scholarly journals Interaction games to boost students’ engagement in foreign language virtual exchanges: the case of virtual worlds and video-communication

2021 ◽  
pp. 41-45
Author(s):  
Silvia Canto ◽  
Kristi Jauregi-Ondarra

Game-based learning is gaining popularity in language education. For the present study, three games were developed with a central focus on intercultural interaction to be played internationally in dyads or small groups using Video-Communication (VC) tools or a Virtual World (VW). The interactions were carried out in Spanish as a Lingua Franca (LF) between 32 university students over a period of three weeks. Different sources of data were gathered in order to study how games, played in an intercultural setting in VWs and VC, influence or not key affective variables in language learning. Initial results of the final questionnaires show that the interaction games did boost students’ engagement in virtual exchanges, but results were more promising for the VC than the VW condition.

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabela Melchor-Couto

Technology has made an invaluable contribution to foreign language (FL) teaching, particularly so in recent years. The advanced technical capabilities offered by digital games, including voice and text chat, take the use of computer-mediated communication in language learning one step further, allowing for remote, anonymous and situated learner interaction. This article presents an overview on how virtual worlds (VWs) are being used for educational purposes and for FL teaching in particular. A literature review on existing research has been included, covering areas such as FL interaction, impact on affective variables and attitudes towards the use of these environments. Special attention will be devoted to how VW interaction may affect students’ anxiety, motivation and self-efficacy beliefs. Finally, teacher perceptions will be explored through the data collected among 179 secondary school FL teachers participating in the EU-funded TeCoLa project (‘Pedagogical differentiation through telecollaboration and gaming for intercultural and content integrated language teaching’).


2019 ◽  
Vol 2018 (1) ◽  
pp. 360
Author(s):  
Mehrasa Alizadeh

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are expanding into various fields of education. Thanks to AR and VR, teachers can bring a whole new dimension to the realm of language education, resulting in enhanced learning and increased motivation and engagement. With smartphones and inexpensive VR headsets, teachers are able to take a step forward in blurring the boundaries between the real and virtual worlds, giving their students immersive learning experiences. However, many ELT practitioners are not familiar with or keen on integrating AR/VR-related learning tools and resources into their classes (Bonner & Reinders, 2018; Santos et al., 2016). To get readers more acquainted with AR/VR uses in language education, the author first outlines the basic concepts within this area of research and practice. An AR/VR application is introduced in detail, followed by discussion on the use of this app in language learning. 拡張現実(AR)および仮想現実(VR)は絶えず様々な教育分野に拡大している。ARとVRによって、学習の強化やモチベーションとエンゲージメントの向上が可能となり、言語教育の領域に全く新しい次元をもたらすことができる。スマートフォンや安価なVRヘッドセットの使用によって、現実世界と仮想世界の境界を曖昧にすることで、学生は没入型の学習体験を得られる。しかし、ELT実務家の多くは、AR・VR関連の学習ツールとリソースを教育実践に統合する方法に馴染みがなかったり、統合自体に関心がない現状がある(Bonner & Reinders, 2018; Santos et al., 2016)。読者の言語教育におけるAR・VRの使用法に関する詳細な理解を深めるために、まずこの分野の研究と実践の基本的な概念を概説する。また、AR及びVRアプリケーションについて詳しく説明した上で、このアプリケーションを言語学習に使用する方法について説明する。


Neofilolog ◽  
2012 ◽  
pp. 117-130
Author(s):  
Iwona Janowska

Language learning in cooperation is a social and sociocultural dimension of action-based approach. By means of language education the school prepares students to undertake social activities and to cooperate with native language speakers. Therefore, teamwork teaching and learning, team pursuance of mutual goals with the use of foreign language has become one of the priorities of action-based didactics. We usually talk about positive aspects of teamwork in the context of communication teaching. Team cooperation is less frequently perceived as a form of pursuing another goal of language education, i.e. linguistic competence development. Apart from pursuing communicative goals work in small groups lets the learners get involved in explicit work with language structures, observe and discover language rules, test formed hypotheses in texts they create and master their competencies by reflecting on the language. The purpose of the paper is to present organisational forms of classes applied most frequently in foreign language teaching and learning actionbased process.


Author(s):  
Mark Peterson ◽  
Qiao Wang ◽  
Maryam Sadat Mirzaei

This chapter reviews 28 learner-based studies on the use of network-based social virtual worlds in second language learning published during the period 2007-2017. The purpose of this review is to establish how these environments have been implemented and to identify the target languages, methods used, research areas, and important findings. Analysis demonstrates that research is characterized by a preponderance of small-scale studies conducted in higher education settings. The target languages most frequently investigated were English, Spanish, and Chinese. In terms of the methodologies adopted, analysis reveals the majority of studies were qualitative in nature. It was found that the investigation of learner target language production, interaction, and affective factors represent the primary focus of research. Although positive findings relating to the above areas have been reported, the analysis draws attention to gaps in the current research base. The researchers provide suggestions for future research.


Author(s):  
Carmela Dell’Aria

This chapter focuses on a Second Language Acquisition (SLA) study conducted in virtual worlds that could help teachers in terms of knowledge about acquisition processes, in which technology is integration between formal and non formal education. The research comprises of two studies strongly focused on the development of Italian oral language proficiency. It was held within Second Life® (SL™)1 in order to explore the affordances of public spaces to enhance Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC)2 and to stimulate the oral production through learner’s engagement. Since 2007, a new pilot project, Café Italia, was developed by Carmela Dell’Aria (aka Misy Ferraris) in Second Life®. Starting from theory and research (SLA and Linguistics) the project leads to effective language learning practice. As matter of fact, the research moves to analyze learners’ needs, to give a focus for instruction, to adapt technology to their needs through experimentation, and to evaluate the results.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. e0243827
Author(s):  
Ruofei Zhang ◽  
Gary Cheng ◽  
Xieling Chen

Game-based learning and self-regulated learning have long been valued as effective approaches to language education. However, little research has been conducted to investigate their integration, namely, game-based self-regulated language learning (GBSRLL). This study aims to conceptualise GBSRLL based on the combination of theoretical analysis, thematic evolution analysis, and social network analysis on the research articles in the fields of game-based language learning and self-regulated language learning. The results show that GBSRLL is a new interdisciplinary field emerging since the period from 2018 to 2019. Self-regulated learning strategies that can be performed in GBSRLL, the effects of GBSRLL on learners’ affective states, and the features in GBSRLL were the prominent research topics in this field. Its theoretical foundation centres on the positive correlations between learner motivation, self-efficacy, and autonomy and the implementation of game-based learning and self-regulated learning. It is feasible to conduct GBSRLL due to the strong supportiveness of game mechanics for various phases and strategies of self-regulated learning. More contributions to this new interdisciplinary field are called for, especially from the aspects of the long-term effects of GBSRLL on academic performance and the useful tools and technologies for implementing GBSRLL.


2009 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 189-198
Author(s):  
Manuela Derosas

Since the early ’80s the adjective "intercultural" in language learning and teaching has seemed to acquire a remarkable importance, although its meaning is strongly debated. As a matter of fact, despite the existence of a vast literature on this topic, difficulties arise when applying it in the classroom. The aim of this work is to analyze the elements we consider to be the central pillars in this methodology, i.e. a renewed language-and culture relation, the Intercultural Communicative Competence, the intercultural speaker. These factors allow us to consider this as a new paradigm in language education; furthermore, they foster the creation of new potentialities and configure the classroom as a significant learning environment towards the discovery of Otherness.


Author(s):  
Marco Civico

AbstractThe objective of this paper is to develop an simulation model able to test different language education orientations and their consequences for the EU population in terms of linguistic disenfranchisement, that is, the inability of citizens to understand EU documents and parliamentary discussions should their native language(s) no longer be official. I will focus on the impact of linguistic distance and language learning. Ideally, this model would be a tool to help EU policy makers make informed decisions about language practices and education policies, taking into account their consequences in terms of diversity and linguistic disenfranchisement. The model can be used to force agents to make certain choices in terms of language skills acquisition. The user can then go on to compare different scenarios in which language skills are acquired according to different rationales. The idea is that, by forcing agents to adopt certain language learning strategies, the model user can simulate policies promoting the acquisition of language skills and get an idea of their impact. In this way, the model allows not only to sketch various scenarios of the evolution of language skills among EU citizens, but also to estimate the level of disenfranchisement in each of these scenarios.


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