On recommending online games for language learning
-
Upload
jean-paul-duquette -
Category
Education
-
view
286 -
download
2
description
Transcript of On recommending online games for language learning
![Page 1: On recommending online games for language learning](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062707/5584bc96d8b42a96768b4e9b/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Evaluating Online Games for Language Learning
Jean-Paul DuQuetteOsaka JALT Tech Day Plus
Hannan University, June 19, 2011
![Page 2: On recommending online games for language learning](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062707/5584bc96d8b42a96768b4e9b/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Why online games to practice English?
![Page 3: On recommending online games for language learning](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062707/5584bc96d8b42a96768b4e9b/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Well…
• Student: “I want to practice my English outside of class…”
• Teacher: “I want to give my students a more experiential research project.”
![Page 4: On recommending online games for language learning](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062707/5584bc96d8b42a96768b4e9b/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Quests = Authentic task-based learning (Long, 1985; Ballou, 2009)
![Page 5: On recommending online games for language learning](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062707/5584bc96d8b42a96768b4e9b/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Active, critical learning (Gee, 2007)Interactive English in text and voice
![Page 6: On recommending online games for language learning](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062707/5584bc96d8b42a96768b4e9b/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Supporting independent learner reflection, interaction and experimentation (Schweinhorst,
2008)
![Page 7: On recommending online games for language learning](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062707/5584bc96d8b42a96768b4e9b/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Anonymity/avatar use may increase confidence;
“The Proteus Effect” (Yee & Bailenson, 2007)
![Page 8: On recommending online games for language learning](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062707/5584bc96d8b42a96768b4e9b/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Opportunities for collaboration and friendship (McGonigal, 2010)
![Page 9: On recommending online games for language learning](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062707/5584bc96d8b42a96768b4e9b/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
On demand & often cost-free
![Page 10: On recommending online games for language learning](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062707/5584bc96d8b42a96768b4e9b/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Why not just use Second Life?
• Goals generated by the environment provide a sense of purpose (McGonigal, 2010)
• Addictiveness (read increased motivation)
• Clear feedback on your progress
![Page 11: On recommending online games for language learning](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062707/5584bc96d8b42a96768b4e9b/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
“Okay, I want to recommend a game…”
A reality checklist…
![Page 12: On recommending online games for language learning](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062707/5584bc96d8b42a96768b4e9b/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Hardware requirements
• Usually shown on the download page.
• Necessary memory, processing speed and recommended graphics cards.
• Requirements for online immersive environments may be high.
![Page 13: On recommending online games for language learning](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062707/5584bc96d8b42a96768b4e9b/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
“Grab”
• Ease of installation• Visual appeal• Interface intuitiveness• Quality of the back
story• Character
customizability• Usefulness of online
tutorial
![Page 14: On recommending online games for language learning](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062707/5584bc96d8b42a96768b4e9b/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
Game Text
• Includes all written and spoken language provided by the game designers
• Appropriate language difficulty
• Generalizability (specialized/site-specific vocabulary)
• Necessity for task completion
![Page 15: On recommending online games for language learning](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062707/5584bc96d8b42a96768b4e9b/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
Plus: User Text
• Does interplayer communication basically follow colloquial oral conventions?
• Or are communications done in “leetspeak”?
• 1000 words in a concordancer (like LexTutor: http://www.lextutor.ca/
![Page 16: On recommending online games for language learning](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062707/5584bc96d8b42a96768b4e9b/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
An aside: Text difficulty
• Impossible to gauge accurately
• Full texts are not made available (and are constantly changing).
• What language will the learner choose to be exposed to?
• 1) Caitlyn Gravefog needs someone to fight a wraith at the graveyard! You look like you can handle it. If you’re brave enough, find Caitlyn to the north.
• 2) Whoa! Don’t sneak up on people like that! I almost mistook you for some kind of graveyard ghost…
• 3) Hey, want to fight a wraith for me? It’s in the graveyard behind me. It’s really creepy, so please get rid of it!
• 4) Cursed Graveyard!• 5) Something sinister is moving about the graveyard.
Venture in and defeat the ominous presence!• 6) Goals• 7) Defeat the graveyard wraith!• 8) Don’t get knocked out 3 times!• 9) You received one 13 coins.• 10) You reveived one Spunky Scrapper.• 11) You win!• 12) Thanks for getting rid of that wraith. I may be a
gravedigger, that that thing was just scary!• 13) You receive one amateur brawler pants.• 14) The wraith came from a headstone I bought from Seth
McGrobie. That swindler!• 15) Find Seth and tell him I want a refund! The last thing I
need is MORE ghosts in my graveyard.• 16) As a brawler, find Seth McGrobie who was last seen
travelling southeast out of Stillwater Crossing.• 17) Yeah, yeah, you found me. I have bigger problems
now.• 18) I didn’t know the headstone was cursed, and now this
ghost won’t leave me alone! I’ll give Caitlyn a refund, but the Robgoblin Pondblasters stole my merchandise because this ghost distracted me. Get my merchandise back!
• 19) As a brawler, defeat Robgoblin Pondblasters to the east of Seth McGrobie’s camp, outside of Stillwater Crossing.
• 20) Careless robgoblins are using dynamite to fish! Stop them before someone gets hurt!
![Page 17: On recommending online games for language learning](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062707/5584bc96d8b42a96768b4e9b/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
Quests
• Are the quests meaningful and story-driven, or just grinding (repetitive quests, often involving the killing of monsters)?
• Do they require an inordinate familiarity with typical RPG mechanics or lightning fast hand-eye coordination?
![Page 18: On recommending online games for language learning](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062707/5584bc96d8b42a96768b4e9b/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Evaluation (for student projects)
• From a teaching perspective, is there a way to easily evaluate student progress?
• At the very least, is there a way to check whether students have actually been playing or not?
![Page 19: On recommending online games for language learning](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062707/5584bc96d8b42a96768b4e9b/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
Student Feedback
• Has the game been piloted by students?
• What are their impressions of the quality of learning done in such games?
![Page 20: On recommending online games for language learning](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062707/5584bc96d8b42a96768b4e9b/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
In a nutshell…
• Play• Graph• Pilot• Implement / recommend
![Page 21: On recommending online games for language learning](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062707/5584bc96d8b42a96768b4e9b/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Aside: Research opportunities
![Page 22: On recommending online games for language learning](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062707/5584bc96d8b42a96768b4e9b/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
1. Group projects in Free Realms
![Page 23: On recommending online games for language learning](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062707/5584bc96d8b42a96768b4e9b/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
2. LOTRO Language Study
![Page 24: On recommending online games for language learning](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062707/5584bc96d8b42a96768b4e9b/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
3. EFL in EVE Online: A Pilot Study
![Page 25: On recommending online games for language learning](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062707/5584bc96d8b42a96768b4e9b/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
Svensson, 2003
• “We have only started to explore the possibilities of virtual worlds in advanced language learning, and while there obviously is a long way to go, it seems clear they have a great deal to offer. Language learning is about language, immersion in other cultures, communication, media, intercultural meetings and role-play, and virtual arenas supply us with a place where all these can come together. It has been argued that we need to be open to exploring these worlds as well as letting students do much of the exploration themselves.” (140)
![Page 26: On recommending online games for language learning](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062707/5584bc96d8b42a96768b4e9b/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
References• Ballou, K. (2009). Language Learner Experiences in an Online Virtual
World. The JALT CALL Journal.• Long, M. (1985). A role for instruction in second language acquisition. In K.
Hyltenstam and M. Pienemann (eds), Modelling and Assessing Second Language Acquisition. Clevedon, Avon: Multilingual
Matters. • McGonigal, J. (2011). Reality is Broken. New York: The Penguin Press.• Schwienhorst, K. (2008). Learner Autonomy and CALL Environments. New
York: Routledge.• Svensson, P. (2003). Virtual worlds as arenas for language learning. In U.
Felix (ed), Language Learning Online: Towards Best Practice. Lisse: Swets & Zeitlinger.
• Yee, N. & Bailenson, J. (2007) The Proteus Effect: The effect of transformed self-representation on behavior. Human Communication Research, 33: 271-290.