Content deleted Content added
→Approaches to language education in virtual worlds: punct., link |
Filled in 3 bare reference(s) with reFill (), overlink |
||
Line 8:
Three-dimensional virtual worlds such as ''Traveler'' and [[Active Worlds]], both of which appeared in the 1990s, were the next important development. ''Traveler'' included the possibility of audio communication (but not text chat) between avatars represented as disembodied heads in a three-dimensional abstract landscape. Svensson (2003) describes the Virtual Wedding Project, in which advanced students of English made use of ''Active Worlds'' as an arena for constructivist learning.<ref>Svensson P. (2003) "Virtual worlds as arenas for language learning". In Felix U. (ed.) ''Language learning online: towards best practice'', Lisse: Swets & Zeitlinger.</ref> The [[Adobe Atmosphere]] software platform was also used to promote language learning in the Babel-M project (Williams & Weetman 2003).<ref>Williams C. & Weetman C. (2003) Babel-M: A virtual environment for the promotion of language learning, [http://www.parapal-online.co.uk/prof/atmosphere_design.html ''Paragraph PAL''], 23 June 2003.</ref>
The 3D world of [[Second Life]] was launched in 2003. Initially perceived as another [[role-playing game]] (RPG), it began to attract the attention of language teachers. 2005 saw the first large-scale language school, [[Languagelab.com]], open its doors in Second Life. By 2007, Languagelab.com's custom [[VoIP]] (audio communication) solution was integrated with Second Life. Prior to that, teachers and students used separate applications for voice chat.<ref name="auto">Erard M. (2007) "A Boon to Second Life Language Schools: New Technology will Allow High-Quality Audio in a Virtual World", ''Technology Review'', 10 April 2007: http://www.technologyreview.com/Infotech/18510/page1/</ref>
Many universities, such as Monash University,<ref>Monash University: http://www.monash.edu.au/international/dvc/virtualworlds/monashsecondlife.html</ref> and language institutes, such as [[British Council|The British Council]], [[Confucius Institute]], [[Instituto Cervantes]] and the Goethe-Institut,<ref>Goethe-Institut: http://www.goethe.de/frm/sec/enindex.htm</ref> have islands in Second Life specifically for language learning. Many professional and research organisations support virtual world language learning through their activities in Second Life. [[EUROCALL]] and [[CALICO (consortium)|CALICO]], two leading professional associations that promote language learning with the aid of new technologies, maintain a joint Virtual Worlds Special Interest Group (VW SIG) and a headquarters in Second Life.<ref>EUROCALL/CALICO Virtual Worlds SIG: http://virtualworldssig.ning.com</ref>
Recent examples of creating sims in virtual worlds specifically for language education include VIRTLANTIS, which has been a free resource for language learners and teachers and an active community of practice since 2006,<ref>VIRTLANTIS: Free Virtual World Language Learning - Come speak with the world!: http://www.virtlantis.com</ref> the EU-funded NIFLAR project,<ref>Networked Interaction in Foreign Language Acquisition and Research (NIFLAR): http://niflar.ning.com</ref> the EU-funded AVALON project,<ref>Access to Virtual and Action Learning live ONline (AVALON): http://avalon-project.ning.com/</ref> and the EduNation Islands, which have been set up as a community of educators aiming to provide information about and facilities for language learning and teaching.<ref name="auto1">EduNation Islands wiki: http://edunation-islands.wikispaces.com/</ref> NIFLAR is implemented both in Second Life and in [[OpenSimulator|OpenSim]].<ref name="auto2">NIFLAR (Networked Interaction in Foreign Language Acquisition and Research): http://niflar.ning.com/</ref> Numerous other examples are described by Molka-Danielsen & Deutschmann (2009),<ref>Molka-Danielsen J. & Deutschmann M. (eds.) (2009) ''Learning and teaching in the virtual world of Second Life'', Tapir Academic Press, Trondheim, Norway.</ref> and Walker, Davies & Hewer (2012).<ref>Walker R., Davies G. & Hewer S. (2012) Introduction to the Internet. Section 14.2.1 (Second Life) of Module 1.5 in Davies G. (ed.) ''Information and Communications Technology for Language Teachers (ICT4LT)'', Slough, Thames Valley University [Online]: http://www.ict4lt.org/en/en_mod1-5.htm#secondlife</ref>
Since 2007 a series of conferences known as SLanguages have taken place, bringing together practitioners and researchers in the field of language education in Second Life for a 24-hour event to celebrate languages and cultures within the 3D virtual world.<ref>
With the decline of second life due to increasing support for open source platforms<ref>Karlov, Maria (2012) "OpenSim gains record-breaking 2,177 regions",http://www.hypergridbusiness.com/2012/09/opensim-gains-record-breaking-2177-regions/</ref> many independent language learning grids such as English Grid<ref>{{cite web|url=http://englishgrid.com|title=keating.me Secure Email|publisher=}}</ref> and Chatterdale<ref>Trombly, Anastasiahave (2012): http://www.hypergridbusiness.com/2012/05/virtual-worlds-offer-variety-less-stress-for-language-learners/</ref> have emerged.
==Approaches to language education in virtual worlds==
Line 89:
===Voice chat===
Earlier virtual worlds, with the exception of ''Traveler'' (1996), offered only text chat. Voice chat was a later addition.<ref>Craig, Kathleen (2006) "Voice Chat Comes to Online Games", ''Wired'', 7 August 2006.</ref> Second Life did not introduce voice capabilities until 2007. Prior to this, independent [[VoIP]] systems, e.g. [[Ventrilo]], were used. Second Life's current internal voice system has the added ability to reproduce the effect of distance on voice loudness, so that there is an auditory sense of space amongst users.<ref
Other virtual worlds, such as ''[[Twinity]]'', also offer internal voice systems. Browser-based 3D virtual environments tend to only offer text-chat communication, although voice chat seems likely to become more widespread.<ref>Seiler, Joey (2009) "Vivox Launches Toolbar For Browser-Based Voice Chat", ''EngageDigital'', 18 March 2009: http://www.engagedigital.com/blog/2009/03/18/vivox-launches-toolbar-for-browserbased-voice-chat/</ref> Vivox<ref>Vivox online communications services: http://www.vivox.com/</ref> is one of the leading integrated voice platform for the social web, providing a Voice Toolbar for developers of virtual worlds and multiplayer games. Vivox is now spreading into OpenSim at an impressive rate, e.g. Avination is offering in-world Vivox voice at no charge to its residents and region renters, as well as to customers who host private grids with the company.<ref>Korolov, Maria (2011) "Avination first with Vivox voice on OpenSim", ''Hypergrid Business'', 11 March 2011: http://www.hypergridbusiness.com/2011/03/avination-first-opensim-grid-to-offer-vivox-voice/</ref> English Grid began offering language learning and voice chat for language learners using Vivox in May, 2012.<ref>Korolov, Maria (2011)"English learning grid launched" May 7, 2012: http://www.hypergridbusiness.com/2012/05/english-learning-grid-launched/</ref>
Line 96:
==Owning and renting land in virtual worlds==
Owning or renting land in a virtual world is necessary for educators who wish to create learning environments for their students. Educators can then use the land to create permanent structures or temporary structures embedded within [[#Holodecks|holodecks]], for example the EduNation Islands in Second Life.<ref
Some language teaching projects, for example NIFLAR, may be implemented both in Second Life and in [[OpenSimulator|OpenSim]].<ref
The Immersive Education Initiative revealed (October 2010) that it would provide free permanent virtual world land in OpenSim for one year to every school and non-profit organization that has at least one teacher, administrator, or student in attendance of any Immersive Education Initiative Summit.<ref>Korolov, Maria (2010) "Initiative: free land for educators migrating from Second Life", ''Hypergrid Business'', 15 October 2010:
Line 106:
Many islands in Second Life have language- or culture-specific communities that offer language learners easy ways to practise a foreign language (Berry 2009).<ref>Berry C. D (2009) [http://news.rutgers.edu/focus/issue.2009-04-06.1814922901/article.2009-04-07.1692917645 "Virtual reality and high-tech simulations breathe second life into language classes"], ''Focus'', Rutgers University: USA, NJ. Retrieved 8 March 2011.</ref> Second Life is the widest-used 3D world among members of the language teaching community, but there are many alternatives. General-purpose virtual environments such as Hangout and browser-based 3D environments such as ExitReality and 3DXplorer offer 3D spaces for social learning, which may also include language learning. [[Google Street View]] and [[Google Earth]]<ref>{{cite news |last=Language Resource Center at UNC Charlotte |title=Google Earth Activities for Foreign Language Classes |url=http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2496396767023982994&hl=en&fs=true |work=Presentation at Instructional Technology Showcase |date=2007-10-11 |accessdate = 2009-06-22}}</ref> also have a role to play in language learning and teaching.
''
[[OpenSimulator|OpenSim]] is employed as free open source standalone software, thus enabling a decentralized configuration of all educators, trainers, and users. Scott Provost, Director at the Free Open University, Washington DC, writes: "The advantage of Standalone is that Asset server and Inventory server are local on the same server and well connected to your sim. With Grids that is never the case. With Grids/Clouds that is never the case. On OSGrid with 5,000 regions and hundreds of users scalability problems are unavoidable. We plan on proposing 130,000 Standalone mega regions (in US schools) with Extended UPnP Hypergrid services. The extended services would include a suitcase or limited assets that would be live on the client".<ref>Immersive Worlds Tool Ranking: http://immersive-worlds-tool-ranking.grouply.com/message/474</ref> Such a standalone sim offers 180,000 prims for building, and can be distributed pre-configured together with a virtual world viewer using a USB storage stick or SD card. Pre-configured female and male avatars can also be stored on the stick, or even full-sim builds can be downloaded for targeted audiences without virtual world experience. This is favorable for introductory users who want a sandbox on demand and have no clue how to get started.
Line 128:
===Massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs)===
MMOGs (massively multiplayer online games) are also used to support language learning, for example the World of Warcraft in School project.<ref>
===Synthetic immersive environments (SIEs)===
| |||