This project is a proposal for a case study that aims to describe and understand communicative and pedagogical processes involved in Second Life® in a context of second language learning and teaching interaction, by modeling in world lessons of Portuguese as a second language for Erasmus students. The purpose is to understand how an immersive context stimulates learning by evolving students in a virtual reality situation where real life language context situations are provoked and where ‘not possible in real life’ learning routines happen. This will experiment the advantages of this platform compared to real life teaching and learning contexts, as it allows a synchronous and simultaneous use of voice and text both by teacher and students.
2. Second Language Teaching in Virtual Worlds:The Case of European College Students under the Erasmus Programme Paulo Frias, Ricardo Cruz, Ricardo Fernandes Communication Sciences University of Porto Portugal
3. What are virtual worlds (VWs)? What is Second Life (SL)? Why should we use them in our teaching practice?
21. Objectives • Understand communicational processes in Second Life, in a context of second language learning
22. Hypothesis • • Students can learn a foreign language in a VW • Students can overcome cultural limitations and expectations usual in traditional classrooms
23. Methodology • • Students can overcome cultural limitations and expectations usual in traditional classrooms • Focus group: evaluation of the sustainability • Lessons: computer-mediated communication
25. Advantages • • Students can overcome cultural limitations and expectations usual in traditional classrooms • E-learning in VWs reduce costs • Stimulates the diversification of courses offered
26. Advantages • • Students can overcome cultural limitations and expectations usual in traditional classrooms • Formation outside the traditional classroom context • No rules: space, class attendance, time and rythm
28. Expected Results • Superior levels of interactions and assimilation • Engagement: reciprocity and cooperation • Active learning • • Students can overcome cultural limitations and expectations usual in traditional classrooms