Learner participation and motivation in virtual reality

L. Panichi - CALL 2010 Universiteit Antwerpen

Learner participation and motivation in virtual reality

Luisa Panichi

CLI-University of Pisa, Italy

Department of Modern Languages, University of Hull, UK


Overview

• Virtual worlds• The Avalon project• Discussion of motivation• Literature in the field/theoretical perspective• Research in the field:• Questionnaires/recordings/transcripts/

observations/interviews• Conclusions about motivational factors• Avalon feedback questionnaires (ongoing

research)


Virtual worlds

• MUVE’s (Multi-user virtual environments)• 3 Dimensional: movement• Avatar: a 3D rendering of yourself• Games (role play): The Sims• Gaming: WoW (World of Warcraft)• Socialising and entertainment: Active Worlds, Second

Life• Highly immersive and participatory/hot cultureHighly immersive and participatory/hot culture


The AVALON project

• AccessAccess to Virtual and Action LearningAction Learning Live Online

• A two year multilateral and transversal project funded under KA3 (ICT) of the LLP of the EACEA ending in December 2010.

• Partnership: 26 European partners• 10 state funded universities

• 16 other public and private organisations


Create and test activities

Design and run Language courses

Design and run a teacher training

course

Provide models and best practice guidelines

Create a motivational modelthat rewards learner

engagement

Experiment with and explore virtual worlds for language education


Interest for language education

• Virtual platform for online and distance education

• Complement to face-to-face learning

• Integration with other LMS (sloodle)

• Communication: synchronous, multimodal (text chat; voice chat), streaming (sound and video)

• Creative and representational: Building/cultural artefacts (permanent/non permanent)

• Performative: Avatar


Motivation in virtual worlds

• Motivation to participate and engage• Why is it helpful to investigate them? • Participation and motivation in virtual worlds

are a general educational concern• Participation and throughput/dropout rates• Project mandate to consider individual

accessibility accessibility and community sustainabilitycommunity sustainability• Designing for participation includes an

understanding of learner motivation


Participation and engagement in virtual worlds

• What is participation and why is it important to us?• In online learning it is indicated as some form of

activity (i.e. White 2003; Hratinski 2007)• Participation is a high-stake issue in online

education.• The special nature of participation in virtual worlds: • Lack of visual cues and body language• Increased Importance of linguistic cues• Participation as engagementengagement/involvementinvolvement leading

to further participation


Motivation and the reward model

• Molka-Danielsen et al. 2010• Discussion of motivation in language

education in virtual worlds• Gaming theory • Self-determination theory • The ultimate reward for learners is

accessaccess to full participationparticipation in the learning community


Panichi et al. (2008)

• Small scale, qualitative and exploratory investigation under Kamimo Islands

• An American/Swedish telecollaboration course

• Student questionnaires about beliefs about language learning, collaboration, digital literacy and the specific environment.

• Questionnaires were complemented with student interviews and teacher/researcher/course designer feedback and observations.


Learner beliefs

• Learner beliefs about language learning

• Learner pre-conceptions of the environment

• Learner digital literacy

• Learners’ expectations

• Learners’ experience


Key areas potentially influencing motivation and participation

• Compulsory or optional course• Previous experiences of virtual environments (degree

of technology literacy)• Previous experiences of intercultural contact and a

pre-existing degree of intercultural awareness• Belief that peer to peer interaction is beneficial to

learning• Belief that you can learn a language from interacting

with a native speaker• Degree of acceptance of SL for language education


Example of a successful exchange

• Frequency of meetings• Suitable times• Buddy was more knowledgeable about SL

and willing to provide information• Turn taking occurred • Alternated between course related topics and

personal conversation• Activities were motivational learning

opportunities for both


Indications and results from Swedish students

• Students we were working with already displayed high levels of language learning awareness and intercultural awareness

• Prior experience of Second Life is not necessary for the exchange to be a successful learning experience

• Curiosity about SL may play an important role in motivating students


Similar feedback from the American students showed:

• The educational value of SL is not immediately apparent to learners

• Students who volunteered for the buddy exchange were more verbally active in the composition course

• Students tend not to talk about their learning experiences from an affective perspective (beliefs)

• Prior intercultural experiences (or lack there of) may contribute to less effective engagement with language learners


Additional recommendations for future exchanges

• Create more formal joint tasks and specific requirements within the courses

• Creating pedagogical space for talking about the affective aspects of learning

• Need to make the “rules of engagement” as clear as possible (language and technical skills that are required)

• Make all participants clear as what to expect and what is expected of them in the student exchanges

• Increase feedback opportunities


Deutschmann et al. 2009

• Course designer for learner participation in a CMC context

• Oral participation in terms of floor-space, turn length and turn-taking

• We conclude that meaning-focussed task design involving authenticity and collaborative elements had a direct impact on learner participation and engagement.

• Results also suggest the importance of including technical and social initiation in complex environments


Deutschmann & Panichi (2009)

• Learner engagement and Language Awareness• We compare two courses in SL• We look at floor space and turntaking patters

(quantity)• We carry out discourse analysis of back-channelling

and elicitors (quality)• We conclude that supportive linguistic behaviour of

teachers is important in increasing learner engagement

• We find that students become more active in signalling involvement over time


Swertz et al. (2010)The environment

• The bias of the environment and the mediatic turn (Friesen & Hug, 2009)

• 3D worlds are a cold media (McLuhan, 1964)/multimodal communication

• Hot culture expects involvement with other people and participation in activities

• The nature of the environment has an impact on learner participation preferences


Swertz et al. (2010)The teacher perspective

• Most important learning objective Most important learning objective for teachers is to get the students involved and that the students feel comfortable in the process.

• The learning processThe learning process itself becomes a learning a learning objectiveobjective

• Anonymity Anonymity is considered an important advantage by teachers

• Task designTask design: Careful task design is very important in virtual learning environments


Swertz et al. (2010)The learner perspective

• AnonymityAnonymity is not preferred and not considered helpful in language learning by students.

• Individualisation Individualisation is important• Task designTask design: Assumption that careful task design is

very important in virtual learning environments is confirmed by students

• Group and peer workGroup and peer work vs teacher-led activitiesteacher-led activities:• Group sessions vs teacher-led sessions are

preferred by learners but• Teacher-led sessions are also helpful depending

on the type of task at hand


Swertz et al. 2010Technical initiation

• Most students experience technical problems at the beginning of the course (i.e. sound)

• Most students feel comfortable by the end of the second lesson

• Technical initiation for newbies contributes to learner comfort in the environment and to the speed at which this is achieved


Conclusions about motivational variables in virtual worlds

• The nature of the environment• Appropriate technical initiation• Strong sense of identity/need for

self-determination/autonomy• Strong group ties/community/Peer and group

work/relatedness• Clear framework (expectations, roles, tasks)• Meaningful course design (individualisation and

authenticity)• Teacher as facilitator and model for interaction• Feedback and discussion opportunities (course

ownership)


Avalon course feedback questionnaires 2010

• Questionnaires are part of the Avalon course design to maximise participation

• http://avalonlearning.pbworks.com/Feedback-Questionnaires

• Examine changes in learner beliefs before and after the learning experience

• Determine what factors bring about change in beliefs

• Implement changes to our course design• Results are pending

http://avalonlearning.pbworks.com/Feedback-Questionnaires

http://avalonlearning.pbworks.com/Feedback-Questionnaires


Final considerations about participation

• Participation, engagement and motivation can be promoted by appropriate course design

• Participation is both an indicator of motivation and a catalyst for motivation

• Participation is a learning skill which can be developed over time

Learner participation and motivation in virtual reality

Documents

virtual worldswhat

virtual worldsmotivation

universiteit antwerpenpanichi

universiteit antwerpencreate

universiteit antwerpeninterest

learner participation

online learning

active worlds