The Ecology and Semiotics of Language Learning: A Sociocultural Perspective (Educational Linguistics)
Strangers and friends: collaborative play in world of warcraft
CSCW '06 Proceedings of the 2006 20th anniversary conference on Computer supported cooperative work
Teaching and learning affectively within a virtual campus
International Journal of Networking and Virtual Organisations
Language learning resources and developments in the Second Life metaverse
International Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning
Teacher perceptions of learning affordances of multi-user virtual environments
Computers & Education
Game-like language learning in 3-D virtual environments
Computers & Education
Towards Models for Designing Language Learning in Virtual Worlds
International Journal of Virtual and Personal Learning Environments
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The following paper presents two stages of an action research project involving two oral proficiency courses held in the virtual world Second Life. Course 1 was conducted during the Autumn of 2007. Based on the experiences of this course, we redesigned many aspects of it in order to improve student activity in terms of oral participation and gave the course again in Spring 2008. By analysing the recordings of four 90-minute sessions, two from each course, we were able to measure student participation based on floor space, turn lengths and turn-taking patterns, and in the study we discuss how different changes in design may have contributed to more favourable outcomes. Results seem to indicate that meaning focussed task design, which involves authenticity and collaborative elements, has a direct impact on learner participation and engagement. Furthermore, our results seem to suggest that technical and social initiations into a complex environment such as SL are important factors that have to be worked into the course design.