A language teaching experiment in Second Life.

1. Exploring Second Life®
for Language Learning and Teaching
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2. Outline of Presentation
‣ My interest in Second Life
‣ Learning to use SL
‣ SLexperiments Wiki and group
‣ Finding a place and students to teach
‣ The course
‣ The SLexperiments blog
‣ Student feedback
‣ Conclusion
‣ How to contact me
‣ Q&A
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3. My interest in Second Life
‣ I‘m a visual learner
‣ Learning at school was not
very motivating for me
‣ I like technology and the
Internet
‣ I had heard that SL is
immersive and immersive
learning is very effective
‣ Learning by doing and with as
many senses as possible
involved is more memorable
‣ SL‘s game-like nature
‣ Many opportunities for
students to practise English
‣ Looking for motivating ways to
teach online
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4. Learning to use SL
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5. Learning to use SL
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6. SLexperiments Wiki and Group
‣ Share knowledge ‣ Support each other
‣ Learn together ‣ Meet in-world
‣ Share resources ‣ Discuss and socialise
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7. Finding a place and students to teach
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8. The course
‣ Pre-intermediate ‣ Nationalities: Turkish,
‣ General English Qatari, Egyptian, Saudi
‣ Mixed ability Arabian, Indian, French
‣ SL + Moodle ‣ 6 weeks, 12x90min
‣ 6 - 10 students
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9. The course – Preparation
‣ Deciding what to teach
‣ Coursebooks (topics, systems, skills)
‣ Past courses at this level
‣ Mix of activities, topics, systems, skills
‣ During the course
‣ Deciding how to teach
‣ How to adapt activities, materials and games to SL
‣ What is possible in SL which is not possible in RL?
‣ Which tools do I need/have?
‣ Writing the lessons plans
‣ Preparing the lessons in-world
‣ Inventory: tools, notecards, slides
‣ Selecting locations (landmarks)
‣ Setting the scene
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10. The course – Lessons
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11. The course – Lessons
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12. The course – Lessons
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13. The course – Problems?
‣ What happened?
‣ Students didn‘t want/couldn‘t use voice
‣ Preparation and activities take more time than in RL
‣ Real Life sometimes interfered
‣ Lag, crashes
‣ Kept loosing my skirts :)
‣ no major issues (we were very lucky)
‣ Exhausting for teacher: teaching, IMs, taking notes, Real Life
‣ What could happen?
‣ Time zone differences
‣ Technical issues (no Internet connection, SL down, etc)
‣ Griefers (the locations were accessible for everybody)
‣ Offensive clothing or behaviour (nudity, etc).
‣ Addiction (SL can be addictive and I feel responsible for
students I bring into SL. On the other hand, I provide a
good alternative with my lessons to spend time in-world)
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14. The SLexperiments blog
‣ Reflecting + processing ‣ Sharing with colleagues
‣ Professional development ‣ Making a case for
‣ Hoping for feedback teaching in virtual worlds
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15. Student feedback
‣ Do you think your English has improved?
Yes, I think my English has improved a lot. First of all, I have learned a lot of
new things (words - grammar - ..) in the class. I usually practice speaking Yes, My Grammar was not that good and it's
English with other family members, and in the university, and I see that my better now. For example I used to put past tens
confidence in speaking has improved, and my speaking has became better. We after did like: Where did you came from? and
have a project where we communicate with different organizations, and learned that is wrong.
sometimes we have to talk English with foreign people. I found myself in the
previous weeks talking easily and more confidently to them. I helped a friend in
writing her essays, and those essays got good marks, which means my writing
has improved.
Yes but unfortunately, I joined the group too late.
Yes, because now I know new vocabulary and I can say it Correctly.
Cube I was say it "cb" it "cuwb"
This courses very useful, educational and amusing. I learned a lot of words.
for example I learned sl bulding prims and geometrical shape, i learned to
reuters job
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16. Student feedback
‣ Which activities were most effective for your learning? Why?
Taking the other students in a tour to a place, and the games we played
together: it's so fun, and makes students interact with each other. Preparing and When take Character like Journalist or tourists
giving presentation: it's something that you do by yourself, so you learn more by guide etc. Using Second Life objects like cube,
preparing for the presentation. sphere and other objects because that make
Listening to the teacher, and learning about the different accents and mean of words so easy the pictures is the easy
pronunciations: This has improved my speaking, as I learned the correct way describe any thing.
pronunciation of some words, and now my ear is more sensitive for different
accents.
Meeting and having guests in the class: I liked listening to Dennis, and Breathe.
I liked the idea of writing a letter to Dennis. I learned a lot from listening to them.
For me all were effective,
Doing the homeworks: These were the most fun homeworks I've ever did. I liked
because I learned from each one.
using the voice thread (although I didn't use voice ^-^;), and I liked writing in the
blog and the forums.
Doing the feedbacks: I don't know how to explain it, but I think it is very useful
way to use your English to express how you felt about the class (Answering the
questions).
Interaction and the subject present of the student
Having the teacher feedbacks on me: It gave me confidence, and helped me
improve more.
Speaking, writing and especially listening
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17. Student feedback
‣ What did/didn't you like about your teacher and the way
she taught?
I liked her way in teaching. It was fun and the fun
What I liked: Greeting us, asking how are we doing and chatting with us at the part is very important in learning for me.
beginning of each class. Making all students participate. New topics and new
teaching ideas every lecture. Different homeworks ideas. Feedbacks on the
teacher and the students. What I didn't like: hmmmmmmm I really can't find
anything.
Ms Nergis successful and determined a teacher. I grateful herself
nothing
Using useful sites and games like: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ http://
voicethread.com/ http://www.ur.se/sprk/engelska/inredning/ Make lessons
iteams in sound files like shapes sound file. Give example for home work.
the thing wich i did't like it the teacher make us stad up big times and that
make us tired.
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18. Student feedback
‣ If you had to pay for the course, would you want …
a) traditional lessons 0.00 %
b) interactive lessons with field trips, interviews, 60.00 %
student presentations, storytelling, etc.
b) a mix of both 40.00 %
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19. Student feedback
‣ Which lessons are better?
a) Second Life 60.00 %
b) Real Life 0.00 %
b) Both are the same 40.00 %
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20. Student feedback
‣ Would you participate in another SL English course?
a) Yes 80.00 %
b) No 0.00 %
b) I don‘t know 20.00 %
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21. Conclusion
‣ It is immersive (for me; there
are different opinions)
‣ Motivating and engaging
‣ Effective (learning takes place)
‣ Possible to establish good
rapport and a group feeling
‣ Makes things possible with are
not possible in Real Life classes
‣ Collaborative, constructive
‣ Students with no experience in SL
can participate with some help
‣ Ideal for distance education
(feeling of belonging, presence)
‣ Role-plays, projects, interviews, CBT
‣ A tool I will certainly continue using
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22. Q&A
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23. Thank you!
‣ Nergiz Kern
‣ English teacher
‣ Teacher trainer
‣ MA EdTech & TESOL
‣ nergiz@gmail.com
‣ Daffodil Fargis
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