such objectives may also be education Second Life

is an open world created by the users Everyone can join the platform and create his own part of the world Currently schools and universities have their own islands in SL They are accompanied by educational platforms and institutions existing only in virtual world It is also a place where conferences, meetings and the exchange of scientific ideas take place [2]

Sławomir Czepielewski

Why 3D?

In a 3D technology image has undergone an evolution Human dreams about the third dimension in images came true The artists were trying to overcome its “flatness” with different artistic tricks But it was only the development of technology that changed the role of user from a spectator to a participant

A three dimensional space intensifies emotional engagement of users People begin to look upon an electronic 3D environment as a different kind

of reality The user is not surrounded with pictures, but with an electronic reality A Serious Virtual World makes people experience and value things.While traditional e-learning, realized with use of a 2D technology or even audiovisual media, despite all the advantages, leaves the awareness of using another medium, a 3D technology is engaging student’s senses and emotions so strongly, that education in SL becomes real A user of Second Life perceives the virtual space not as a simulation, but as a real surrounding [3] The characteristics of a 3D environment change basic notions known from the real world, such as:

multilateral

existence in electronic form through virtual identity

time and space – electronic contact is completely different from the real one Contact is realized with an interface that exerts significant influence on linguistic expression [4]

Existence of an individual in an electronic environment is regulated by several rules:

§ Cyberspace is a reality alternative to the physical world

§ Cyberspace is a human world, capable of adopting all the aspects

of humanity, including emotions and feelings, as well as spiritual values

§ Cyberspace is a place of auto-creation, creation, exploration and expression, where each kind of human activity is manifested

§ Cyberspace is a source of opportunities different from those available

in the physical world

§ Cyberspace can be a place of existential choices and making decisions concerning reality, in which people want to function

§ Cyberspace is evolving faster than the physical world, influencing human’s evolution [5]

On the one hand, by changing the needs and value system, technology is changing human being and his attitude towards the real life On the other

hand people are using technology to achieve their own goals, and thus become more and more attached to the world wide web Special kind of relationships between human beings and technology appears in case of 3D worlds They are connected with engagement in virtual reality

A virtual world and didactics

The use of a 3D environment in education may change the didactic process

It is connected mainly with methods of communication, as well as existence

in an environment that in many ways differs from the physical world The users of Second Life are leading an alternative life online On the basis of technology they create a new identity and in fact realize all forms of human activity [6] Due to their characteristic features, virtual worlds – unlike traditional e-learning – are not only meant to support the process of teaching The point is to move the whole didactic process to the cyberspace [7].The first attempts to use virtual reality in didactics were undertaken in the 90s

of the last century At that time technologies excluding the user entirely from the real world were developed The user was putting on a helmet with an inner screen, on which a three-dimensional image was displayed [8] Still, it was only the common availability of computers, the Internet, as well as development of ICT that enabled comprehensive exploitation of 3D technologies in didactics But why is it worth to use them in language learning?

From didactic point of view, the most interesting are Serious Virtual Worlds (SVW) A “serious” world is not a game – it is based on different rules There are no missions to complete, no levels and no points to gain An SVW is co-created by the users and adjusted to their needs They can establish social relationships, create different types of objects and places, trade, earn money, offer services, communicate with voice or chat, travel

Second Life is also a place of language acquisition The term was taken from the behavioural theory According to this theory, a child assimilates speech sounds from the surrounding and at the same time, in a way automatically, develops the system of an inner language The theory also estimates that development of language skills is not based on elimination of incorrect forms, but on continuous development of linguistic hypotheses based on heard input

or linguistic stimuli Language constructs are tested in practice and verified

In Second Life people of different age may experience this process A dimensional virtual world is also a place of cultural acquisition based on the communication context and the role of a speaker It is particularly important,

three-as the development of correct language structures is determined not only by the range of vocabulary or the knowledge about grammar, but also by proper understanding what, how, when and to whom can be said [9]

A 3D technology brought the phenomena of immersion, telematics and immateriality to language learning They determine the existence of a „logged-in”

Sławomir Czepielewski

person – they are equivalents of space, time and matter in the real world [10] Immersion in virtual worlds is connected with a feeling of „merging” into the alternative reality, based on the feelings of co-presence and self-expression through creation of an avatar [11] Linguistic immersion means

“merging” in a foreign language through communication realized exclusively

in that language It is closely connected with cultural immersion It is enabled

by contacts with other users and a lecturer, as well as staying in a world that

is explained in a foreign language Language code is exclusively acquired through linguistic stimuli The method of linguistic immersion conduces reaching a code- switching level, which means automatic switching from one language to the other Other advantages of linguistic immersion include

a higher level of language competences, faster elimination of linguistic deficiencies, irrelevancy of the learner’s individual talents and initial skills [12] There is one more thing that can be used as an argument for organization

of educational space in SL It is connected with conscious identity-related processes or existentialization A user of a virtual world becomes engaged

in work, commitments, establishing interpersonal relationships Second Life becomes an element of everyday life Sometimes real living is based on activities undertaken in cyberspace An avatar enables expression of an individual inner life, that not always could have been realized in the real world This often encourages people to undertake activities, which have little chance of success in the real world Thus, virtual world becomes a human world [13]

Foreign language learning in 3D

Multicultural, international and multilingual character of Second Life, as well as variety of communication means, make it an incredible medium for language learning There are professional linguistic websites available in

SL But there is also a place for those, who just want to raise the level of their language skills Conversation with users speaking a foreign language, context recognition based on facial expression and body language, visiting different locations facilitating acquisition of new vocabulary – these factors are priceless for linguistic education Other advantage of SL is its free and open character Users originating from different cultures, countries and nations use their avatars to create their own community of so called digital natives [14]

Virtual identity gives the students an opportunity to express themselves and observe one another’s non-verbal expression A possibility of constant creation of an avatar contributes to the development of electronic identity Changes in appearance attract attention of other users and are a source

of inspiration, at the same time providing much greater freedom of expression than the physical world Education in SL is an element of one’s existence in an alternative reality – creating one’s own space with use of educational platforms Anyone in any time can start learning in a virtual world

Its open character provides a perfect place to express one’s thoughts, views The learners can include their own materials, such as links or addresses of other Second Life locations in the didactic process [15]

Who can learn in Second Life?

The virtual world is open for everyone There are no age, cultural or national limits Still, Second Life attracts mainly those, who are easily assimilating technological innovations Usually, but not always, these are young people, for whom staying online is a part of everyday life For these people ICT is

a natural way of gathering information and communicating Therefore, they easily become an educational tool as well

Research indicates that the perception of usefulness of Second Life in education differs among people representing different learning styles [16]

SL is positively perceived by people representing the types of activists, pragmatists and reflectors, according to the Honey and Mumford’s typology:

§ An activist enjoys innovations, looks for challenges and new contacts, learns actively; for this type of personality Second Life is

a perfect environment to realize individual needs

§ A pragmatist learns actively with tools that can be used in practice Such people are aware that Second Life offers greater possibilities than the real world

§ For reflectors learning is based on thorough, careful data gathering and analysis In such case Second Life is perceived as continuation

of the real world, therefore avatars are treated like real people.There is one more type of personality – theorists, who aim at acquisition of deepened knowledge Their attitude towards education in SL is negative, because they regard it as superficial [17]

What does Second Life offer to teachers?

The 3D virtual worlds offer a range of didactic means unavailable in other forms of e-learning, not to mention traditional education From the point of view of a language teacher running classes in a virtual world an important advantage is a great range of communication tools as well as availability

of educational materials Another advantage is increased interest and engagement of learners A teacher can use visualizations of maps, reference plans, schemes and presentations Methods that can be used include e.g role playing, simulations of communication situations, action learning in

SL [18] Power-point presentations can be used instead of students’ and teachers’ books Simultaneous communication of members within a group

as well as accessibility of materials facilitates realization of competitions, quizzes or tests [19] A teacher and a student contact each other using avatars Communication between them is realized with use of several media:

Sławomir Czepielewski

§ Voice Voice information is audible within a particular space, it enables contacts between many people at the same time.

§ Individual contact It is possible to contact a chosen person using

a „private phone call”

§ Chat Works within a particular space and enables contacts with

A 3D virtual world offers many organizational opportunities Real life conditions, such as classrooms with interactive whiteboards can be transferred to

a virtual world Then, virtual classes are similar to those held in a real school Actually, opportunities offered by available methods, techniques and tools are unlimited Any place, object or communication context can be created and used in particular classes Thus, it is possible to have a conversation or learn new vocabulary in a topic-related scenery For example it is possible to learn sport-related vocabulary at a stadium or shopping –related vocabulary

in a supermarket Marine vocabulary can be learned while playing a sailor or pirate on a ship Teachers using Second Life for foreign language teaching confirm that the use of opportunities offered by a virtual world in different tasks makes the participants more interested in the classes and raise the results of learning – the level of vocabulary acquisition is higher compared to traditional methods [20]

What does Second Life offer to students?

Few things are necessary to begin learning in SL: a computer, a microphone,

a headset and installation of a Skype or MSN communicator software After

a basic training concerning the use of an avatar, elementary functions and moving around the SL spaces, a student is ready to begin a language course

It is not difficult to learn how to download the materials or use communication tools An average-skilled user of ICT is able to learn everything in a short time An additional advantage – unavailable in traditional classes – is a true possibility to adjust teaching methods to individual learning style of a user [21]

To a student participation in linguistic education means plainly unlimited opportunities of conversation in a foreign language Various means of communication, regular information about activities of other learners

as well as anonymity are very important for interpersonal relationships between the participants of classes They all help to overcome the feeling of embarrassment caused by presence of other people Boundaries resulting from age differences, complexes or disabilities disappear too Anonymity facilitates free expression of thoughts and open discussion The feeling of discomfort resulting from failures is limited

It is also important, that costs of education connected with commuting or purchase of handbooks is limited Sometimes it is even possible to learn free of charge The advantages of learning foreign languages in Second Life are also connected with time spend on education Knowledge and skills acquisition does not require physical presence in particular places One does not need to loose time on commuting and instead of a few hours of classes a month one can spend unlimited time talking to friends Moreover, all resources of the virtual world are available for the users after the classes

Second Life can also be used as a browser The platform provides access

to virtual museums, cities and all kinds of visual materials A 3D technology enables specific management of available materials – any information can

be easily reached with active links and displays spread around different spaces of SL

All elements of the virtual world have an interactive character – touching an object results in a text appearing Students can skim through newspapers, read books, visit museums, galleries, cities, enter different room and at the same time receive text or audio information related to a particular topic – which is particularly beneficial in glottodidactics Moreover, each avatar has

a notebook, where he can note down selected information and store it in

an inventory The students can also use video materials or presentations Second Life provides access to libraries Since 2006 there is an Info Island

in SL, established on behalf of an American organisation Alliance Library System The project aims at establishing cooperation with real libraries, educational institutions and scientists Thanks to the Info Island a student has access to articles and whole books online

It is worth mentioning that a 3D virtual world offers a unique chance for people with disabilities, who may find it difficult in many ways to participate in real-life education A variety of communication channels is particularly beneficial, e.g chat or instant messaging enables deaf people to communicate with other users and take part in didactic process Evaluation of educational projects realized in Second Life indicates clear benefits for learners, who can repeat activities, test skills, correct mistakes and try new behaviours without any boundaries or limits A student is able to test his knowledge and adjust learning methods to his individual needs

Sławomir Czepielewski

The use of 3D technology in linguistic education offers brand new opportunities

to the learners It provides access to many tools, which are unavailable in other forms of e-learning It also increases the engagement of users in the learning process thanks to immersion and realization of individual needs through creation of virtual identity The popularity as well as didactic results achieved with Second Life indicate that it is a way to motivate people of different age and different background to learn Still, it is worth to emphasize that obtaining great learning results is connected with proper organization of work In a three-dimensional virtual world most of educational activities are initiated by the users, who create the content It is a spontaneous, valuable and motivating phenomenon, that still may be lacking an appropriate structure organizing knowledge and skills Therefore, it is worth to support learning with services provided by professional websites and educational institutions Education in Second Life gives an opportunity to combine formal and informal education Materials developed by the students can easily be exploited Thus, the users can participate in development of didactic content, which clearly increases the engagement of students in the didactic process

It is a fact that e-learning and the use of 2D technology slowly becomes an element of everyday life It is also assumed that in the future it will probably

be inevitable to move the whole educational process to the world wide web and to the 3D environments in particular [22]

[6] M Ostrowicki, Tożsamość człowieka w środowisku elektronicznym, http://www.ostrowicki.art.pl/Tozsamosc_czlowieka_w_srodowisku_elektronicznym.pdf, p 150., on:29.11.2011

[7] M Ostrowicki, Dydaktyka w środowisku elektronicznym 3D, http://www.e-mentor.edu.pl/artykul/index/numer/28/id/614, on: 29.11.2011.[8] Topol Paweł, Wirtualność 3D i Second Life, p.1, http://www.up.krakow.pl/ktime/ref2010/topol.pdf , on 29.11.2011

[9] Konrad Juszczyk, Akwizycja językowa, p 144, http://www.slideshare.net/Linguist/akwizycja-jzyka-naturalnego, on:30.11.2011

[10] M Ostrowicki, Tożsamość człowieka w środowisku elektronicznym http://www.ostrowicki.art.pl/Tozsamosc_czlowieka_w_srodowisku_elektronicznym.pdf, on :30.11.2011

[11] Topol Paweł, Wirtualność 3D i Second Life, s.1 http://www.up.krakow.pl/ktime/ref2010/topol.pdf, on: 30.11.2011

[12] Metoda immersji, w: Serwis szkoły językowej Angloville Pierwsza anglojęzyczna wioska w Polsce, http://angloville.pl/szkola/metoda-imersji.html , on:30.11.2011

[13] M Ostrowicki, Tożsamość człowieka w środowisku elektronicznym http://www.ostrowicki.art.pl/Tozsamosc_czlowieka_w_srodowisku_elektronicznym.pdf, p 148, on: 30.11.2011

[14] U Świerczyńska-Kaczor, Nauczanie języków obcych z zastosowaniem wirtualnych światów i serwisów społecznościowych, http://www.e-mentor.edu.pl/artykul/index/numer/28/id/613, on: 29.11.2011

[15] M Ostrowicki, Dydaktyka w środowisku elektronicznym 3D, on: 29.11.2011 http://www.e-mentor.edu.pl/artykul/index/numer/28/id/614, on: 29.11.2011 r

[16] U Świerczyńska-Kaczor, Nauczanie języków obcych z zastosowaniem wirtualnych światów i serwisów społecznościowych, http://www.e-mentor.edu.pl/artykul/index/numer/28/id/613, on: 29.11.2011

[17] R Robert Gajewski, O stylach uczenia się i I-edukacji, mentor.edu.pl/artykul/index/numer/11/id/189, on 29.11.2011

[18] P Topol, Nauka języka w Second Life? Tak! Ale czym? edukacja.net/siodma/referaty/Sesja_2a_3.pdf, on 29.11.2011

http://www.e-[19] U Świerczyńska-Kaczor, Nauczanie języków obcych z zastosowaniem wirtualnych światów i serwisów społecznościowych, http://www.e-mentor.edu.pl/artykul/index/numer/28/id/613, on: 29.11.2011

[20] J.Kuchnio, Second Life pomocne w nauce języka? http://www

gamestar.pl/news/145492/Second.Life.pomocne.w.nauce.jezyka.html, on:30.11.2011

[21] Rozkosz E., Multimedialne przestrzenie edukacyjne – wirtualne przestrzenie edukacyjne Infolit iSchool, http://eprints.rclis.org/

Virtual Worlds: An Opportunity for Thinking about

a teaching methodology and best practice guidelines The paper will also introduce the EUROVERSITY network funded under Key Activity 3 (ICT) of the Lifelong Learning Programme of the EU which builds on some of the previous projects and whose aim is to bring together European educators in the field for the sharing of best practice and the transfer of core knowledge

to new contexts.

The second part of the paper will discuss ongoing research about, around and in virtual worlds and will attempt to outline some of the main issues of interest for research and further development Examples will be provided,

in particular, from the Nordic Virtual Worlds Network (NVWN) project which

is focused on investigating entrepreneurship and innovation in relation to virtual worlds and the ASSIS (A Second Step In Second Life) project which is investigating the impact of virtual worlds for socio-cultural and sociolinguistic awareness training for language teachers A concluding discussion will attempt to look at the potential of virtual worlds to enhance and transform our current understandings of teaching and learning beyond the specific virtual world environment.

1 Introduction

Virtual worlds such as Second Life [1], Active worlds [2] and Opensim [3],

to name but a few, are increasingly attracting users from educational and professional contexts Recent surveys of virtual worlds include an analysis

of different features which educators and decision makers in the field of education may want to consider when selecting one world over an other [4] [5] Some of the features of 3D environments which are of particular interest for education include activity sharing among users such as building together, travelling together, joint performances and sharing of online

educational events in a highly immersive environment Here students can communicate via text chat, voice chat and aesthetically through their avatars and user-generated content 3D environments are particularly appreciated

by the educational community for the heightened sense of presence and immersiveness compared to 2D environments [6] In this sense, virtual worlds constitute a valuable platform for distance education and a complement to existing 2D online educational platforms, in particular where learners are required to co-build or co-act with other students In addition to this, virtual worlds are also used as an extension of face-to-face classroom activities In the sciences, for example, 3D environments are used for the simulation of laboratory experiments which are either too dangerous or too expensive to

be carried out face-to-face [7] In the digital humanities these environments are used for the representation and co-reconstruction of historical buildings and artefacts by students and historians [8] In the teaching of literature and cultural studies, they are used as a medium for cultural re-enactments and representations [9] including performance [10] In geometry, they are used

to help learners grasp basic understandings of spatial relations [11] and, in physics, to help learners understand basic concepts by doing rather than observing [12] To sum up, virtual worlds in general are distance learning platforms that allow for telecollaboration, synchronous and multimodal communication The 3D rendering of the environment allows for joint building, design and simulations, thus making them highly immersive contexts with significant potential for learner engagement, participation, cognitive development, sharing of experience and, last but not least, transformation

of knowledge

The following is a summary of how virtual worlds can be used in education compiled from Deutschmann and Panichi [13], Lim [14], Molka-Danielsen and Deutschmann [15], Bignell and Parson [16], Cheney and Sanders [17],

Ritke-Jones [18] and Huang et al [19]:

§ acting, performing, role play and story telling

§ playing and games

§ problem solving

Luisa Panichi

2 Virtual worlds in language education and beyond

This section will discuss in particular four projects co-funded under the Lifelong Learning programme of the EACEA (Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency) of the EU for the development of expertise in virtual worlds, in particular, for foreign language education

The AVALON (Access to Virtual and Action Learning live Online) project was

a two-year project under Key Activity 3 (ICT) of the LLP which ended in December 2010 and built on existing expertise among partners The aims

of the project were to experiment and explore virtual worlds for language education The project attempted to reach these aims by creating and testing language-learning tasks and courses The results from these activities were then used to create and run a teacher training course and in the production of educational models and best practice guidelines The permanent outcomes

of this project are a series of open online repositories of tested teaching and learning materials [20] which also allow for further development by teachers [21] Another resource is an online open teacher community for language education in virtual worlds which meets regularly for teacher development and the sharing of materials and best practice [22]

A similar project, NIFLAR (Networked Interaction in Foreign Language

Acquisition and Research), has taken a closer look at the specific

affordances of virtual worlds compared to video-conferencing NIFLAR

aimed at making foreign language education more authentic, relevant and rewarding through the use of innovative e-learning environments: videoweb-communication and 3D Virtual Worlds The results of comparative research between the two platforms indicate that virtual worlds are a motivating and engaging environment with an impact on Second Language Acquisition, in particular when the task design makes uses of the specific features of the environment [23]

A third project to explore the potential of language learning in virtual worlds

under Key Activity 3 (ICT) is the V-lang project for “Creative and Open

Language Training in Virtual Worlds” The outcomes of the project include

a specific Toolkit which contains a ready to use and up-gradable virtual world with a virtual village, virtual classrooms and meeting halls, open source software for the on-line management of training experiences for teachers and students, and a set of Methodology Guidelines for the integration of on line/blended and virtual learning [24]

The fourth and last project to be considered in this section is the AVATAR project AVATAR (Added Value of teAching in a virTuAl world) is a two

year project (December 2009 - November 2011) co-financed by the European Commission under the Lifelong Learning Sub-Programme Comenius The project’s primary aim has been to enhance the quality of teaching and education in secondary schools through an innovative virtual world learning

experience V-learning is viewed as a platform which promotes by-doing that stimulates different learning styles and increases the level of student engagement in different subject matters through technology, the integrations of textbooks, discussion groups and labs Last but not least, the AVATAR project provides examples of the use of virtual worlds not only for language education but for science education and other areas of the European school curricula [25]

learning-3 The EUROVERSITY Network

The EUROVERSITY Network was put together as an exploitation activity

which stemmed from the AVALON project and runs from 1st December

2011 [26] [27] There was a general awareness among the AVALON project partner consortium in 2010 that parallel developments and understandings about the use of virtual worlds were being developed across Europe in different subject areas in education and that there was a need to start pooling expertise and materials The network is a 3 year multilateral and transversal network co-funded under Key Activity 3 (ICT) of the LLP of the EACEA The partnership includes 18 partners from 10 EU countries and 1 partner from

a Third Country (Israel)

The specific aims of the network are to:

§ collect examples of good practice in teaching and learning in virtual worlds from different subjects and national and local contexts (including, for example, the projects listed in the section above);

§ facilitate the transfer of core knowledge to new contexts;

§ provide a framework for the creation of a pan-European virtual-world university

In reaching the aims of the network, EUROVERSITY expects to:

§ increase the number of experts in virtual world education;

§ create a policy of long-term sustainability of the network and its outcomes;

§ design a model of the transfer of knowledge to new contexts;

§ engage new partners in the delivery of the network outcomes and in the endorsement of a shared vision

The Euroversity vision is to:

§ become a European and international point of reference for virtual world education;

§ create strategic formal alliances with major educational bodies for the delivery of education in virtual world platforms;

§ make virtual worlds a more commonly used platform in both distance and face-to-face education;

Luisa Panichi

§ provide official validation via certification of teaching and learning that takes place in virtual worlds so that education in virtual worlds may receive recognition in terms of Higher Education credits.

4 Virtual worlds as a context for research

As we have seen in the previous section, virtual worlds are being used for the teaching of a variety of subject matters This section will look at how virtual reality is not only being used for education but for research purposes

in the field of education Both examples below are taken from partners of the EUROVERSITY network

The first project which is discussed here is the Nordic Virtual Worlds Network for business and entrepreneurship [28] The Nordic Virtual Worlds Network

(NVWN) project is a pan-Nordic, inter-disciplinary project focused on investigating entrepreneurship and innovation in relation to virtual worlds The project runs from March 1, 2010 to February 28, 2012 and has a budget

of approximately NOK 6 mln The project’s primary financier is the Nordic Innovation Center (NICe) The project is represented in the EUROVERSITY network via project partner Stockholm School of Economics The first objective

of the network is to explore how SMEs and entrepreneurs globally are using and could use Virtual Worlds (VWs) to improve their competitiveness The second objective is to create a Virtual Centre for VW Entrepreneurship & Innovation in order to stimulate and facilitate knowledge and resource sharing and networking among individuals and organizations interested in VWs

The second project listed here is the ASSIS (A Second Step in Second Life)

project [29] The project is run by the Department of Language Studies at Umeå University, Sweden, and is funded by the Flex fund, a strategic fund for the development of solutions involving flexible learning at Umeå University The project can be seen as a continuation of a previous flex-project: the

Språkens Hus project (House of Languages project), aimed at developing

the teaching of oral proficiency in distance courses of North Sami, Finnish and Spanish using virtual worlds The North Sami part of this project also fed into the EU-funded AVALON project mentioned in the previous section The educational aim of ASSIS is to build on the experiences of Språkens Hus and other projects to further exploit the affordances of Second Life and other online tools in language learning The project aims to use virtual worlds as well as other interactive online tools in order to:

§ allow students to communicate with native speakers in an authentic situation using the target language;

§ create interactive student-centred courses where students themselves contribute to the content;

§ create learning environments and scenarios which are relevant for the particular course being taught, and where students can gain

socio-on the teacher-trainers’ knowledge and understanding of socio-linguistic characteristics of the foreign language classroom The main virtual world affordance this research project hinges on is the use of avatars for identity creation and identity modification [30].

5 Virtual worlds as a tool for thinking about education

In this paper we have discussed several projects that are making use of virtual worlds for education and research in different subject areas that come under the general umbrella of the EUROVERSITY Network While these projects have been initially designed and developed in specific local educational contexts, the inclusion of their activities within the EUROVERSITY network allow for greater visibility of the work being carried out and for the dissemination of project results within a wider, cross-disciplinary educational context and research community

However, as the network expands and more and more examples of best practice and research from a variety of contexts become available, we are now in a better position to take a greater critical stance towards how we, as

an educational community, are using virtual worlds In addition to this, as argued by Choi and Boek [31], virtual worlds, like all new media and their applications, also hold the potential of transforming our understanding of education in general

The following is an open-ended list of questions that have been put together

as a summary of where we are today and in an attempt to stimulate increased awareness of our current practice in the interest of further development

in teaching and the design of meaningful research frameworks These questions are:

§ How are we using virtual worlds?

§ For replication, simulation, experimentation, representation, communication?

§ How do we communicate in virtual worlds?

§ What teaching methods are we using?

§ Why?

§ How do virtual worlds make us feel as teachers?

§ What is the continuum between virtual-world education and virtual world education?

non-Luisa Panichi

[5] Analysis report on the most effective virtual world for teachers (Last accessed on December 11,2011) 89.202.197.83/avatar/images/files/Deliverable 10_FINAL_ Most Effective V-Platform for Teachers.pdf[6] de Freitas, S., Rebolledo-Mendez, G., Liarokapis, F., Magoulas, G., Poulovassilis, A (2010) Learning as immersive experiences: Using the four-dimensional framework for designing and evaluating immersive

learning experiences in a virtual world British Journal of Educational Technology, Vol 41(1), pp 69–85.

[7] Swift project Last accessed on 11/12/2011 at http://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/genetics/genie/projects/swift

[8] Bani, M., Genovesi, F., Ciregia, E., Piscioneri, F., Rapisarda, B., Salvatori,

E and Simi, M (2009) Learning by creating historical buildings In J

Molka-Danielsen and M Deutschmann (eds) Learning and Teaching

in the Virtual World of Second Life, Tapir Academic Press, Norway, pp

125-144

[9] Carter, B (2009) Enhancing virtual environments. In J Molka-Danielsen

and M Deutschmann (eds) Learning and Teaching in the Virtual World

of Second Life, Tapir Academic Press, Norway, pp 103-113

[10] Sant, T (2009) Performance in Second Life: some possibilities for learning and teaching In J Molka-Danielsen and M Deutschmann

(eds) Learning and Teaching in the Virtual World of Second Life, Tapir

Academic Press, Norway, pp 145-166

[11] TALETE project http://www.avatarproject.eu/avatar/images/AVATAR_handout_Francesco_Fedele_TALETE.pdf

[12] Panichi, L., Reiner, M., Stefanelli, C and Tramonti, M (2011) Science in virtual reality Examples from the Euroversity Network Refereed paper

accepted for the New Perspectives in Science Education Conference,

Pixel, Florence, Italy, 8-9 March, 2012 http://www.pixel-online.net/science/common/download/Abstract_pdf/251-NTST20-ABS-Panichi-NPSE.pdf

[13] Deutschmann, M and Panichi, L (2009) Instructional design, learner modeling, and teacher practice in Second Life In J Molka-Danielsen

and M Deutschmann (eds) Learning and Teaching in the Virtual World

of Second Life, Tapir Academic Press, Norway, pp 27-44

[14] Lim K (2009) A framework for designing curricular interventions world JVWR Vol 2, No 1: Pedagogy, Education and Innovation in Virtual Worlds, pp-3-11.

in-[15] Molka-Danielsen, J and Deutschmann, M (2009) Learning and Teaching in the Virtual World of Second Life, Tapir Academic Press,

Norway

[16] Bignell, S and Parson, V (2010) Best Practices in Virtual World Teaching

A guide to using problem-based learning in Second Life Preview-psych Project Available online at previewpsych.org/BPD2.0.pdf

[17] Cheney, A and Sanders, R.L (2011) Teaching and Learning in 3D Immersive Worlds: Pedagogical Models and Constructivist Approaches

Hershey: IGI Global

[18] Ritke-Jones, W (Ed.) (2010) Virtual Environments for Corporate Education: Employee Learning and Solutions Hershey: IGI Global.[19] Huang, H-M., Rauch, U., and Liaw, S-S (2010) Investigating learners’ attitudes toward virtual reality learning environments: Based on a

constructivist approach Computers & Education 55, pp.1171–1182.

[20] http://www.avalonlearning.eu/

[21] https://avalonlearning.pbworks.com/w/page/7682818/FrontPage[22] http://avalon-project.ning.com/group/slexperimentsteachersgroup[23] http://cms.hum.uu.nl/niflar/

[30] Deutschmann M & A Steinvall (2011) Identifying Identity Paper

presented at European Computer Assisted Language Learning Conference , 31/08-3/09 2011, Nottingham, U.K

[31] Choi, B and Baek, Y (accepted for publication 2011) Exploring factors

of media characteristic influencing Flow in learning through virtual

worlds Computers & Education, doi: 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.06.019.

Luisa Panichi

Implementing the Use of Virtual Worlds in the Teaching of Foreign Languages (Level A1)

1 Department of Modern Languages, Universidad de Cádiz (Spain)2,3Computer Science Department, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain)

E-mail: 1anke.berns@uca.es, 2antonio.gonzalez@uam.es,

3david.camacho@uam.es

Abstract

Since Virtual Worlds (VWs) have been recognized as a powerful tool in education, they have been attracting the interest of many educational institutions and instructors Our paper intends to explore the possibilities of using Virtual Worlds in foreign language teaching, focusing specifically on the A1 level (CEFR) of German language learners The present research demonstrates the authors’ experiences with the design of several game- like applications in a 3D virtual environment as well as their benefits for the teaching and learning process The paper commences with a short analysis

of the specific features of videogames It then continues by outlining the advantages of integrating them into Virtual Learning Platforms The aim of this analysis is to explore new ways of guaranteeing a highly interactive, motivating and effective learning environment, not only in face-to-face teaching, but also in the autonomous online learning process The latter is considered to be complementary to, rather than different from the dynamic of the face-to-face learning situation Our work combines theoretical research in language learning with a number of empirical studies using a 3D virtual game environment to measure the effectiveness of videogame-like applications on foreign language learning Finally, the paper concludes with an empirical evaluation of different language learning sessions in which students played the videogame-like application we had designed for this research project.

1 Introduction

Since the creation of Second Life in 2003, by Linden Lab, VWs have attracted the attention of many people from very different fields, including foreign language learning In the area of foreign language learning VWs are probably amongst the most challenging online tools, as they offer new possibilities as well as new perspectives regarding the teaching/learning process [1],[4],[6],[11],[15],[19] Some of the reasons for this are related to the fact that VWs offer several features which are very similar to natural language learning situations This explains why learning becomes, for many students, often more attractive (engaging) and dynamic in VWs than

VWs offer the recreation of environments which are very similar to real-life situations This allows the recreation of those scenarios that are difficult

to reproduce in the classroom, such as scenarios from a supermarket, shopping center, airport, etc All of them are fundamental scenarios in real-life interactions and thus are interesting for language acquisition

VWs offer the possibility to get in touch with other users including native speakers and to practice language directly through the use of voice and text chat

Even though the above mentioned features are quite interesting in language teaching [21] and in particular for the online teaching/ learning process, there are still other aspects which might make it difficult to use VWs with beginners of a foreign language One is related to the fact that students might feel disoriented or even lost in VWs This can be explained by the fact that VWs are usually very open spaces which allow users to switch from one place to another and to explore an almost unlimited number of different environments where they can meet, chat and talk with other people Whilst these features make VWs, for some language learners, highly attractive since they create the opportunity to practice language skills with native speakers worldwide, at the same time these same features make VWs less attractive for other learners In particular, VWs are less attractive for beginners, as they usually lack the very basic language skills necessary to interact with other speakers in the target language Therefore, the possibilities of taking advantage of VWs for their own language learning process are much lower when compared to that of advanced learners since the topics they would

be able to speak about are still very limited Taking into consideration the fact that the students our research project addresses are from the A1 level,

we needed to guarantee that they wouldn’t feel lost or disoriented in the virtual environment, but rather motivated to use it To do this we needed

a virtual environment which could be configured and fully controlled by the system administrators and instructors In this way we would be able to not only design specific tasks in accordance to our students’ language level and needs, but also to follow their individual task performance and learning progress In order to select the most appropriate learning environment, we started analyzing different Learning platforms (Second Life (SL), Active Worlds, Open Cobalt and OpenSim) as well as the possibility to add some additional tools [2],[3],[4]

Anke Berns, Antonio Gonzàlez-Pardo, David Camacho

1.1 OpenSim and VirtUAM

The reason why we selected the OpenSim platform [23] is that unlike other popular platforms such as Second Life, Active Worlds, etc., OpenSim is open source software that can be used with the appropriate software modules, as

an E-Learning platform or Learning Management System (LMS) In order to use OpenSim as an E-Learning platform we designed, on top of the OpenSim platform, a Virtual World platform which we called VirtUAM (Virtual Worlds at the Universidad de Madrid) This enabled us to design the mentioned game-like application VirtUAM is comprised of four different modules: a grid of computers hosting the 3D environments, a Web portal to provide users with access to information and data, several background databases and finally

a statistical module In our platform users can build their own virtual space with an almost unlimited number of objects to interact with Additionally, the platform can only be accessed by registered users In this way we can prevent external users from accessing the VW-learning environment and interfering in students’ task performance Furthermore, VirtUAM provides teachers and administrators with the possibility to modify and adapt the program, in accordance with the teaching purposes and students’ individual needs Such modifications might aim at storing the players’ behaviour within

a database system or even at including a mechanism which could detect individual learner problems and focus specifically on these problems [4],[22]

Fig 1 VirtUAM platform diagram

2 Game design

Taking into consideration the fact that our students are at the beginning level

of their language learning experience we were particularly concerned about designing very clear tasks to be performed by the students within the VW

It was at this point that we started exploring the possibilities of combining videogame-features with VWs [2],[4],[5],[12],[24] In the following section we are going to present the videogame-like application that we designed and we modified to include several game-features Among the features we included were the following:

§ All the activities were task-based and goal oriented

§ Feedback was delivered in real time

§ A score system was included

§ Most of the activities had a competitive element

The game we designed was a 3-D virtual videogame-like application called

“The supermarket-game” The game itself was based on student motivation and its impact on student learning when they are involved in an interactive task-based learning environment [7],[8],[10],[13] Additionally individual feedback on student task-performance [1],[4],[11],[16],[25] was included and delivered during the game The game’s main goal is to introduce basic vocabulary related to German food (vegetables, fruit, milk-products, cereals, etc.) and beverages In part, both had been previously practiced in face-to-face teaching and are now being fostered and widened through “The supermarket-game” The following table provides a brief overview of the main game structure and its different levels

As table 1 shows, the game is based on five rooms which, aside from one room, all aim to train the learners’ listening and reading skills whilst writing skills are practiced mainly through the use of text chat During the game students have to move through the different rooms (levels) with their avatar

Anke Berns, Antonio Gonzàlez-Pardo, David Camacho

In each level they face a new language task The game itself is built on

a bottom-up principle, focusing firstly on providing students with the necessary language input (level 1), secondly on the opportunity to train newly introduced vocabulary (levels 2 and 3) and thirdly, on the performance of the final task (level 4) This final task requires students to go shopping and acquire several items which are on the shopping lists displayed on the students’ monitor With the additional integration of a score-system we aimed not only to give students real-time feedback on their performance while playing, but also

to increase their motivation As discussed by several game researchers, motivation is enhanced by individual challenges [9],[10],[14],[16],[17],[18],[20] One of those challenges can be competition since it increases learners willingness to outperform other players Given this, competition is therefore seen to be a highly attractive game feature to be explored within the teaching and learning process

3 Empirical Evaluation

3.1 Experimental setup

During the current case study one lecturer and one language instructor was

on hand to answer queries from the players Additionally, several external observers analysed the data registered by the VirtUAM-platform The target group consisted of approximately 85 Spanish university students learning German Most of them were studying for a degree in modern languages while others in economics or engineering The students’ target language competence corresponded to the A.1.1 level (CEFR) All students were accustomed to being exposed solely to the target language from the very first moment of their language classes During the different sessions students were connected from home and invited to use the text chat by communicating solely in the target language Once the students became familiar with the game dynamic and learning tools they were free to play the game as often

as they wanted The purpose of game repetition was to give students the opportunity to reinforce their learning as well as to improve their scores

3.2 Game impact and evaluation

To measure the supermarket-game’s impact on student learning and motivation we designed a general questionnaire, to be completed by the student participants at the end of the study The results from the survey can be summarized as follows: 86% of the students state that their motivation towards online-learning increases significantly when learning contents are embedded in a game-based environment In addition to this, 88% of the students confirm that learning becomes easier, whereas 86% emphasize that it becomes even more entertaining than in other E-Learning environments such as Moodle or WebCT Moreover, 80% of the students stress their remarkable improvement in terms of vocabulary, 74% in terms of

pronunciation, 70% with regard to their listening skills and 38% concerning their writing skills When examining the results it was especially interesting that students became aware of the improvement in their writing skills since these had not been explicitly practiced within the game, only on an individual basis through text chat Additionally the results from the survey are reinforced

by the results from a pre- and posttest, which were completed by the students

participants before and after playing “The supermarket game” [2],[4].

4 Conclusions

It is acknowledged that the proposed study still presents several limitations, such as the omission of the voice chat, the need to increase cooperative activities as well as to provide learners with more opportunities for meaningful interaction with others It is also necessary to design more game-levels in accordance with learners different needs and it is necessary to compare the results of our empiric research with those of a control group However, some final conclusions can be supported by the previous experiment and the results obtained Turning back to our initial research question we can conclude that VWs can be used not only from upper intermediate (B1) up to higher language levels (C1), but also with beginner levels (A1) Nevertheless, they have to be used in different ways and according to the specific needs and language skills students have at each language level As our research project has shown, one of the possibilities to use VWs with beginners is to combine VWs with videogame-like features and thus design very specific and clear tasks to be performed by the learners individually as well as through interaction with others By including constant individual feedback on learners task performance learners feel highly supported and motivated throughout the learning process Furthermore, the results of the questionnaire have proven that students feel much more relaxed and free from fear of failure

in game-based environments than in traditional learning environments This can be explained by the fact that gaming is often perceived by students as fun and entertainment rather than related to learning Nonetheless, further research has to be done in order to explore the educational potential of VWs combined with videogame-like applications on the long-time perspective

Acknowledgement

This work has been funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation under the project ABANT (TIN2010-19872/TSI) We would like to thank Rita Segheri (University of Washington, Seattle) for her much valued suggestions

on this paper

Anke Berns, Antonio Gonzàlez-Pardo, David Camacho

2011 Ed by Simonelli Editore srl, (ISBN 978-88-7647-719-5).

[3] Berns, A., González-Pardo, A & Camacho Fernández, D (2011) Combining face-to-face teaching with online-learning in Virtual Worlds, Conference Proceedings, Eurocall 2011 Nottingham (submitted nov 2011)

[4] Berns, A., González-Pardo, A & Camacho Fernández, D (2011) Learning online with videogame-like applications and Virtual Worlds, ReCALL (submitted nov 2011)

[5] Chang, W.-Ch & Chou, Y.M (2008) Introductory C Programming Language Learning with Game-Based Digital Learning ICWL, 221-231.[6] De Freitas, S (2007) Learning in Immersive Worlds A Review of Game-Based Learning London: JISC

[7] Dörnyei, Z & Ushioda, E (2011) Teaching and researching motivation 2nd ed Harlow: Longman

[8] Ellis, R (2003) Task-based Language Learning and Teaching Oxford: Oxford University Press

[9] Garris, R & Ahlers, R (2002) Games, motivation and learning:

A research and practice model Simulation & Gaming 33 (4), 441-467.[10] Gee, J.P (2007) Good Video Games and Good Learning New York: Peter Lang

[11] Helmer, J (2007) Second Life and Virtual Worlds Technical Report Light

[12] Jenkins, H., Klopfer, E., Squire, K., & Tan, P (2003) Entering the Education Arcade ACM Computers in Entertainment, 1 (1),17-17.[13] Krashen, S.D (2003) Explorations in Language Acquisition and Use, Portsmouth: NH: Heinemann

[14] Lepper, M R & Cordova, D.I., (1992) A desire to be taught: instructional Consequences of Intrinsic Motivation Motivation and Emotion 16, 187-208

[15] Lim, K.Y.T (2009) The six learnings of Second Life: A framework for designing curricular interventions in-world.Journal of Virtual Worlds Research, Vol.2 (1), 1-11