Blended Learning Combining Second Life with Online Tools Howard Vickers [email_address] www.avatarlanguages.com

Avatar Languages Online language school English currently; Spanish and other languages soon One-to-one classes Flexible individualized service Implications for use of virtual worlds and online tools Combination of Google Docs, Whiteboards, Skype and Second Life

Online language school

English currently; Spanish and other languages soon

One-to-one classes

Flexible individualized service

Implications for use of virtual worlds and online tools

Combination of Google Docs, Whiteboards, Skype and Second Life

Target Audience and Purpose Target Audience probably one of… New to Second Life New to Virtual World Language Education Some (not extensive) experience in virtual world language education Language educators with experience in virtual worlds are extremely welcome!

Target Audience probably one of…

New to Second Life

New to Virtual World Language Education

Some (not extensive) experience in virtual world language education

Language educators with experience in virtual worlds are extremely welcome!

Target Audience and Purpose Purpose… How can virtual worlds be incorporated into language education? Focus on where virtual worlds are unique New pedagogies for virtual worlds?

Purpose…

How can virtual worlds be incorporated into language education?

Focus on where virtual worlds are unique

New pedagogies for virtual worlds?

Online language education tools First consider other online tools Skype Google Docs Whiteboards What are their relative strengths? Second Life and virtual worlds

First consider other online tools

Skype

Google Docs

Whiteboards

What are their relative strengths?

Second Life and virtual worlds

Skype I Description Messenger like MSN, Yahoo etc Voice calls PC to phone calls PC to PC Text chat (history function) Video Share images, files Record voice conversations Conference calls

Description

Messenger like MSN, Yahoo etc

Voice calls

PC to phone calls

PC to PC

Text chat (history function)

Video

Share images, files

Record voice conversations

Conference calls

Skype II Advantages Easy to use Often excellent call quality Many extra functions (eg Whiteboard Meeting) Use in Lessons Voice Text chat prompts

Advantages

Easy to use

Often excellent call quality

Many extra functions (eg Whiteboard Meeting)

Use in Lessons

Voice

Text chat prompts

Google Docs I Description Online version of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint Saved on server Multiple users can simultaneously edit Immediate changes

Description

Online version of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint

Saved on server

Multiple users can simultaneously edit

Immediate changes

Google Docs II Advantages Intuitive Simultaneous Track changes Export to / import from hard-drive Use in Lessons When linear structure important Shared work space

Advantages

Intuitive

Simultaneous

Track changes

Export to / import from hard-drive

Use in Lessons

When linear structure important

Shared work space

Whiteboards I Description Shared surface Freely move text, images and sketches Drag and drop images from web

Description

Shared surface

Freely move text, images and sketches

Drag and drop images from web

Whiteboards II Advantages Intuitive Responsive Flexibility Export to / import from hard-drive Students love them! Use in Lessons Matching words with meanings / images Re-ordering words in scrambled sentence Indicate specific word / image

Advantages

Intuitive

Responsive

Flexibility

Export to / import from hard-drive

Students love them!

Use in Lessons

Matching words with meanings / images

Re-ordering words in scrambled sentence

Indicate specific word / image

Second Life vs Interactive Web Skype, Google Docs and Whiteboards – Complement virtual worlds Skype, Google Docs and Whiteboards – Simplicity is their Strength Second Life – Complexity offers variety of opportunities Focusing on virtual worlds…

Skype, Google Docs and Whiteboards – Complement virtual worlds

Skype, Google Docs and Whiteboards – Simplicity is their Strength

Second Life – Complexity offers variety of opportunities

Focusing on virtual worlds…

Second Life’s Strengths Immersive and engaging Environments to explore Real life replicas Imaginary places Social space Many users Sociable culture

Immersive and engaging

Environments to explore

Real life replicas

Imaginary places

Social space

Many users

Sociable culture

Second Life Challenges Learning curve / Complexity Not web All content must previously exist Limited media

Learning curve / Complexity

Not web

All content must previously exist

Limited media

Uses of Second Life Social and communicative learning / practice Meet people anytime / anywhere Interviews / conversation practice Exploring environments Language tasks that refer to environment Game like learning Second Life as a platform for games for learning Relatively cheap platform Other presentations

Social and communicative learning / practice

Meet people anytime / anywhere

Interviews / conversation practice

Exploring environments

Language tasks that refer to environment

Game like learning

Second Life as a platform for games for learning

Relatively cheap platform

Other presentations

Approaches to Virtual Worlds Backpacker: Freedom Backpackers don’t own land Make use of public spaces in virtual worlds Social quality for learning Particular environment Landed Gentry: Control Landed Gentry own land Determine what happens on your parcel Who enters learning environment What activities take place

Backpacker: Freedom

Backpackers don’t own land

Make use of public spaces in virtual worlds

Social quality for learning

Particular environment

Landed Gentry: Control

Landed Gentry own land

Determine what happens on your parcel

Who enters learning environment

What activities take place

Relative Advantages Advantages of Backpacking Real life / natural interactions and conversations Flexibility to use different spaces Low cost Advantages of being Landed Gentry Control and security Specific tasks and activities for language learning

Advantages of Backpacking

Real life / natural interactions and conversations

Flexibility to use different spaces

Low cost

Advantages of being Landed Gentry

Control and security

Specific tasks and activities for language learning

Avatar Languages Experience Moved from Land Ownership to Backpacking Desire to focus on individualized lessons Flexibility is a priority

Moved from Land Ownership to Backpacking

Desire to focus on individualized lessons

Flexibility is a priority

A New Pedagogy for Virtual Worlds Second Life: a diverse, immersive, stimulating, learning environment! So why have I not made use of this for this presentation? Need for fast preparation Time pressure Control over presentation outcome Correct this with field trip in SLanguages 2008 Groups to visit different locations in Second Life Guiding questions to answer at each location Answers collaboratively drafted and edited using a wiki Second Life discussion at EduNation for conclusion

Second Life: a diverse, immersive, stimulating, learning environment!

So why have I not made use of this for this presentation?

Need for fast preparation

Time pressure

Control over presentation outcome

Correct this with field trip in SLanguages 2008

Groups to visit different locations in Second Life

Guiding questions to answer at each location

Answers collaboratively drafted and edited using a wiki

Second Life discussion at EduNation for conclusion

Blended Learning Combining Second Life with Online Tools Howard Vickers [email_address] www.avatarlanguages.com

slanguages.net SLanguages 2008 This presentation was given at SLanguages 2008 The Conference for Language Education in Virtual Worlds