Virtual world language learning: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 14:05, 5 December 2019

Revision as of 14:38, 5 December 2019

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Hundsberger (2009, p.&nbsp;18)<ref>Hundsberger S. (2009) ''Foreign language learning in Second Life and the implications for resource provision in academic libraries'', Arcadia Fellowship Programme, Cambridge University Library: http://arcadiaproject.lib.cam.ac.uk/docs/second_life.pdf</ref> defines a virtual classroom thus:

''"A virtual classroom in SL sets itself apart from other virtual classrooms in that an ordinary classroom is the place to learn a language whereas the SL virtual classroom is the place to practise a language. The connection to the outside world from a language lab is a 2D connection, but increasingly people enjoy rich and dynamic 3D environments such as SL as can be concluded from the high number of UK universities active in SL."''

To what extent a virtual classroom should offer only language practice rather than teaching a language as in a real-life classroom is a matter for debate. Hundsberger's view (p.&nbsp;18) is that "[...] SL classrooms are not viewed as a replacement for real life classrooms. SL classrooms are an additional tool to be used by the teacher/learner."

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*The first SLanguages conference took place on 23 June 2007. The SLanguages conference is now a free annual 24-hours event, bringing together practitioners and researchers in the field of language education in Second Life.<ref>SLanguages: A series of annual conferences for language teachers in Second Life: http://www.slanguages.net/home.php</ref>

*SL Experiments is a group managed by Nergiz Kern (Daffodil Fargis in Second Life) for collecting and sharing ideas on how to use Second Life for teaching foreign languages. The group meets twice a month in Second Life.<ref>SL Experiments: A group of language teachers interested in or already teaching in Second Life: http://slexperiments.pbworks.com/w/page/11306631/FrontPage</ref>

*The Virtual Round Table conference takes place twice a year, focusing on language learning and teaching technologies. A substantial part of the conference takes place in Second Life.<ref>Virtual Round Table: A semi-annual live online conference on language learning technologies: http://www.virtual-round-table.com/</ref>

*The Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education (VWBPE) is a global grass-roots community event focusing on education in immersive 3D environments.<ref>Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education (VWBPE): http://www.vwbpe.org/about</ref>

*The Virtual Worlds Education Roundtable (VWER) group meets each week to talk about issues that concern educators with regard to using virtual worlds as a teaching and learning tool.<ref>Virtual Worlds Education Roundtable (VWER): http://www.vwer.org/</ref>

*Immersive Education Initiative (iED) SummitSummits isare conferenceconferences organized specifically for educators, researchers, and administrators. iED Summits consist of presentations, panel discussions, break-out sessions and workshops that provide attendees with an in-depth overview of immersive learning platforms, technologies and cutting-edge research from around the world. iED Summits feature new and emerging virtual worlds, learning games, educational simulations, mixed/augmented reality, and related teaching tools, techniques, technologies, standards and best practices.<ref>Immersive Education Inititiative (iED): http://mediagrid.org/summit/index.html</ref>

*The Virtual World Conference is an annual conference exploring the uses of virtual worlds for learning, collaborative work and business. The first event was held on 15 September 2010 and hosted entirely in Second Life.<ref>Virtual World Conference: http://www.thevirtualworldconference.org/</ref>

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===Augmented reality language learning (ARLL)===

[[Augmented reality]] (AR) is the combination of real-world and computer-generated data so that computer generated objects are blended into real time projection of real life activities. Mobile AR applications, such as Blippar, Artivive, [[Layar]] and [[Wikitude]] enable immersive and information-rich experiences in the real world and are therefore blurring the differences between real life and virtual worlds. This has important implications for m-Learning ([[Mobile Assisted Language Learning]]), but hard evidence on how AR is used in language learning and teaching is difficult to come by.<ref>Vickers H. (2009) "Augmented Reality Language Learning – virtual worlds meet m-learning", Avatar Languages Blog: http://www.avatarlanguages.com/blog/arll/</ref>

The main aim is to promote social integration among users located in the same physical space, so that multiple users may access to a shared space which is populated by virtual objects while remaining grounded in the real world. In other words, it means: