Introduction for the workshop at the Coimbra Conference on NIFLAR's 3D environments in Second Life and Open Sim. Text and Images on the design principles and their realisations to support language practice and intercultural communication skills development.

1. Social interaction in virtual worlds:
Designing for ICC in 3D
Ton Koenraad, Mabelle Hermandéz, Lex Hermans

2. Agenda
• MUVEs?
• Design principles for NIFLAR 3D VLE’s
• Task and object driven activities
• Demo
• Hands-on

3. • To enrich and innovate academic programs of foreign languages
and make them more rewarding and relevant
Promoting blended learning by the use of two technologies:
– Video web communication (Adobe Connect)
– 3D Virtual Worlds (Second Life / Open SIM)
• To study the added value of implementing networked
interactions
Three target groups:
– FL learners at secondary and tertiary levels
– Pre- (in) service teachers
Main NIFLAR objectives :

4. Second Life
Open Sim
Adobe connect

6. VAN TEKST- MOO
naar…

7. Educational Potential
• multimedia
• time & place independent
• synchronous & asynchronous, written & oral
interaction
• flexible
• Identity experimentation

15. d
http://sleducation.wikispaces.c
om/educationaluses

17. Link

19. Good Practice Analysis: Design principles for NIFLAR 3D-VLE
• Objectives for (student) teachers + L2 learners
• Pedagogical principles:
– Pedagogy re ICC-training & assessment
– Blended approach
– Teacher Ed.:
Experiential learning (competence development)
• Analysis of good practice (Warburton, 2009; Molka-
Danielsen & Deutchmann, 2009; Sweeney, 2009; Jauregi et al., 2009;
2010)
• Scalable, sustainable

20. Reception / Exploratorium
Game SpaceSimulation Space
Open Simulator Platform
VLE
C
O
M
P
O
N
E
N
T
S

21. Exploratorium
for cultural info, encounters and events

22. Simulation Space
for ICC-training & assessment

23. Game Space
for cultural knowledge quests & games

24. NIFLAR @ Second Life
NIFLAR Launchroom @ Virtlantis SIM

25. NIFLAR @ Second Life
Launchroom & Holodecked Tasks on Virtlantis

26. Task Example : Discovering Mexico

27. NIFLAR OS design process
from first ideas to realisation

28. Specifications  Realisations

29. NIFLAR OS MegaSim:
Four (4) voice-enabled Regions
• Reception
• Spanish SIM
• Asterix Village
+ Projectlandia

30. NIFLAR OS MegaSIM: 4 regions

31. Reception SIM
Project Home, International Meeting & Communication Area,
Tandem Language Learning Space

32. Cartoon Puzzler
Info Gap: collaborative problem solving

33. Talking Lottery Balls
Inspired by: Talking Dice
• oral proficiency practice with embedded ICC
development goals through symbols & images
that trigger statements and interactions on
personal lives and cultural topics.

34. Cultural Knowledge Quiz:
exchange, discuss, convince, move, apologize…

35. SLOODLE for NIFLAR OpenSim Worlds
• WebIntercom -- links text-chat in-world to a Moodle
chatroom
• Quiz Chair -- students can do a Moodle quiz from in-
world, and receive audio-visual feedback on their
progress
• CultureQuest
• Awards system

36. Asterix Village
3D-visualisation of Third Place concept and
historical dimension (ICC pedagogy)

37. Asterix village:
PUB + antique tourist artefacts

38. Asterix: Harbour & Campo Sportivo
historical approach to folk/street games

39. Spain: Urban area
(Valencia design by Nadia Revenga García)

40. NIFLAR Valencia city

41. Projectlandia:
default scenario & facilities + ad hoc activities &
projects (e.g. Adventures in 3D)

42. •Projectlandia: Regions for future target groups, e.g.
ChinaVillage (holodeck approach)

43. Student involvement & CoP development
• Ownership: student profiles / cultural
knowledge sharing
• Authorable content objects facilitating
blended approach
• Partner consortium
• OS-LingoGrid

45. Implementation issues.
Prerequisites (Contexts: University / 2nd
Ed.)
• Technology:
• Computer access
(school / home)
• Installed Viewers +
voice finetuning
• User training
• Partners:
• Projectplanning (!) +
content (3D / tasks)
• Curriculum:
shared & local
learning goals +
assessment

47. Experiences
• Pilot experiences in Second Life for academic
students (Spanish L2) and student teachers.
• Pilot with secondary pupils in OpenSim
(Spanish & English L2, tandem approach) and
student teachers.

48. Data sources
• Recorded interactions
• Pre & post oral tests
• Surveys (pre, mid and post)
• Interviews

49. Would you like to know more about
the NIFLAR project?
Read about results in our publications
&
Join us at
niflar.ning.com
www.niflar.eu
Thank you for your attention!!