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

Year 2016, Volume: 7 Issue: 4, 364 - 395, 30.10.2016

Ulaş İliç , Yüksel Deniz Arıkan

https://doi.org/10.17569/tojqi.84832

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

Abstract

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.

Keywords

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

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