Research proposal
May 7, 2008
3D virtual environments such as Second Life or Hipipi are nowadays considered not only as fun tools, but as tools by which it is possible to develop social skills. Education is also considering integrating such tools in e-learning projects. Education has been constantly integrating technologies especially since Web 1.0 developed into Web2.0. Next revolution would probably be Web 3D. As for education it is important to consider the development of technologies as it is important to analyse the benefits, if any, that technologies can bring. Technologies, especially 3D virtual environments, don’t have to be integrated just because “it’s cool”. Content and the quality of it are the most important values in education and technologies must reflect those values.
Research questionCould language learning and teaching process develop through modern technologies and media without integrating 3D virtual environments such as Second life or Hipipi?
Promo video for http://secondlife4education
Why is this study important?The use of new technologies must be considered important in our everyday life as in education. The way of teaching has to face the possibilities offered new from tools such as virtual learning environments. Virtual learning environments can be considered in education especially if we talk about online learning, even if online-blended learning. Virtual learning enviroments such as Second Life could help educators facilitate interaction between students no matter where they are located. It is important to consider how a tool such as Second Life could be used in education, for example in the field of language learning.
What are the two or three most important “foundational” sources that everyone should read?Nowadays there are so many sources about this subject because intergrate virtual learning environments in education is such a new way of using new technologies. Many sources are of course posted on the Internet. You can find articles, opinions on blogs, experiments taken from Universities, Colleges or other institutions. It is also important to know which aspect of this case studies you could be most interested in in order to choose the best written literature about it.
What are the one or two big issues that set the terms of “conversation” about this topic in the literature?Virtual learning environments could be considered as virtual places to create social interaction and as tools helping the edcucational process itself. As for Second Life in language teaching we can consider inttegrating it in a class to let students interact with each other, to allow them to speak with natives in a community within Second Life, to collect language material useful offline to improve students language skills and abilities. There is no just one way to use Second Life and to analyse it. The main point that worries educators in general is the possibility of getting lost through technical problems by using such a powerful tool. If students have problems in connecting to the Net, in using Second Life, they could feel lost and considering the use of new technologies just as a waste of time. Another point that worries educators is the possibility if losing contact with reality. That is why researchers are already trying to integrate online platforms with virtual learning environments. Sloodle is a good example of that integration between the platform Moodle and Second Life.
Literature:
http://llt.msu.edu/vol8num3/lam/default.html
http://www.slanguages.net/it/index.php
http://www.avatarlanguages.com/it/
http://danros.moodlefarm.socialminds.jp/
http://h20325.www2.hp.com/blogs/kintz/archive/2007/04/02/2964.html
