SLanguages2008 Blended Learning

Blended Learning

Combining Second Life with Online Tools

Howard Vickershoward@avatarlanguages.com

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

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 and Purpose

• 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

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

Skype II

• 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

Google Docs II

• 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

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

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…

Second Life’s Strengths

• 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

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

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

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

Avatar Languages Experience

• 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

Blended Learning

Combining Second Life with Online Tools

Howard Vickershoward@avatarlanguages.com

www.avatarlanguages.com

slanguages.net

SLanguages 2008

This presentation was given at

SLanguages 2008

The Conference for Language Education in Virtual Worlds