Alex Week 2 - Literature Review

Foreign language learning in Second Life and the implications for resource provision in academic libraries

Hundsberger, S

Research aims

the aim of this research was to investigate foreign language learning in the virtual world of Second Life and the implications for resource provision in academic libraries.

Research methods

Research group

:

1.       Sixteen volunteers

2.       Volunteers comprised of foreign language teachers, teacher trainers and a student

3.       All active within Western Europe

Measurement:

-          Qualitative interviewing was chosen as method of research.

-          Subjects were interviewed over a period of four weeks

-          Interviews were conducted either face-to-face, on Skype or in SL, depending on the interviewees preference. and lasted between half an hour to almost one and a half hours each

Interview questions were split into five sections.

1) questions about the interviewee

2) questions about the type of course

3) questions about teaching/learning in the traditional style15

4) questions about teaching/learning in SL

5) questions about the role of the library

The study took into account the circumstances of the interviewee and catered some questions towards their goals and profession.

Research Results

The research points out many advantages and disadvantages to learning within second life.

Advantages:

Costs: As much of the teaching and learning is done online and second life itself is free costs will remain low.

Performace anxiety: anonymity give students more confidence to be less inhibited when practising a foreign language in second life.

Teaching environment: classroom experience can be easily replicated through online classrooms.

Distance Learning: Second life is a great way to enhance distance learnind. Students don’t need to physically within a class room and only require a computer and internet connection.

Text chat: Lectured can be replicated within second life. The text chat can become the blackboard and information can be sent via memos.

Disadvantages

Multitasking: Some students with little technical knowledge became over whelmed by the trying to learn and control the avatar simultaneously.

Induction: Students may take a long time to get used to second life and become proficient in the way it works and its features.

Technical knowledge: to create and plan lessons in second life can be very difficult as a lot of technical knowledge is needed to create them. A problem for teachers is that students may get to caught up trying to figure out the technical side instead of focusing on language learning.\

Conclusion

The article concludes that while it is clear that language teaching in SL is still at an experimental stage. However, it has massive potential for total immersion and distance learning programmes. Second life will have a very important part to play in educational programmes. Libraries will also need adapt to need to ensure that access to electronic resources is wide-spread to include students who are doing distance learning.

References

Hundsberger, S. (2009) Foreign language learning in Second Life and the implications for resource provision in academic libraries.