Presentation for the 6th Slanguages 2012 Conference. Secondlife- Edunation

1. Role-playing in Virtual Worlds:
Learning a New Language -
Communities of practice to
Enhance Literacies and Creativity
Presented by: Dr. Doris Molero
Artstonia
6th Slanguages 2012
Language & culture in virtual worlds
Fri-Sun, 28-30 September 2012
Twitter hashtag #slang12
Conference Themes: Games and Machinima

2. Agenda
• What’s Role playing about?
– Role player’s definitions of role play
• Basics of Role playing
– Emotes, Vocabulary and Expressions
– Character Development
• Role Play Sims: Communities of Practice
• Role play Community Activities: Community of Practice Activities
• Meet the Role player and the EFL Professor: Pionia Destiny
• Role play situations as Language Learning Tool
• The cooking class a role play to learn a new language.
• Going on a hunt
Avilion: Harvest Festival

3. What’s Roleplaying about?
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Role play is a well established The best way to learn something is not
principle of education, to read or hear about it, but do it, even if
psychotherapy, self-exploration, and simulated. The corporate world trains
entertainment. We pretend to remove employees globally using this technique,
those limitations when simulating an while others enjoy it for entertainment. It's
experience. all about immersion."

4. Role players’ view of Roleplay
MAGGIE (magdalena.easterwood): Taking part in an
interaction between people each of whom are playing a role in
a continuing story. This story can take place during a certain
time period or under certain circumstances. It might include
roleplay based on a time in history.
Dawnbeam Dreamscape:
Rhi Role Playing like is being an
(rhiannon.skinstad): actress in an improv that never
ends. As we grow with our
Well, essentially, it's skills...our characters grow in
acting out a role richness...soon it is easy to
according to your "play" the role you have chosen
interpretation of it.
(gadget.cyberstar)
Daza Mistwalker: geee....I : roleplay is pretty
suppose it is playing a part in a much acting with a
giant medieval keyboard... you
psychodrama...a lot like role assume a role and
playing anywhere just in a time play it out to the
period that includes magic. best of your ability

5. Azucena Villota: role play is 'dress up' and imaginative play for grown ups. It
is superhero play, it is the ultimate good vs. evil play that we used to do on the
playgrounds and in our neighborhoods.
The difference is that it's hard to find other adults who enjoy running around in a
costume and losing themselves in fantasy play, like we did when we were
children. But in SL, you can do that. it's also a tool for self-exploration, if
someone will open themselves up to doing that. Otherwise, it can also be just a
power trip.
Kiila Blackheart: Roleplay Ondine Ninetails: not much
different form performing on
is like acting: you create a stage except there are
character and play it out all problems of 1. not seeing the
your thoughts, emotions, person in RL and gaining cues,
actions should reflect that body language, so we use
character. emotes.
Ryu Firehawk: Hmmm. Roleplay is the Rogan Farstrider:
act of taking on the persona of another I would say it was
character. This character can be allowing yourself
predefined, or can be of your own to be something
imagination. You then engage in events you want to be
with other roleplayers, acting and other than yourself
responding as your character would.

6. Basics of Roleplaying
[for a new roleplayer, the best I can say is to start out
[Daza Mistwalker: small... don't go full out god like most people... and the best
wellll.....emoting is way to make a post is to figure out what is around you, and
probably the real key how things are affected by what your character is doing...
say if you're playing as a wizard, and you throw a fireball...
what will happen? Are you knee deep in dry brush that can
easily catch fire? Are you on a mountainside, in which a
misplaced explosion can cause a rock slide? Are you in a
town, and a misplaced attack can light everything ablaze.
Remember, you are acting a part, and typing a story out
with other people... *shoots an arrow* will not do as a post
First, you need a good imagination.
Then a little research into the role you
are playing would be good. I read
about Druids when I started in Avilion.
then, you have to be able to work with
others and adapt quickly to nuances in
the RP.

7. Emotes, Vocabulary and Expressions
Emotes are an integral part of role play. Without them RP
would be pretty dull and flat. They are used to convey
moods, actions, and many other bits of information about our
characters. We emote in writing, never in voice.
Express what you hear smell, or see and how. For example:
/me looks at the healer and the dragon dancing happily
with a smile on her face* Ladies, May I join you?
* To describe an emotion we use: laughs, giggles,
chuckles, snickers, crying, weeping, etc.
* To describe an action we use: pointing, jumping, falling,
crawling, lurking, spying, etc.
* To describe a reaction we use: arching an eyebrow,
narrowing the eyes at someone, rolling your eyes, scratching
your head, etc.

8. Character Development
Races: Clases:
• Each race has a set of specific • Can you hit a target with a bow from
features, abilities and one-hundred meters like a Ranger?
weaknesses. • Perhaps you are skilled with the blade
• Centaurs, Elves, Drow, as much as you are with honor and are
Halflings, Dragons, Dwarves, a Knight?
Ents, Fawns/Satyrs, Mermaids, • Do you feel the power of magic
Humans, Faes/Fairies/Pixies, coursing through you and are a Magi?
wildlife such as birds and
• Perhaps you can feel the life force from
wolves, demons, spirits of the
forest, and many more. the earth and are a Druid?
• Or perhaps you prefer to stay in the
shadows like a Rogue?
Aligment • Maybe you enjoy the art of song and
• It is the moral or ethical perspective weaving stories and enjoy being a
of the character. This helps guide what Bard?
your character will or will not do. • Or maybe you're tricky and cunning like
Some basic alignments for characters a Gypsy and enjoy keeping secrets?
include.
• Are you Good, Evil, or Neutral? Are
you Lawful, Chaotic, or Neutral?

9. Creating a Character
• Name and Nicknames if any: • Alignment: (Are you Good, Evil,
((What is your Characters Name) or Neutral? Are you Lawful,
Chaotic, or Neutral?)
• Avatars name: (If different then
your characters name, this is your • Class: (Again be as specific as
SecondLife Name) possible- Example if you are a
Magic-User what kind are you? A
Druid? A Wizard? A Mage?)
• Age: (Character's Age = Age here
should align to the age of your
race, and the maturity level of your • What is your history?
character. Be sure to research (Characters Back Story)
elves, dwarves, etc... if you are • What powers do you have (i.e.
choosing a non-human being.) merits) (Characters special
abilities)
• Race: (Be as specific as you can • What are your flaws?
here- example if you are an Elf, (Characters weaknesses)
what type of Elf are you? A Moon • Any other important details?
Elf? A Drow? (Character's Likes and Dislikes)
•

10. Role-playing Communities
Second Life is
home to a large
number of
virtual world
role-playing
communities,
including:
• goth,
• vampire,
• steampunk,
• fantasy,
• historical,
• pirate and
• nautical
communities.

11. International Role Player sims
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Sylvhara%20Elen/124/168/35
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Avilion%20Grove/99/127/42

12. Role-playing as a Community of Practice
The practice: Members of a
Communities of community of practice are
practice are groups of practitioners. They develop a
people who share a shared repertoire of
concern or a passion for resources: experiences,
something they do and stories, tools, ways of
learn how to do it better addressing recurring
as they interact regularly. problems —in short a shared
practice. This takes time and
Etienne sustained interaction.
Wenger (2006)
The domain: A community
of practice has an identity
defined by a shared domain The community: In pursuing
of interest. Membership their interest in their domain,
therefore implies a members engage in joint
commitment to the domain, activities and discussions,
and therefore a shared help each other, and share
competence that information. They build
distinguishes members from relationships that enable them to
other people. learn from each other.

13. Problem solving Quests / battle planning /ritual preparetions /
setting the scene for a roleplay
Requests for information New comers, getting background information
to create a character or develop a story
for a roleplay
Seeking experience Asking more experienced roleplayers or the
community in general using the group
chat
Reusing assets Reusing old roleplay scripts and adapting
them to new players and resources.
Coordination and synergy Guild members working together on special
events they sponsor.
Discussing developments After battles discussions of what strategies
worked or not.
Documentation projects Guild meetings to assign responsibilities.
Documents of the meetings or scripts of
the role play are kept and shared with
the community. “chronicle” Libraries
Visits Tours of the realms to teach new members
and to attract new ones.
Mapping knowledge and identifying gaps Combat classes, guild meetings

14. Monday, Jan. 17th:
11:00 am Archery Class in Eternity
12:00 pm Longbow Class in Avilion
12:30 pm Druidry (Non-Combat) in Avilion
1:30 pm Tour of Avilion Heart in Avilion
2:30 pm Advanced Ranger Training in Avilion
3:00 pm Joust Tournament in Eternity
4:00 pm Beginning Archery in Avilion
6:00 pm Archery Class in Eternity
7:00 January OOC Party in Valahari
8:00 pm Wizardry Class and Tournament in Avilion

15. Adventures of an EFL Professor Role player
Guardian of Avilion - Druid of Avilion
Mage of Artsonia
Warrior of Sylvhara
Archmage of Crimson Chaos
EFL Professor at URBE EFL Center in SL

16. How Role Play Enhance Language
Learning
• Promoting autonomous
language learning.
• Role players develop
critical skills that allow
them to get digitally literate.
• Reading comprehension
• Research skills
• Writing skills
• Speaking skills
• Listening skills
• World culture
• Connecting to others
• Learning in a community of
practice.
• Becoming tutors and
teachers
• New generations of
students find it easier to
interact in immersive
environments

17. Events that support language learning:
Joining a Guild
• Mentoring
• Sense of belonging
• Specific tasks and
classes
• Learning by looking at
models
• Research for knowledge
and advancing
• Reaching goals
• Sense of community

18. Festivities
• Community get together
• Preparations are made
• Cultural exchanges
• Cultural knowledge of the
traditions of the time.
• Research to make it authentic.
• Alll guilds are involved
• Materials and tools are used and
shared.
• New elements are incorporated

19. Having a home in town
• Feeling at ease
• Opportunity for
natural exchanges
• Meeting neigbors
• Running errands in
the town
• Sense of belonging
• Faster way to learn
the culture of the
community.

20. Building classes
• Following instructions
• Reading from
notecards
• Asking and getting
help from others

21. Social Events: Weddings
• Meaningful exchanges
• Traditions are adapted to race and class as well
as culture
• Exposure to social language.

22. Advancement Ceremonies
• Leveling
• Mentoring
• Recognition of
achievements
• Whole community
celebrates

23. Combat Classes
• Critical thinking
• Team work
• Collaborating
• Mentoring
• Strategic thinking

24. Battles: Chickens Vs. Dragons
• Battles as part of role
play
• Whole community
participates
• Team work
• Great Fun!

25. Artifacts, Memorabilia, Records
Videos
Notecards: scripts,
announces,
rolepalying tips
Social networks
Blogs, wikies
Interest groups

27. Role Play Demo
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Warwick/119/54/1601

28. Cooking in a Fantasy World
How to cook rice with milk (Arroz con leche)
• Get some rice and milk
• Place them on the table or near the cooker.
• Click the cooking pot
• You will get a menu and you will see a rice button and a milk button.
If they are not there. Click *search*
• Click the milk button. The cooker will load milk first.
• Next, click the rice button and the cooker will load rice second.
• The order of the ingredients is important. If you mistake the order it
can’t be fixed.
• Click the cook button and wait until the dish is ready.
• Once it’s ready, you’ll get a dish with rice with milk.

29. References
• Communties of practice: http://www.ewenger.com/theory
/
• Language and Learning in the Digital Age James Paul
Gee, Elisabeth Hayes, Elisabeth R. Hayes
• Digital Genres, New Literacies and Autonomy in
Language Learning http://www.c-s-p.org/flyers/978-1-
4438-2341-8-sample.pdf
• What is role play?
http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Role_play
• Role Play sims
http://medievaltimesinsl.wordpress.com/rp-sims/

30. Blogs:
http://medievalroleplay.blogspot.com/
EFL Professor in SL
Doris3m EFL Center
Twitter: doris3m
Facebook: Doris Molero
Second Life: Pionia Destiny
Google talk: doris3m
Skype: Dorismolero
Wikieducator: Doris molero
Dr. Doris Molero
University Professor
Rafael Belloso Chacin University
doris3m@gmail.com
doris.molero@urbe.edu
Role-playing in Virtual Worlds: Learning a New Language - Communities of
practice to Enhance Literacies and Creativity
6th Slanguages 2012