Main presentation about use of task-based learning in SL at LCNAU Symposium 2011

1. Presented by …… Scott Grant, Chinese Studies Program
Getting Immersed in Chinese: The integration of task-
based learning in 3D multi-user virtual worlds
underpinned by Moodle into the undergraduate foreign
language classroom

2. Technology & education in perspective
“Indeed, there is clearly a need for educational
technology writers and researchers to attempt to work
with rather than against the formal structures of
educational settings such as schools and classrooms –
i.e. the settings where the vast majority of learning and
teaching continues to take place despite of academic
valorisation of the informalization of educational activity”.
Neil Selwyn, “Editorial: In praise of pessimism - the need for negativity in educational
technology”, British Journal of Educational Technology, Vol 42, No.5, p. 713-718

3. Monash Chinese Studies Program - Students
• Beginner level (Chinese 1 & 2)
• Enrolment type
– Undergraduates & post-graduates
> Full-time & part-time
> Chinese major / minor
> Other major/degree – Chinese elective
– Single unit, non-degree
> Members of the general community
> Monash staff members
• Learn 500 simplified characters in first year

4. Classroom-based Chinese Language Curriculum
ASYNCHRONOUS SYNCHRONOUS
NON-INTERACTIVE LECTURE
AUDIO / VISUAL RECORDING F2F LECTURE
INTERACTIVE ONLINE
EXERCISES F2F TUTE & SEMINAR
CLASSES
INTERACTIVE ONLINE
CHARACTER PRACTICE INTERACTIVE SL
TASK-BASED
LESSONS

8. 3D Virtual Worlds
• Virtual worlds are online platforms in which
individuals are immersed in a computer-generated
representation of a shared 3-D environment. They
interact with each other and their surroundings via
their avatars.
• “.... flexible but natively unstructured infrastructures
in which many different activities are supported”
(Aldrich 2009)

9. 3D Virtual World v Games
Games:
• “a rule-based formal system with a variable and
quantifiable outcome, where different outcomes
are assigned different values, the player exerts
effort in order to influence the outcome, the player
feels attached to the outcome, and the
consequences of the activity are optional and
negotiable” (Juul, 2003)

10. 3D Virtual World v Games
Serious games
• “interactive experiences that are easy and fun to
engage in while building awareness....“ (Aldrich,
2009), where the primary learning goal is to foster
'awareness' and content is abstracted to the point
of high engagement, not transfer. (Grant & Huang,
forthcoming)

11. 2 models of use of VWs
• Native / expert speaker interactional model
• “…synchronous interaction between second
language learners in locations where the language
being learned is not the mainstream language with
native speakers in geographically dispersed
locations.” (Grant & Huang, forthcoming)

12. 2 models of use of VWs
• Educational simulation model
• “.... challenging experiences that rigorously develop skills
and capabilities” (Aldrich, 2009), which are focused on
accuracy and have the primary learning goal of developing
deep skills. (Grant & Huang, forthcoming)

13. Educational simulation

14. Chinese Island – the learning environment
• Chinese Island is a rich Chinese language and
culture learning environment in Second Life set up
for students and staff at Monash University to
engage in both synchronous and asynchronous
learning
• Learning is facilitated and scaffolded by the island’s
virtual-physical environment, virtual infrastructure,
rich visual environment, rich soundscape, as well
as rich text-based and multi-media learning
materials (http://www.virtualhanyu.com)

15. Chinese Island
(secondlife://Monash%20University%202/200/170/26)

16. Chinese Island – the lessons
• Lessons are synchronous
• Task-based / problem-solving lessons derived from
lessons done in main textbook in the classroom
• Lessons re-enforce textbook content and extend
learners by introducing real life scenarios and
content in a rich, realistic virtual environment

17. Chinese Island – the lessons & pedagogy
• All communication text-based
– Pedagogical goal of re-enforcing pinyin and Chinese
character recognition
– Use classroom language in ‘naturalistic’ manner in
‘semi-spontaneous’ and dynamic situation
• Task-based / problem-solving lessons create
opportunity for ‘meaningful communication’
– Not just using language for the sake of using it
– Situated cognition

18. Non-player characters (NPCs)
• A non-player character (NPC) is a character that is
controlled by the game master in tabletop role-
playing games. When this definition extends
to video games, an NPC in a video game is usually
part of the program, and not controlled by a human.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-player_character)
• “In these virtual worlds, non-player characters use
artificial intelligence to take on roles as storytellers,
enemies, opponents, partners and facilitators.”
(K.E. Merrick, M.L. Maher, Motivated Reinforcement Learning, DOI
10.1007/978-3-540-89187-1_1, © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
2009)

19. Meet the Monash Chinese Island NPCs
Jingjing Pingping Rongyu (real estate Tianming
(waitress) (railway) travel agency) (fruit & veg)
Xiao Hong Yan Ying
(Pharmacist) (Doctor) (Nurse receptionist)

20. Chinese Island NPCs – Other features
• Are able to process Chinese character input (through
modified AIML program) and to produce text-based output in
Chinese characters
– Cannot process English-based input at this stage
• Dialogue content is tailored to the specific requirements of the
inworld lessons, which are inturn based in part on text-book
content + real world scenarios
• All learner dialogue with NPCs is logged for later analysis
• NPCs play an important role in providing feedback on student
input
• NPCs are able to scaffold learners in the process of the task,
but always ‘in character’

21. NPCs – classroom management
• NPCs are capable of conversing with multiple interlocutors
simultaneously
– 20 or more per lesson
– Human interlocutors cannot possibly cope
• Through pre-planned dialogue, NPCs can keep the lesson
moving without need for teacher involvement
• Teachers freed to focus on individual learner needs

23. Chinese Studies Program and Second Life –Research
2009 & 2010
- Self-efficacy research
- First year students participated in pre- & post lesson online
survey
- Statistically significant improvement in learner self-efficacy
overall after lesson (2009)
- Delayed post-test, students with medium or little experience of
scenario in real world showed significant improvement (2010)

24. Chinese Studies Program and Second Life –Research
2009 & 2010
- Cognitive skills and strategies research
- First year students participated in filming during SL class and
subsequent stimulated recall interview
- The authentic Chinese inn/teahouse teaching and learning SL
site maintained student focus on the lesson’s objectives and
promoted utilisation of a range of academically valued thinking
skills and strategies.
- The SL lesson stimulated recall of a larger number higher and
medium level thinking skills and strategies than at the low level.
- Second Life can be utilised as a cognitive tool to enhance
thinking, problem solving, and learning.
- Aligning the mediating processes with the aspects of the SL
lesson, both in-world and the real world of the classroom, will
provide the instructional conditions that can be targeted to
promote higher level thinking skills and strategies

25. Chinese Studies Program and Second Life –Research
2010 / 2011
- Web 2.0 assessment
-The findings from the study, while suggesting the strengths of
the assessment regime with respect to many of the affordances
and alignment with policy, highlight certain aspects of the
processes which can relatively easily be addressed. They reveal
the critical importance of sufficient scaffolding and support for
students, along with feedback and communication of
achievement to allow the opportunity for further reflection.
2011
- PhD thesis “Virtual Worlds and Internationalisation in Higher
Education”
-The aim of the study is to study the internationalisation of
students through the use of virtual environments.