Teaching and learning EFL in the virtual world of Second Life

Teaching and learning EFL in the virtual world of Second Life was the theme of professor Sobkowiak's (Wlodek Barbosa in SL) one-off lecture offered to 2nd year MA extramural students in IFA on October 18th at 14.15 in lecture hall C1.  After a general introduction into the pedagogical aspects of Second Life, the audience was taken in-world, to the island of Virtlantis, the home of SLEnglish, a friendly group of language teachers organizing FLT tuition in Second Life (blog and website).  Some didactic resources of the island were inspected and an interview conducted with SLEnglish founder and facilitator, Kip Yellowjacket.  Finally the audience had a chance to relax in Wlodek Barbosa's home in Virtlantis.

Here is the abstract of the presentation:

0. Preface: distance learning, e-learning, LMSs
1. Introduction to SL, based on "Happiness I hadn't felt before", czyli nauka języków obcych w Drugim Życiu" (paper to be published in an ICT in FLT volume, edited by Mirosław Pawlak and Bartosz Wolski)
2. Some SL links: http://wa.amu.edu.pl/~swlodek/Second_Life.html
3. Educational uses of SL: a videoclip
4. Virtlantis, the island of SLEnglish: overview, resources, interview with Kip Yellowjacket, founder & facilitator
5. Relaxing at Wlodek Barbosa'a home in Virtlantis: slurl.com/secondlife/Virtlantis/219/223/24/
 

Interview with Kip Yellowjacket, 18th Oct 2008, in Virtlantis
(This was done in voice; the following is KY's write-up)

1. Could you please briefly introduce yourself, SLEnglish and Virtlantis?

I am known as Kip Yellowjacket in Second Life, but my real life name is Kip Boahn. My wife and I own a language school in Germany called the Oxford School for English. I am originally from the US but have been living in Germany for the past 8 years.

Second Life English is basically a free resource and community for language teachers and learners in the virtual world of Second Life.  We try to facilitate the learning and teaching of foreign languages by offering various free resources and support and cultivating a sense of community.

The name Virtlantis was taken from another e-learning project in which my wife and I are currently involved.  Virtlantis.com is a digital storytelling platform which presently focuses on teaching native German speakers the Enlish language by use of digital storytelling. It is also a 2D world.  I initially joined Second Life because of my desire for a more immersive, 3D component.

2. How is SL as a Virtual World better for EFL than dedicated distance e-learning systems?

I don't think the question should be whether a virtual world such as Second Life is BETTER than other e-learning systems or platforms.  Virtual worlds simply offer us an immersive  3D component which can be viewed as an add-on to any existing e-learning or distance learning system.  Virtual worlds will need to be further developed before they can be seen as being stand-alone e-learning solutions.
 

3. What are, in your opinion, the main downsides of SL as an educational platform?

I think SL is a perfect platform for a learner who already possesses a voracious appetite for learning.  The initial learning curve which one confronts in SL can be a bit intimidating for those who quickly grow impatient during the learning process.  Those who struggle with new internet technology, and are not especially tech savvy, will find likely find a virtual world experience such as Second Life frustrating.  User experience in SL also varies from user to user.  Hardware insufficiencies, lack of technical troubleshotting skills, and overall
platform unreliability can lead to a lot of variation in user experience.  More development is needed to make virtual world platforms such as Second Life more stable.  Stability and a predictable user experience are crucial elements in any e-learning strategy.

4. Which pedagogical resource in Virtlantis are you particularly proud of?

I am particularly fond of our "launchroom concept".  Launchrooms allow teachers to have a private space in which to experiment and hold lessons and/or meetings.  We try to encourage teachers to view these spaces primarily as "launch pads" for launching or teleporting to other locations in Second Life.  The idea we are trying to promote with this concept is that all of Second Life (and even the internet) can be viewed as "the classroom".  This differs from the more traditional stationary model of teaching which encourages the idea of always learning and teaching in the same static place.  In SL, a teacher is equipped with the power of a portable inventory.  This means a learning experience can easily take place anywhere in SL, and a teacher
does not have to worry about not having the right materials or tools.  The needed materials and tools can simply be retrieved from the inventory when desired.

5. How do you see the future of Virtlantis and SL in the educational context?

I think virtual worlds are still very much in their infancy and that we will see a lot of development and progress in the very near future.  I predict that virtual worlds will eventually be stable and developed enough to be able to act as stand-alone e-learning systems.  The sense of immersiveness will become even more real and we will see more overlap with real life.  I suspect it will soon be possible to wear a headset or pair of glasses
in real life which allow us to have multireality experiences.  I don't think we are far  from being able to sit on a mountainside in Poland in real life while simultaneously experiencing a real-like virtual connection with someone in China.  The seeds for such technology have already been planted.
 

 WS