Second Life &Task-Based

Language Learning

Randall Sadler, Ulugbek Nurmukhamedov, & Susan Fassler

Overview of Presentation

Introductions (right now!)Quick overview of studyWhat is TBLT?What is Second Life?The studyDemoThe resultsThe end ;-)

What is a Task?

…a pedagogical task is a piece of classroom work that involves learners in comprehending, manipulating, producing or interacting in the target language while their attention is focused on mobilizing their grammatical knowledge in order to express meaning…. (Nunan, 2004, p. 4)

…a piece of work undertaken for oneself or for others, freely or for some reward. (Long, 1985)

Key Characteristics of Tasks (Skehan, 1998, cited in Nunan, 2004, p. 3)Meaning is primaryLearners are not given other

people’s meaning to regurgitateThere is some sort of

relationship to comparable real-world activities.

Task completion has some priority

The assessment of the task is in terms of the outcome

TBLT: Definitions…aims at proving opportunities

for the learners to experiment with and explore both spoken and written language through learning activities which are designed to engage learners in the authentic, practical and functional use of language for meaningful purposes. (Nunan, 1999)

...an approach to teaching a second/foreign language that seeks to engage learners in interactionally authentic language use by having them perform a series of tasks (Ellis, 2003)

Key ideas in TBLT

Learn language by doing things

Experiential LearningLearner CenteredMeaning is primaryCould be written or oralConnection to the “real world”

Task Examples

Taskspainting a fencebuying a pair of

shoesmaking an airline

reservationborrowing a

library booktaking a driving

testtyping a letterweighing a patienttaking a hotel

reservationfinding a street

destination, etc. (Long, ‘85)

Pedagogical Tasks

Information GapOpinion GapReasoning GapPersonal TasksRole play tasks JigsawProblem Solving Decision MakingOpinion

Exchange

Why TBLT? …offers the opportunity for

‘natural’ learning inside the classroom (Ellis, 2003)

...well-designed and implemented tasks can engage learners in meaningful interaction and...negotiation can occur through these interactions (Pica, 1994).

It is intrinsically motivating (Ellis, 2003)

It emphasizes meaning over form but can also cater for learning form (Ellis, 2003)

What is a virtual world?…an online environment Avatars representing “real” peopleReal time communication via text

and/or voiceTypically control own appearance:

gender, shape, clothing, species?May have control over environmentMay be similar or nearly identical to

real world…Or may allow users to fly, teleport,

or build a home floating 200 meters above the ground.

About Second Life(most from Gronstedt, 2007)

~1.5 million logged in over last 60 days

54,000 logged in 1pm Saturday.

60 % users European (Germans outnumber Americans)

16 % from U.S.13 % from Asia.

60 % men 40 % women

◦ 20% of F avatars are RL M

◦ Almost all M avatars are RL M.

average age: 30s.

What you see….is created primarily by users

What can you do there?ExploreShopDanceMake money

…also a great place to learn languages

Many language schools, millions to practice with

Text chat, oral chat, nonverbal communication

Theoretical Foundations for TBLTExperiential & Social Learning:

(Dewey, 1916), (Kilpatrick , 1918)

Sociocultural Theory, Negotiation, Zone of Proximal Development: Vygotsky

Constructivist Theory (Piaget, 1967)

Interaction Hypothesis (Long & Robinson,1998)

Negotiation Model (Doughty, 2000)

Why TBLTvia CALL?CMC interaction creates less threatening and less stressful environment (Smith, 2003)

Simulations... [allow] students to be immersed and actively involved in an environment that is not otherwise accessible (González-Lloret, 2003, citing 3 others)

…successful implementation of computer-based, interactive, communicative tasks can yield numerous benefits for L2 Learners (de la Fuente, 2003, citing 12 others)

A few Studies with “TBLT” & CALLGonzález-Lloret. (2003): 3-D

environmentZähner, Fauverge, & Wong (2000):

Audiovisual networksMüller-Hartmann (2000): e-mailLinder & Rochon (2003): text chat,

MOOBlake (2000): text chatSmith. (2005): text chatOscoz (2003): text chatShamsudin. (2003): Microsoft

Netmeeting

Motivation for the Study: Applying tasks in 3D environment of

Second LifePreparing students’ communicative

competence before they go to real lifeBuilding confidence in students

language useExploring task building possibilities in

Second Life and integrating them to task-based curriculum

Researching how the use of SL might help tasks and TBLT become more real and more interesting to language learners

Settings and Participants

RL SettingA large MW Univ.◦Intensive

English Institute (UIUC)

◦MA TESOL program

Virtual Setting

Second Life—various locations

Participants10 ESL students

◦ Language backgrounds: Arabic, Turkish, Korean, Thai, Chinese

◦ Language Proficiency—upper intermediate

23 MA TESOL ss◦ Language

backgrounds: a lot

◦ Language Proficiency: from NS to near NS

Data collectionPre and Post Questionnaires—

experience, attitudes, etc.Participant Journals & InterviewsTasks

◦ Completed objects◦ Written products via notecards◦ Written products via other sources◦ Videos of task activities

Tasks:Orientation

Scavenger Hunt

The BuildTravel

GuideOrienteerin

g

Overview & practice of common SL personal tasks

Walk around (harder than you might think!)

FlyWork with your

inventoryChange appearanceTeleportSet landmarks

Tasks:Orientatio

nScavenger Hunt

The BuildTravel

GuideOrienteeri

ng

Intro to common SL tasks◦use your inventory◦move around in SL◦"buy" things◦teleport◦take pictures◦set landmarks◦make and use

notecardsIntro to useful

areas: museums, freebies, nature, history, language learning

Tasks:Orientatio

nScavenger Hunt II

The BuildTravel

GuideOrienteeri

ng

Must work in groups to complete hunt tasks:

Group turns in written notecards with written answers, but also require:◦Oral communication◦Text chat◦Group decision

making(integrative skills

—Ellis)

Tasks:Orientatio

nScavenge

r Hunt

The Build

Travel Guide

Orienteering

1. Building tutorial2. Build something

in a group3. Write instructions

to recreate your build

4. Another group gets notes, attempts to recreate

5. Prizes for best build, best recreation

Sample from previous builds: Table

Sample: Sofa

Doghouse

Supervan—the plaid version

The public, public bathroom

Tasks:Orientatio

nScavenge

r Hunt

The Build II

Travel Guide

Orienteering

Requirements Reasoning Decision

Making/Consensus

Problem solving Opinion exchange Oral/chat

exchanges Written

descriptions Language &

Grammar

Some Verbs and Adjectives for the building taskMaking & Selecting

Changing Movement Adjectives SL editing window

Create Expand Move Long Tab

Build Shrink Life Short Axis (X,Y,Z)

Rezz Stretch Raise Small Position

Duplicate Lower Large Size

Click Color Slide Square Texture

Right-click Push Flat Transparent

Select Attach Pull Thin

Edit Link Put Thick

Choose Connect Rotate

Prepositions of locationfrom: http://www.esolcamba.org/visualprep.htm

Other vocabularyShapesColorsTexturesSizes, measurementsAnglesRelative positionsConditionals??

Demoof a building

task

ExtensionsBuild some historical artifactWrite directions for someone to

re-createWrite a “history” for that

creationBuild a space for a group—class

exchange◦Negotiate look, furnishings◦Purpose? Info from countries? Authors/history from countries?

Preliminary ResultsTBLT in SL--yesMaintaining motivationGet physicalLearner background differencesRL pedagogy may not transfer to

VWsImportance of task designImportance of student

responsibilityTechnical issues…the best of

times??

Thanks!

For a copy of the presentation and a full list of references, you can go to Randall’s webpage (in a couple days!):

http://www.eslweb.org