The NIFLAR project aimed to enrich foreign language programs through blended learning using video conferencing and 3D virtual worlds. Its objectives were to promote interaction and study its added value. Partners included universities in Europe and Latin America. Tasks were designed for Dutch, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish based on pedagogical principles. Research found that virtual interactions enhanced learning processes and increased motivation by developing competence, cultural awareness, and willingness to communicate with native speakers. Meaningful interactions depended on adequate integration and effective tasks addressing learner needs.

1. Social interaction through video-
webcommunication and virtual worlds:
Designing for ICC in 3D
Ton Koenraad, Kristi Jauregi, Silvia Canto,
Rick de Graaff,
Utrecht University and partners

2. Structure
• Background to NIFLAR
• Design principles
• NIFLAR 3D VLE’s
Task and object driven activities
• Reserach results on added value
• Conclusions

3. Main NIFLAR objectives :
• 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

4. NIFLAR
• Time span: 1 January 2009 – 31 December 2010
• Partners: Universities of
– Utrecht in the Netherlands
– Granada and Valencia in Spain
– Coimbra in Portugal
– Palacky in Olomouc the Czech Republic,
– Nevsky and Novosibirsk in Russia
– Concepción in Chile
TELL Consult (Netherlands)
Secondary schools, in Spain and The Netherlands
Coordination: Utrecht University
• Target languages: Dutch, Portuguese, Russian & Spanish

5. EU-Project ‘NIFLAR’
• Time span: 1 January 2009 – 31 December 2010
• Partners: Universities of:
– Utrecht in the Netherlands
– Granada and Valencia in Spain
– Coimbra in Portugal
– Palacky in Olomouc the Czech Republic,
– Nevsky and Novosibirsk in Russia
– Concepción in Chile
TELL Consult (Netherlands) http://www.koenraad.info/tellconsult
Secondary schools, in Spain and The Netherlands
Coordination: Utrecht University http://www.uu.nl/faculty/humanities/EN/Pages/default.aspx
Target languages: Dutch, Portuguese, Russian & Spanish

6. Adobe connect
Second Life
Open Sim

7. Pedagogical approaches
Second Language
Constructivism TELL
Acquisition
Task Based Language Teaching

8. Task design criteria for:

9. Example in Second Life:Task
Task 2 People and adventures:
-pre-task & task
-NS & FLL
Scenarios:
-Participants meet at a restaurant and have
to decide where to go to on holidays:
winter/summer holidays.
-Go to a hotel (reception/room)
-- Depending on their choice go to the
summer or winter slurl

10. 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

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

12. Exploratorium
for cultural info, encounters and events

13. Simulation Space
for ICC-training & assessment

14. Game Space
for cultural knowledge quests & games

15. NIFLAR @ Second Life
Launchroom Virtlantis

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

17. Task Example : Discovering Mexico

18. NIFLAR OS design process
from first ideas to realisation

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

20. NIFLAR OS MegaSIM: 4 regions

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

22. Cartoon Puzzler
Info Gap: collaborative problem solving

23. 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.

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

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

26. Asterix village:
PUB + antique tourist artefacts

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

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

29. NIFLAR Valencia city

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

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

32. Projectlandia: French Village

33. 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

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

35. Experiences
• Tasks for Dutch, Portuguese, Russian and
Spanish.
• Several pilot experiences in video-web and
Second Life,
• Both with secondary and tertiary learners
• Almost 400 students have participated in the
experiences.

36. Research issues
Is there any added value of implementing virtual
interaction in language teaching curricula?
1. Students’ perceptions (evaluation of experiences)
2. Meaningfulness of interactions
3. Impact on motivation: Willingness to communicate
(MacIntyre et al. 2001)
• Perceived competence
• Communication anxiety

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

38. Results participants’evaluation
• Interactions with pre-service native teachers:
- enhanced learning processes
- contributed to: self-confidence, fluency,
vocabulary, cultural awareness).
• The environments:
- effective for interaction
- strong preference for VWC or SL above other
SCMC tools (chat or audioconferencing).
• Interactions: relevant & fun.
• Tasks: motivating & useful.

39. Results: Positive impact on motivation
Willingness to communicate (McIntyre et al, 2001) measured
by repeated mid questionnaires;
Comparisons between experimental and control
groups reached significant values for:
• perceived competence in the target language,
• positive attitudes towards talking to native
speakers,
• and decrease of speaking anxiety.

40. Results: Significant impact on WTC
5 point Lykard scale
Perceived competence Like speaking to native speakers
5 Competence 5
V V
S
V V S C
VC V V S
C C
Average Answer
Average Answer
4 4 S
C
VC SL S
C C
S
V
C
VC SL C
C C
C C
VC S
C C SL
VC VC VC
SL
3 3
SL SL SL
2
2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Week
Week
Get nervous talking in the TL
5
Average Answer
4
S
S
S
V S
V V
V S
3
C C C V S
C C C
V C
S
V
2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Week

41. Conclusions
Pedagogy as the clue for the added value:
• Adequate and balanced integration in the curriculum
• Effective tasks that trigger meaningful interactions in virtual
encounters taking into consideration
– the learners’ their needs, styles,
– the affordances of the environment,
Synchronicity might turn out to be a problem: efficient
organisation and good communication among partners is
critical.

42. 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!!