A DSL to retrieve objective indicators for foreign language learning in virtual worlds

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Technological Ecosystems for Enhancing Multiculturality

6th International Workshop on Software Engineering for E-learning (ISELEAR’15) Authors: Antonio Balderas, Anke Berns, Manuel Palomo-Duarte, Juan M. Dodero, Raúl Gómez-Sánchez and Iván Ruiz-Rube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s6euE_uIj4&list=PLboNOuyyzZ86rx78ZLHzZN8c1MHPLVhFe&index=2

Education

A Domain Specific Language to retrieve objective
indicators for foreign language learning in virtual
worlds
Antonio Balderas
Anke Berns
Manuel Palomo-Duarte
Juan Manuel Dodero
Raul Gomez-Sanchez
Iván Ruiz-Rube
ISELEAR'15

Contents
● Introduction
● Design and architecture
● Proposal
● Case Study
– Settings
– Hypothesis
– Analysis
● Conclusions

Introduction
● Foreign language courses (ECTS)
– few hours of language practice in class
– many hours of independent learning
● We use 3D virtual worlds to:
– Encourage independent learning
– Provide a fun and “natural” learning environment
● Issues with monitoring and assessment:
– Aim: make learning analytics available for everyone

Introduction
Some game worlds we implemented for
language learning:

Design and architecture
● We use the Opensim virtual world engine
– Well-known reliable open source
– Client-server approach

Design and architecture
● We use the Opensim virtual world engine
– Interesting game information is stored
– Programming skills are needed to get it
SQL +
script

Design and architecture
● We use the Opensim virtual world engine
– We propose using a Domain Specific Language to
retrieve information from students' interaction in
Opensim Virtual Worlds
VWQL

Proposal
● Virtual Worlds Query Language (VWQL)
– Model-drive approach (xtext + EMF) → EvalSim
– Syntax:
Evidence name_of_the_evidence:
get students [id_of_the_student]
show ( words [dict] | sentences | single | turns | time |
points )+

Proposal
● Hypothesis contrast / indicator refinement cycle
Initial proposal
VWQL
query
Satisfies?
submit
reply
NO
YES
analyze
refine

Case study: settings
● German as a second foreign language course
– 5 students (B1 CEFR) participated
● Virtual world implements a joint shopping task:
– Two players: client and shop-assistant
– Coordination communicating via text-chat

Case study: hypothesis
● Skill:
– make themselves understood in the foreign language
● Following hypothesis was established:
– A student had difficulties to make himself understood if he
needed 2+ sentences, per turn, to communicate with his
teammate
● Initial proposed query:
Evidence time_sentences:
get students
show time , sentences

Student1 Student2 Student3 Student4 Student5
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Minutes played
Sentences
Case study: first analysis
Student Speaking
pace
Student1 1.22
Student2 1.50
Student3 0.80
Student4 2.22
Student5 1.50

Case study: refinement
● Refined query: focus on sentences and turns
rather than on time and sentences
Evidence sentences_turns:
get students
show sentences , turns

Case study: second analysis
Student Average of
sentences per turn
Student1 1.83
Student2 2.00
Student3 2.14
Student4 4.10
Student5 2.00

Conclusions
● We have defined VWQL, the first Opensim virtual
world Specific Language
– Easy syntax, no programming skills needed
● We proposed a refinement cycle to scale
monitoring or assessment
– It was applied to a simple case study
● Future work: extend the language to identify
exclamations, Wh-questions, etc.

Thank you for your attention!
Questions?

Ali Uzair Lalani is a mechanical engineering student at the University of Nottingham looking for work experience to enhance his engineering skills. He has a strong academic background, graduating high school with high marks and currently pursuing his MEng in mechanical engineering from Nottingham with good grades. His relevant experiences include designing and building a hexapod robot prototype and holding various leadership positions in extracurricular engineering projects and organizations. He highlights strong communication, teamwork, leadership, and technical skills gained from his educational and professional experiences.

Khaled Elsheikh

Game Developer and Course Designer at Andromeda Labs from July 2015 to September 2015 where he designed game programming courses and instructed them as well as developed 2D games using Construct 2 game engine. He also instructed electronics courses. Junior Teaching Assistant at German University in Cairo from February 2015 to June 2015 and September 2014 to January 2015 where he assisted teachers in labs and provided support to students. Obtained a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Engineering from 2012-2017. Fluent in English and Arabic with limited proficiency in German. Experienced in a variety of programming languages and frameworks.

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