Second Life & Task-Based Language Learning

1. Randall Sadler, UlugbekNurmukhamedov, & Susan Fassler Second Life &Task-Based Language Learning

2. Overview of Presentation Introductions (right now!) Quick overview of study What is TBLT? What is Second Life? The study Demo The results The end ;-)

3. 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)

4. Key Characteristics of Tasks(Skehan, 1998, cited in Nunan, 2004, p. 3) • Meaning is primary • Learners are not given other people’s meaning to regurgitate • There 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

5. 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)

6. Key ideas in TBLT • Learn language by doing things • Experiential Learning • Learner Centered • Meaning is primary • Could be written or oral • Connection to the “real world”

7. Task Examples Tasks • painting a fence • buying a pair of shoes • making an airline reservation • borrowing a library book • taking a driving test • typing a letter • weighing a patient • taking a hotel reservation • finding a street destination, etc. (Long, ‘85) Pedagogical Tasks • Information Gap • Opinion Gap • Reasoning Gap • Personal Tasks • Role play tasks • Jigsaw • Problem Solving • Decision Making • Opinion Exchange

8. 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)

9. What is a virtual world? …an online environment Avatars representing “real” people Real time communication via text and/or voice Typically control own appearance: gender, shape, clothing, species? May have control over environment May 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.

10. 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

11. What can you do there? • Explore • Shop • Dance • Make money

12. Theoretical Foundations for TBLT • Experiential & 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)

13. 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)

14. A few Studies with “TBLT” & CALL • González-Lloret. (2003): 3-D environment • Zähner, Fauverge, & Wong (2000): Audiovisual networks • Müller-Hartmann (2000): e-mail • Linder & Rochon (2003): text chat, MOO • Blake (2000): text chat • Smith. (2005): text chat • Oscoz (2003): text chat • Shamsudin. (2003): Microsoft Netmeeting

15. Motivation for the Study: • Applying tasks in 3D environment of Second Life • Preparing students’ communicative competence before they go to real life • Building confidence in students language use • Exploring 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

16. RL Setting A large MW Univ. Intensive English Institute (UIUC) MA TESOL program Virtual Setting Second Life—various locations Participants 10 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 Settings and Participants

17. Data collection • Pre and Post Questionnaires—experience, attitudes, etc. • Participant Journals & Interviews • Tasks • Completed objects • Written products via notecards • Written products via other sources • Videos of task activities

18. Orientation Scavenger Hunt The Build Travel Guide Orienteering Overview & practice of common SL personal tasks Walk around (harder than you might think!) Fly Work with your inventory Change appearance Teleport Set landmarks Tasks:

19. Orientation Scavenger Hunt The Build Travel Guide Orienteering Intro to common SL tasks use your inventory move around in SL "buy" things teleport take pictures set landmarks make and use notecards Intro to useful areas: museums, freebies, nature, history, language learning Tasks:

20. Orientation Scavenger Hunt II The Build Travel Guide Orienteering 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:

21. Orientation Scavenger Hunt The Build Travel Guide Orienteering Building tutorial Build something in a group Write instructions to recreate your build Another group gets notes, attempts to recreate Prizes for best build, best recreation Tasks:

22. Sample from previous builds: Table

23. Sample: Sofa

24. Doghouse

25. Supervan—the plaid version

26. The public, public bathroom

27. Orientation Scavenger Hunt The Build II Travel Guide Orienteering Requirements Reasoning Decision Making/Consensus Problem solving Opinion exchange Oral/chat exchanges Written descriptions Language & Grammar Tasks:

28. Some Verbs and Adjectives for the building task

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

30. Other vocabulary • Shapes • Colors • Textures • Sizes, measurements • Angles • Relative positions • Conditionals • ??

31. Demo of a building task

32. Extensions • Build some historical artifact • Write directions for someone to re-create • Write a “history” for that creation • Build a space for a group—class exchange • Negotiate look, furnishings • Purpose? • Info from countries? • Authors/history from countries?

33. Preliminary Results • TBLT in SL--yes • Maintaining motivation • Get physical • Learner background differences • RL pedagogy may not transfer to VWs • Importance of task design • Importance of student responsibility • Technical issues…the best of times??

34. 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