NMC 2009 - Language Teachers in Virtual Worlds

Language Teachers in Virtual Worlds Nick Noakes Graham Stanley Nergiz Kern Dennis Newson

Your Virtual Mission

Your context:

Free 6-week online workshop

Topic: virtual worlds and language learning

Co-facilitators: 4 from different countries / time zones

Participants: target - practicing full-time language teachers (but in reality could be any background) located anywhere

Group size: ~100

Familiarity with virtual worlds: wide range, majority absolute beginners

Registration: open the whole 6 weeks

Your Virtual Mission

Your mission … should you accept it! … is to:

Decide with your three co-facilitators what the learning objectives / outcomes would be for your 6-week virtual worlds workshop (any discipline)

Sketch out what you will do for each of the 6 weeks

Decide what technologies you will use and why (e.g. only VWs or a mix of internet, web and VW technologies)

Decide how you will evaluate the participants’ experience

TESOL

EVO

VWLL

Met And Got Acquainted ...

... Again ...

... And Again! 

Challenged Intelligences

Adjusted Perspectives!

Fought Techno Daemons

Burned Midnight & Midday Oil !

Got Outfitted For Travel

Explored Unimagined Spaces ...

Sometimes Alone ...

... But Mostly Together

... all this while blogging, commenting, discussing and posting snapshots

Got aMAZEd and Lost in Virtual Space

At Times, Even Lost Our Heads

But Could Always Call For Support

Gained Some Mastery Over The Virtual Kingdom

And Took Flight For Language Learning

Visited Far Away Places

Got Immersed In Cultures

Spoke in Foreign Tongues

Talked and Toured

Tried Out Some Tools Of The Trade

Engaged in Discussions

Offered Opinions

Taught And Learned As a Team

Shared Expertise

Celebrated Success

VWLL Activity at its Second Life Base Camp

45% for 3 or more minutes 27% for 10 or more minutes 60% for 9 or more times 40% for 26 or more times

75% for 2 or more pages 45% for 4 ore more pages

Activity Trends - During and After the Workshop

Participant Feedback “ I wish I had had more time to learn from other people, but I'm happy we are able to stay in touch” “ Well, I never felt alone in this process. There were always friendly people willing to help” “ The moderators put on lots of great events and tried hard to include everyone - both by having repeats of events at different times and by encouraging people to join discussions.” “ Finally, the team teaching practice really enabled me to apply what I've learned and more concretely think about teaching in SL. The collaborative environment as a team also enhanced my learning”

Participant Feedback “ I couldn't use voice so this was quite frustrating sometimes. I was using a mini laptop so I couldn't do much there.” “ Perhaps improved notes and/or more practice on managing own avatar and the in-world around us.” “ Working this course into a busy schedule is difficult, especially because events were offered at times I could not attend. I know this is an inherent difficulty of "global" courses, and I think the facilitators did the best they could to offer multiple sessions.” “ Time difference was an issue. If I attended the training session during my office hour and had to talk to my students, I was lost by the time I got back to my computer. That's why weekend sessions were better. You might want to give us the topics and different time slots and go with the time that got the largest number of votes. ”

Advice to Future …

Participants

“ Get active early”

“ Have fun and enjoy the ride. Be prepared to learn a lot.”

“ Jump in!”

“ Just do it”

“ Go for it... don't be a chicken ... open your mind and be amazed by creativity...”

“ Spare TIME. Without giving 2 hrs daily, you would learn nothing from this workshop.”

Facilitators

“ Get them active early”

“ Keep on giving what they have done so far.”

“ U Rock! Keep up the great work!”

“ Be prepared for hard work and long hours”

“ Facilitators were excellent. You need to push and wake up sleeping participants through emails/personal emails instead of group. Personal emails have its own effect. It seems that someone is looking at you as in physical class”

Plan to Continue in SL?

Yes – 87%

Maybe – 9%

No – 4%

In what way(s)?

“ Sharing ideas, participating in workshops, meeting with SL mentors, visiting educational places, attending educational lectures.”

“ I would like to participate in continued discussions about resources and instructional ideas / experiences. The forums that have already begun are a great starting point.”