Analysis of Student Views on Foreign Language Learning in Second Life Environment

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to assess the views of participants about the learning environment and the problems experienced in that environment by designing a three dimensional learning environment in Second Life (SL) virtual world. The study, designed as a case study, was conducted with 24 volunteer students registered to foreign language courses for 10 weeks in Ege University, Faculty of Education during 2011 – 2012 academic year, where the volunteers participated in five different main activities. Personal Information Form was used to determine demographic features, computer literacy and English proficiency of the students in the study. Furthermore, Feedback Form and SL Learning Experience Survey were used to collect the data regarding the views of participants about the activities and medium. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted to obtain general views of participants on the application. Study findings demonstrated that the participants found SL environment interesting and entertaining and the activities beneficial for themselves to overcome their timidity in verbalizing in foreign language. It was also conceived that participants experienced difficulties in speech with the application due to various reasons and encountered different technical problems. However, the participants stated that SL could be used in several different fields in addition to foreign language education, provided that frequent issues encountered such as in-campus access and sound problems could be avoided. At the end of the study recommendations for the future applications and research based on study findings were presented.

Keywords

• Virtual world,Second Life,foreign language instruction,problems encountered in virtual worlds

Second Life Ortamında Yabancı Dil Öğrenimine Yönelik Öğrenci Görüşlerinin İncelenmesi

Öz

Bu araştırmanın amacı; yabancı dil öğretimi için Second Life (SL) sanal dünyasında üç boyutlu bir öğrenme ortamı tasarlayarak, katılımcıların öğrenme ortamına yönelik görüşlerini değerlendirmek ve bu ortamda yaşanan sorunları incelemektir. Durum çalışması olarak desenlenen araştırma 2011-2012 öğretim yılında Ege Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi'nde Yabancı Dil derslerine kayıtlı 24 gönüllü öğrenci ile 10 hafta boyunca yürütülmüş, katılımcıların 5 farklı ana etkinliğe katılmaları sağlanmıştır. Araştırmada öğrencilerin demografik bilgilerini, bilgisayar kullanım durumlarını ve İngilizce yeterliklerini belirlemek için Kişisel Bilgi Anketi kullanılmıştır. Ayrıca, etkinliklere ilişkin katılımcıların görüşlerini almak amacıyla Geribildirim Anketi ile Second Life (SL) Öğrenme Deneyimi Anketi kullanılarak veri toplanılmıştır. Bunlara ek olarak katılımcıların uygulama ile ilgili genel görüşlerini almak için yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler yapılmıştır. Araştırmanın sonucunda, katılımcıların SL ortamını ilgi çekici ve eğlenceli buldukları, etkinliklerin kendileri için yararlı olduğu belirlenmiştir. Buna ek olarak SL ortamındaki etkinliklerin, öğrencilerin yabancı dil konuşma sürecindeki çekingenliklerini yenmelerinde etkili olduğu görülmüştür. Ayrıca katılımcıların ortamı kullanırken çeşitli nedenlerle konuşmada zorluklar yaşadıkları ve farklı teknik sorunlar ile karşılaştıkları anlaşılmıştır. Bununla birlikte katılımcılar, kampüs içi erişim, ses sorunları gibi sık yaşanan sorunların aşılması koşuluyla SL'nin yabancı dil öğretiminin yanı sıra birçok farklı alanda kullanılabileceğini belirtmişlerdir. Araştırmanın sonunda ulaşılan bulgular doğrultusunda uygulamaya ve araştırmaya yönelik öneriler sunulmuştur.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Sanal dünya,Second Life,yabancı dil öğretimi,sanal dünyalarda yaşanan sorunlar

Kaynakça

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