Learn English through Adventure Games

“Learning English with adventure games” gives a brief introduction about learning English through playing adventure games, including what is an adventure game, why adventure games are good for English learning, how adventure games can be used to assist English learning and what adventure games can be used for English learning.

On this Web, an adventure game is defined as “a kind of computer game which is similar to a movie.” The similarity may rely on a story and the main character in both an adventure game and a movie. Compared with a movie audience, the player can not only watch but control the main character. Though the definition makes some sense of an adventure game, I still think the introduction is kind of loose. Then I search “adventure game” in Wikipedia, which says “an adventure game is a type of computer entertainment program or video game, characterized by investigation, exploration, puzzle-solving, interaction with game characters, and a focus on narrative rather than reflex-based challenges... Unlike many other game genres, the adventure genre's focus on story allows it to draw heavily from other narrative-based media, such as literature and film. Adventure games encompass a wide variety of literary genres, including fantasy, science fiction, mystery, horror, and comedy.” According to this definition, adventure games features narrative-based challenges.

There are four aspects in which adventure games are good for English learning:
Improve understanding of spoken English: Real English spoken by characters provides listening practice for ELLs.
Gain “grammar intuition”: ELLs can use subtitles to focus on pronunciation and spelling practice.
Improve pronunciation: Listening to “good spoken English” reinforces pronunciation.
Increase motivation: Learning while playing increases ELLs’ motivation.

Based on the four benefits of adventure games for English learning, access to listening is a main character in adventure games. In comparison, deHaan (2003) shows a preference to sports and simulation games rather than adventure games, saying “The context of the language in sports and simulation games is much more apparent than that of RPG or action/adventure games, which may make language learners much more able to use bootstrapping strategies to decode the language or sports games” (p.7).

As for how to use adventure games to enhance English, a dictionary is
recommended for learning English vocabulary . Also, ELLs can write down new words and pause the game and repeat English sentences for pronunciation practice. For those who want to improve understanding of spoken English, playing the game without subtitles is suggested. At the end, three adventure games are recommended for those who want to learn English through gaming.

Generally speaking, this Web could be taken as an introduction of adventure games for English learning. Some points, for example, the reasons why adventure games can benefit ELLs, still need theoretical and empirical study to support. One concern is about using a dictionary in gaming process. It is said that ELLs can pause the game and look up new English words. But, the questions are whether keeping using a dictionary is effective in learning a language and how far ELLs can go playing games when they need to look up words from time to time. Since gaming environment is highly contextualized, why don’t ELLS take advantage the feature of the game to “guess” the words? Indeed, “Guessing” is an important strategy in acquiring vocabulary.
I’ve found an English adventure game online. Based on the demo downloaded from that Web, it is hard to tell whether there are narrative-based challenges. The game seems to be designed for ELLs who speak Spanish as their L1. Anyway, other than simulations, adventure games may be applied to English learning as a powerful tool. More research-based studies are needed rather than simple descriptions.



Reference

deHaan, J. (2003). Learning Language through Video Games: A Theoretical Framework, an Evaluation of Game Genres and Questions for Future Research. Retrieved April 16, 2007, from http://jobfunctions.bnet.com/whitepaper.aspx?docid=127390

Use Free Online Games in a Language Classroom

One of my posts introduces Kyle Mawer’s Wiki space, in which he presents information about e-gaming in language learning. Mawer is also the second author of the article “Language learners & computer games: From Space Invaders to Second Life” in TESL-EJ.

This article focuses on some free online games, which are “of more practical value to the practitioner” (Stanley & Mawer, 2008). First, the authors states that the term “computer game is used to refer to all digital gaming (video games, console games, online games, etc.). I’ve been used to “e-gaming” to encompass these categories of games mentioned above. With a brief introduction of why computer games can be used as an aid to language teaching, the authors mention two kinds of games: console games and free online games. Compared with console games which prove to be difficult in the language classrooms, free online games are easy to access. As Cruz (2007) introduces many teaching instructions used to reinforce ELLs’ language learning experience through gaming, the authors make efforts to share many practical language teaching strategies in using online games.

Examining previous literature on learning through e-gaming, Stanley & Mawer (2004) states that “anecdotal evidence” suggests that educational games are more “educational” than “fun.” This actually resonates with our often asked questions whether we should make schools more like games or make games more like schools. There is a quote from BBC news, which presents a 13-year-old kid’s response to educational games: “I’d rather play normal games than educational games but if I had to choose from teachers or educational games I’d choose educational games.” So, the authors suggest an alternative to using educational games is to choose existing games “that have been proven to be fun and to build tasks around them to exploit language” (Stanley & Mawer, 2008). In elaborating on each teaching strategy involved in gaming, walkthroughs play a critical role. The strategies are listed below:

Gap-Fill: Students complete blanks in a text based on the walkthrough while they play the game. For lower levels the teacher provides a word list; for higher levels students finish the blanks according to the gaming context.

Relay Reading: Using walkthrough to follow the relay diction method is adapted to a game.

Jigsaw Reading: Different groups need to collaborate to fill the information gap in walkthrough to finish a task.

Game Dictogloss: Students watch the teacher play the game and write the main words and phrases. Students can practice grammar in pre-gaming and while-gaming tasks.

Comprehension: The teacher uses walkthrough featured in narrations to ask students to complete the game.

Observe & Write: Students produce their own walkthrough or narrations in pre-playing or during-playing task.

Observe/Vocabulary: Students write their own vocabulary while playing games. This activity could be sued for lower levels.

Watch & Say: Students observe the teacher play the game and tell the teacher what to do for next step. This is a learning activity for intermediate and higher levels, in which imperatives and vocabulary would be acquired. Post-playing activities are suggested.

Listening/Questioning: The teachers go round the class with walkthrough text, answering students’ questions about game.

In addition, the authors briefly discuss massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) and virtual worlds. With World of Warcraft as an example, the authors stress social interaction via text chat and/or voice in MMORPGs can facilitate language learning. As a virtual world, Second Life provides a platform to build learning communities for the users around the world. It is mentioned that over 120 universities have been using Second Life for teaching and researching. Finally, the authors provide seven Webs for free online games. MOTAS, the game our group analyzed before is also included.

To sum up, this article is written based on the authors’ conference presentation about gaming and language learning. It is worth revisiting when we talk about using computer games in a classroom setting.

References

Stanley, G., & Mawer, K. (2008). Language learners & computer games: From Space Invaders to Second Life. TESL-EJ, 11(4).

Cruz, J. Q. (2007). Video games and the ESL classroom. The Internet TESL Journal, XIII (3).

Virtual Reality, Sci-fi and the Future Game

While typing “computer games” as the key word in the search box in google news, I was attracted to The Future: Man or Machine by Ore Ore. The news is centered on virtual reality, which is related to the movie, The Thirteenth Floor I watch this week. I am so intrigued by media equation we read last week, so the virtual reality reflected in The Thirteenth Floor drew my attention immediately.

The news starts describing the world we are living in is image and scenario saturated. It mentions this week congressman Edward Markey held hearings to identify “the future threats in online virtual environment.” Ore takes Second Life as an example to states that online virtual reality game is quite popular at present. According to Ore, the boundary between the real world and the virtual world becomes blurred: “...real world events were taking place behind the scenes...real people living real lives in a virtual environment.” There are several names which parallel virtual reality, including “augmented cognition, remote viewing, cybrogs, enahcned humans” and etc. Ore expresses worries about fast changing computer technologies. The main fear is that human’s brain will be controlled by others unconsciously. Ore exemplifies how “mind control” would occur. When the nerves of your brain are attached to electrodes, communication to and from your brain will take place easier and much faster. Your subliminal thoughts will be collected by sensitive antennas which are relayed to a nearby computer. Then, your brain wave will be translated into English or any other language, which can be sent to another person’s brain. Thus, your thoughts and your feelings will be transferred to the person, who may even determine your thoughts and actions without your conscience thought. So, this makes Ore ask the question “will the robot brains like I Robot’ positronic brain be better than our own” (Ore, 2008). Human’s fear of competent robots reflected here also makes sense in my understanding what it is depicted in The Thirteenth Floor that the user “downloads” into his own simulation, who finally can resist the user.

When it comes to simulations and games, we always compare the real and the virtual. To what degree the virtual is real enough? Is it possible that the extreme pursuit of reality in a virtual world, namely, illusion caused by confusion between the real and the virtual, would ruin the real world?

What I talk about today is seemingly irreverent to my topic on computer game and education. However, I feel the connection is between what we discuss about today’s computer games and what we can predict about the future’s games. Definitely, my thoughts are affected by the sci-fi movie I watch this week (^_^). I cannot help thinking what computer games would be like and where we should go in the future.

Finally, I want to recommend you, my dear group members two movies about virtual reality related to games: eXistenZ and Nirvana. You may have been familiar with the firs movie. In fact, I wanted to watch Nirvana for this week’s assignment, but it is not found either in Alachua county library or Library West. You may be able to find the Italian movie. Enjoy it!

Note: Info. about Nirvana
Plot: “The movie tells the story of a virtual-reality game designer, Jimi (Lambert), who finds out that the main character of his game, Solo (played by Abatantuono), has achieved sentience due to an attack by a computer virus. Asked by his creation (who feels everything the character in the game feels, including multiple deaths) to cease his existence, Jimi sets out to erase the game from his employer server before it's commercially released, and thus spare Solo of further suffering.”

Note: Both the plot of the movie and image are from Wikipedia at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana_(film)

Gaming Resources to Share

In “What video games can teach us,” Emily Sohn (2004) mainly draws some positive effect of computer games on learning from Gee’s study. In elaborating on how computer games can provide kids with more opportunities to know more about computers, Sohn (2004) cites Gee’s words that “[k]ids today are NATIVES in a culture in which their parents are IMMIGRANTS.” Actually, a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation revealed that 83 percent of children aged 8 to 18 live in hoes with a video game console, of whom 40 percent have console in their bedroom (“Video games: Reading the ratings on the games people play”, 2006). So, the statistics undoubtedly resonate with Gee’s comment on kids’ native status in new media culture, in which game culture is included. The article presents three aspects of computer games: enhancing kids’ attention, promoting screen reading and improving visual skills. Also, there are two good Websits and one game about games mentioned in this article.

Animal Crossing

A Webshotof Animal Crossing

Animal Crossing is a life simulation video published by Nintendo. Sohn (2004) uses Animal Crossing as an example in discussing screen reading in computer games. According to Sohn (2004), in this game, the player becomes a character living in an animal town. The player needs to write notes to other players and talking to the animals. I found some demos on the Web of Animal Crossing. All the characters in this game communicate via text messages, because they speak a weird “nonsense” language that nobody would understand. The kids have to read while playing the game. The reading occurs in a playful environment.

Whyville

A Webshot of Whyville

Whyville is an educational Website recommended by Sohn (2004). Whyville is a virtual world where kids from all over the world can play and learn. The player can build a virtual identity, design a face, hang out with friends, earn clams by playing games and even start his/her own business. I think the name “Whyville” has suggests that kids are inspired to find a lot of “whys” in the virtual village.

The Education Arcade

A Webshot of the Education Arcade

Two games, Supercharged and Revolution in the Education Arcade are exemplified in Sohn (2004) article. Established by some researchers and scholars of digital games and education, the Education Arcade is to explore games and learning. In “Research” on the Web, there is a list of current publications on gaming and learning, including books, book chapters, journal articles, conference presentations, and workshops. There are a lot of useful resources for researchers who are interested in learning through gaming.

Animal Crossing is good to engage kids in reading and Whyville provides kids with a virtual world to communicate and learn in playing. Education Arcade is worth exploring for research on gaming.


References
Video Games: Reading the Ratings on the Games People Play. (2006). Retrieved April 12th, 2008, from http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/videoalrt.shtm

Sohn, E. (2004). What video games can teach us. Retrieved April 12th, 2008, from http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20040121/Feature1.asp

Reflection on "Media Equation"

“Media equation” is a new conception to me. At first sight, I cannot help asking what “equation” means here and what equates to what. According to Byron Reeves and Clifford Nass (1996), “media equal real life” (p.5), which indicates peoples’ interactions with computers, television and other media are “fundamentally social and natural” (p.5) like how they respond to other people in real social life. The authors emphasize that the key word is “fundamentally,” saying the rules that people expect media to obey actually originate from their interpersonal interaction in real life and are based on the studies on how people interact with the real world. Chapter 1 mainly introduces what media equation means and states the steps how they did the research. Actually, I’m quite impressed by the following two chapters in which the authors describe two specific experiments: politeness and interpersonal distance. They demonstrate in details how the authors test some rules of human-human interactions to human-media interactions.

The research methodology in this book is very interesting. In Chapter 1, the authors have stated their assumption that social science findings on people’s social interaction can be used to “explain how people respond to media” (Reeves & Nass, 1996, p.13). Therefore, based on the social science findings concerning their research interest, they replace the words “person” or “environment” with media, for example, “a computer.” This is how they made their hypotheses about people’s response to media. Then, they borrowed the research methods the social science researchers used to test their hypotheses. To me, the methodology in this book is really creative and eye-opening but I keep cautious about its validity and reliability. Indeed, the methodology is questioned by Paul Dourish (n.d.), who is suspicious of the methodology Reeves and Nass used. According to Dourish (n.d.), social action unfolds everyday interactions whereas the experimental situation in the study may overshadow the essentiality of social interactions.

In elaborating on the rule that “politeness” in social response can be applied to human-media interaction, the authors use “Grice’s Maxims” to depict how to design polite media. I have come across “Grice’s Maxims” when I learned pragmatics as a subsystem in linguistics. In fact, I failed to perceive of the implication of “politeness” after reading the experiment. Introducing “Grice’s Maxims” to explain what polite media means helps me to understand what the authors argue that some benefits of considering the media equation. Indeed, “Grice’s Maxims” including quality, quantity, relevance and clarity makes it clear that the finding of media equation can be used to evaluate media and improve the design of media. It is important to note that the authors stress that any violation of the rules of Grice’s maxims leads to “negative consequences for media” (Reeves & Nass, 1996, p.32). However, in linguistics, a speaker may intentionally violate the maxims, or in Grice’s (1994) terms, “flout” the maxims to convey some implicit meanings such as sarcasms.

The examples given at the very beginning that people might confuse media and real life reminds me of my own experience in Second Life. Every time when I wander around in the virtual world, I feel I have a strong connection with and attachment to the avatar “JJ” I created to represent “me” in the real world. Whenever someone in the virtual world initiates a conversation with me by text message, I respond to him/her politely as I do in real life. Sometimes, even I am busy with other things and do not really want to spend time chatting, I think I have the courtesy to respond to him/her. Otherwise, I would feel uncomfortable just as I ignored a friendly stranger who says hi to me in real life. Actually, this experience is very common in computer games, especially role-playing games. Though Second Life is not a game, everyone in Second Life has a virtual identity, which connects someone’s identity in “first” life to what s/he is like in his/her “second” life. When it comes to computer games, Gee (2003) suggests there are three identities involved when one plays the games. First, there is a virtual identity. The player creates an avatar as a virtual character in the virtual world. In my case, “JJ” is my virtual identity in Second Life. Second, the player has a real-world identity, namely, each player as “a nonvirtual person playing a computer game” (Gee, 2003, p.55). The third identity is what Gee (2003) calls “a projective identity” (p.55). There are two dimensions of the word “project”: “to project one’s values and desires onto the virtual character” and “to imbue with a certain trajectory through time” for what the player want the character to be and become (p.55). In my understanding, the player transfers his/her values and aspirations in real life by creating the virtual identity to represent him/herself. Meanwhile, the player may go beyond his/her real “being” in the current stage to “project” him/herself in the near future by playing in the virtual world. To some degree, the game provides a locus of trying out one’s “projective identity.” As stated before, the phenomenon of multiple identities involved in gaming is more evident in role-playing games. For example, I have observed one gamer play The Sims2. The gamer says that usually it takes half an hour for him to just work on his avatar. He’d like to spend time on making a life-like “him” in the game. When he needs to create avatars that represent his friends or family members, he may even have their photos at hand to make the avatars more real. Besides the avatars’ appearances, he defines his and each other avatar’s personality based on what he and the real person are like. When he interacts with the “sims” representing people around him in real life, he feels it is just the way he interacts with them in everyday life. Meanwhile, he “projects” himself as a knowledgeable person rather than a romantic or entertaining type in The Sims2. He says “It is pretty much what I am like.” As Reeves and Nass (1996) points out, the Sims2 gamer respond “socially and naturally” (Reeves & Nass, 1996) to the game even though he knows it is not real life. It is worth to knowing more about “media equation,” which can be applied to my further research on gamers’ identity construction.

The notion “media equation” is developed from social scientific findings on interpersonal interactions. In addition, the authors states that “[c]omputers are social actors” (Reeves & Nass, 1996, p.28). Therefore, the research on “media equation” should be embedded in a certain social context. However, it seems that the authors generalize social contexts by ignoring cultural differences sometimes. For example, while describing the rules of etiquette in media, the authors exemplify one rule that “it’s polite to look at people when speaking” (Reeves & Nass, 1996, p.34). In explaining eye contact in real life, the authors say “When we can’t see someone’s eyes, we get worried, and this is likely why it is impolite not to show your face” (Reeves & Nass, 1996, p.34). In fact, in some Asian cultures, people tend to avoid eye contact when they speak with elders and the respected ones. Fortunately, the authors use “this is likely” rather than “this is” in the above sentence. I haven’t read the whole book, so I don’t know if there are other similar examples. Anyway, it is crucial to contextualize the discussion whenever it comes to social interactions.


References
Dourish, P. (n.d.). Book review: The media equation: how people treat computers, television and new media like real people and places. Retrieved April 12th,2008,from http://www.ics.uci.edu/~jpd/publications/media-review.html

Gee, J. P. (2003). What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Grice, H. P. (1994). Logic and Conversation. In Jannedy et al. (Ed.), Language Files (pp. 236-238). Columbus, OH: Ohio State University Press.

Reeves, B., & Nass, C. (1996). The media equation. In The media equation: How people treat computers, television, and new media like real people and places (pp. 3-18). New York: Cambridge University Press.

Reeves, B., & Nass, C. (1996). Politeness. In The media equation: How people treat computers, television, and new media like real people and places (pp. 19-36). New York: Cambridge University Press.

Reeves, B., & Nass, C. (1996). Interpersonal distance. In The media equation: How people treat computers, television, and new media like real people and places (pp. 37-51). New York: Cambridge University Press.

MMORPGs as a Language Learning Tool

Article Review

Rankin, Y. A., Gold, R., & Gooch, B. (2006). Playing for keeps: Gaming as a language learning tool. Retrieved April 7th, 2008, from http://delivery.acm.org/10.1145/1180000/1179340/a44-rankin.pdf?key1=1179340&key2=6638167021&coll=GUIDE&dl=GUIDE&CFID=23275710&CFTOKEN=87721833

According to Gee (2003, 2007), far beyond one’s inside reading and writing activities, literacy is situated certain social practices. As revealed by Selfe, Mareck, and Gardiner (2007), communication in gaming environment is increasingly multimodal and effective across linguistic and cultural boundaries. By the same token, in Playing for Keeps: Gaming as a Language Learning Tool, Rankin, Gold and Gooch claim that massive multi-player online role-playing games (MMORPGs) create immersive language environment and support social interaction for foreign language learners.

Rankin et al. point out foreign language learners who tend to avoid risk taking cannot obtain ample opportunities to use the target language. With the advent of CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning), foreign students are more likely to practice their language skills in “non-threatening environment.” However, Rankin et al. find less research has been done non-traditional computer-assisted language tools. Instead, they turn their attention to “one specific form of interactive media --- 3D computer games” (Rankin et al., p.1).

According to the previous literature, Rankin et al. state: 1) computer games have the potential to transform learning; 2) computer games can function as pedagogical tools; 3) computer games provides the opportunity of “learning by doing”; 4) computer games contain situated learning activities; 5) computer games supply authentic learning environments. When it comes to foreign language learning theories, Rankin et al. stress that communicative competence, “the ability to use the appropriate response in a particular context”, is crucial in foreign language learning process. CALL tools, for example, traditional language learning software, asynchronous networks, and synchronous networks, “reinforce foreign language course objectives while addressing the individual needs of language learners” (Rankin et al., p.2). Online chat room is exemplified as a CALL too to form social networks for language learning. In addition, Rankin et al. discuss Multi-user Object-Oriented (MOOs) can support synchronous communication but “lack of graphical representations” often makes language learners frustrated in a totally text-based environment. However, computer games leveraging sophisticated graphics to generate images, sounds, gestures, and objects makes the learning environment highly contextualized. Of various genres of computer games, Rankin et al. add, MMORPGs can best support “situated learning” because:
 1)An immersive learning environment that promotes the development of deep, conceptual knowledge of a particular domain by allowing players to experience the virtual world through sight, sound, participation and imagination,
 2)Social interaction among players in support of reflective learning as players consider the consequences of their decisions and game outcomes,
 3)Active learners who assume the role of the characters they have created and consciously commit to the advancement of these characters in the virtual world (Gee, 2003; Turkle, 1995) (Rankin et al., p.2).

Rankin et al. asserts that social interaction embedded in MMORPGs “serve as the catalyst for fostering students’ grammatical and conversational competence” (p.3). They emphasize that social interaction is “a prerequisite to students’ language proficiency,” which resonates with the implication of social interacionist theory for language learning. They argue that motivation, opportunities to practice target language skills and immediate feedback are essential in language learning. Without social interaction, the three components mentioned above may not function well in one’s learning process.

Furthermore, the authors propose some questions as evaluation criteria for games as language learning tools. Some questions are really insightful and I may examine them later to generate my dissertation research questions. In “Implementation,” Ever Quest II is taken as an MMORPG example for their further research. Later in “Data Collection and Analysis,” the authors introduce their data collection and a between-subjects design using T-test. I find their research design is very similar to my response to a methodology question in my qualifying exam. So, I find the same problem I have in my research design, which is questioned by Dr. Ferdig. I would also ask them how they would interpret the results if there was a significant difference between the control group and the test group? Should the difference be attributed to motivation or other factors, for example, social interaction and immediate feedback? The article looks like a research proposal, because the authors mainly talk about how they will conduct this study and there is actually no data analysis. The research results, it goes without saying, are unknown. I really hope to learn how their further research is going on. While most studies about language learning and computer games focus on exploring the potential of games for basic language skills, this article expands my vision by investigating social interactions fostered in gaming as a language learning tool.


References
Gee, J. P. (2003). What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy. ACM Computers in Entertainment, 1 (1).

Gee, J. P. (2007). Good video games + Good learning. New York: Peter Lang.

Selfe, C. L., Mareck, A. F., & Gardiner, J. (2007). Computer gaming as literacy. In C. L. Selfe & G. E. Hawisher (Eds.), Gaming lives in the twenty-first century. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Turkle, S. (1995). Life on the Screen: Identity in the Age of the Internet: Sim and Schuster.

English Course in Second Life

Article Review
Bump, J. (2007). Teaching English in Second Life. Retrieved Apri 5th, 2008, from http://currents.cwrl.utexas.edu/spring07/bump

The title of this article, Teaching English in Second Life, caught my attention immediately. I have sporadically read some articles about Second Life (SL). However, in my impression, there is little research on SL and English teaching/learning. As I mentioned somewhere else, I made a mistake by taking SL as a game at the very beginning. Later, I knew SL is a virtual learning environment instead of a game. I have had a Second Life (SL) account and roamed in SL before. I also observed one middle school boy wander around Teen Second Life. If there is no special forum or project dedicated to English learning/teaching, English learning opportunities may mainly remain in reading English in directions and writing English in text messages. So, I’m very interested in this article when I saw the topic.

The article mainly focuses on a research project on introducing SL to a two-semester freshman English course at the University of Texas at Austin’s Computer Writing and Research Lab (CWRL). Dr. Bump mentions that his students in his rhetorics of cyberculture course are required to be involved in a virtual community, for example, SL and later to write research reports on their virtual experience. The virtual environments turned to be a good place for students to do their “semi-ethnographic research.” Dr. Bump adds that the students wrote about their experiences exploring SL thought they did not write in SL. The students’ writing experience in this course laid the foundations for the project at CWRL. Thus, writing is geared to a pioneering area of writing pedagogy: “exploring the cyberculture of a particular virtual community.” Dr. Bump stresses that one innovative goal of CWRL SL project was to “re-integrate aspects of print literacy” in the virtual world.

One course assignment about social interaction was the most successful in SL. All students were assigned for different locations on the island in SL to discuss their topics for the assignment. The student survey reflected that most students had positive response to their discussion experience in SL. For example, 84% found the discussion in SL was engaging and 67% agreed that it was a good learning experience. Meanwhile, some disadvantages existing in text-based chats, for instance, “the loss of coherence,” “the loss of voice communication,” and so on, were also reported. In another assignment of constructing buildings in SL, all students agreed that their “awareness of campus architecture has increased” after finishing the assignment. On the one hand, the students’ response to the virtual campus of their university in SL was very optimistically consistent; on the other hand, their feedback to writing in SL was controversial. The students’ positive feedback to the idea of integrating SL in a literature and writing course dropped from 56% in the first semester to 6% during the second semester. In analysis, Dr. Bump states that the students did not accept the notion that “writing” in SL includes “visual as well as verbal rhetoric.” According to Dr. Bump, SL seems to be not only “basically nonverbal, but even antiverbal.” So, the students felt they could not improve their writing skills when they were in “a world of very few words.”

In closing the article, Dr. Bump restates “advocates of online literacy may well have to rescue and re-integrate aspects of print literacy.” Also, he cites Richard Lanham’s words, saying “we can neither preserve the educational system unchanged nor throw out the ‘literate’ ways of thinking. We have, in some way, to move the humanities from the old to the new operation system.”

This CWRL SL project demonstrates the potential of SL in the English writing course. SL provides a virtual environment for students to be engaged in some certain tasks, especially those focusing on social interaction. However, SL per se cannot enhance English writing due to lack of verbal input in SL. As Dr. Bump suggests, one solution is to ask students to write about SL since they do not write in SL. Also, Dr. Bump emphasizes the essentiality of integrating print literacy in new literacy. Undoubtedly, our time has seen a dramatic evolution of the “old page” to the “new page” (Kress, 2003). As Short, Harste & Burke (1998) argues accepting a new alternative does not mean devaluing the contribution of one’s current or past beliefs (as cited in Albers, 2006, p. 76), our attitudes towards reading the “old page” and the “new page” should be embracing both rather than either this or that. Though the ability of screen reading is important, the value of traditional reading should not be diminished. The further research should examine if connecting virtual environment to real life can optimize learning process.

References
Albers, P. (2006). Imagining the possibilities in multimodal curriculum design. English Education, 38(2), 75-101.

Kress, G. (2003). Literacy in the new media age. New York: Routledge.

Lanham, R. A. (1993). The Electronic Word: Democracy, Technology, and the Arts. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Short, K., Harste, J. C., & Burke, C. (1996). Creating classrooms for authors and inquires. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Wulong Academy: The newly launched online English learning game in China

Image source 1: http://page.hjenglish.com/page/26047/
Image source 2: http://www.wulongonline.com/gameintro.aspx


This week, I happened to find an online English learning game launched on March 1st, 2008 in China. Wulong Academy(Sorry there is no English verstion on the Web. Please watch the game trailer on the Web for some visual information.) which is called “the first online green game in China,” is especially designed for Chinese people to learn English. Actually, it is the first time for me to come across “Green Game.” I guess, as“Green Food" indicating the food that is good to health, “Green Games” should be different from the games that are blamed due to their negative aspects such as violence. According to one article in Chinese online (There is no information about "Green Games" in English. I'm not sure if it is a term in the field of gaming in China), the so-called “Green Games” refer to the games whose development, launch and management is favorable for transmitting history and culture, in which scientific knowledge, cultural essence, and entertainment are well integrated. Since Wulong Academy, as an edutainment, is to enhance people’s English learning while playing, it is labeled as a “Green Game."

On the official site of Wulong Academy, it says “Playing game can learn English. Have you heard that before?” Other advertising slogans, such as “I am a happy game fan and I can still get first rank in tests” and “Learning English is fun; Getting a promotion and raise is easy,” imply that the game is test-oriented. According to the game introduction, the developers of the game find that some people who speak little in real life tend to be very active on the Internet. When one’s real identity is hidden, a person can easily overcome shyness, anxiety and fear to communicate with others. It is also claimed that speaking and listening are the most practical in English learning but it is not insufficient in current English teaching in China. Using VOIP techniques, the developers create a virtual English learning environment. There are three avatars for gamers to choose: a naughty and smart fairy, an honest and ingenuous boy, and a willful but cute benthal creature. The player will be brought to a fantastic planet, where there is a special culture. All residents speak a language that the gamer has to learn to communicate with them. The language is English. It is not clear if there is a story line but it implies the player will have a wonderful journey and bizarre encounters on the planet, which requires the player to fulfill tasks to go further. All the tasks are English learning embedded. It seems that there are a lot of word games combined in the whole process.


Since the game’s launch in March, it has attracted a lot of Chinese people. In the first two weeks, there were more than 10,000 people who registered for the game. Every day, more than 2,000 gamers were online. Statistics showed that of the 2,000 online players, about 1,400 were females. Some people like this game since they are glad that English learning occurs while playing. There are some parents who play the game with their children. However, some experienced gamers think that Wulong Academy is more like an English testing bank rather than a game. They say even for those whose English is good, they cannot play for a long time. Those people who are not good at English, it goes without saying, feel bored after a while. One gamer said: “Wulong Academy borrowed the format of game for a real purpose of testing players’ English level. Who would enjoy English drills?” He even predicts that no kid would be into this game.

Now, the players are given 20 free hours after registering for the game. After 20 hours of free play, the players will be asked to pay online. Some players complain that it is not wise to charge for online play only after one month of game launch. Also, the game is not stable. In the forum on the official Website, it is not unusual to see players report offline problems and bugs in the game.

When I just found the game, I was very excited for the first online game designed for English learning. I applaud that Chinese educators have realized the value of game in learning. But, having read the introduction and watched the video clip, I was a little disappointed. The conception of engaging people to learn English in playing is really good, but the game turns out to be not so attractive. So far, to me, it seems to move the vocabulary test questions into the game environment. Also, the written and verbal instructions in Chinese diminish player's exposure to English. Thus, players do not really benefit from the strength of e-gaming, in which langauge learning opportunities are maximized due to rich situated meaning embedded in visual cues. By contrast, other English games, for example, the Sims 2, invite English players to be completely immersed in English only world.

It is interesting that the game integrates some Chinese cultural elements based on an ancient Chinese myth. I plan to have a try to know more about it. It may have some characteristics which are good for English beginners. Anyway, this game deserves attention and recognition as a pioneering game in China.

Note: Please check out the URL below for two video clips about the game. If the video is choppy, you may need to click the pause button to allow the entire video load before watching.

http://page.hjenglish.com/page/26047/

A different voice about violence in computer games

We have been exploring the values of computer games and trying to legitimatize gaming’s role in learning. If we talk about the downsides of computer games, the first thing most people would sue computer games for is violence. Though not all computer games are violent, violence existing in some computer games makes people associate computer games with bloody scenes. For example, after Virginia Tech. massacre happened last year, violence in video games was blamed. Even in academia, people would have the same response. In “forward” of Gaming Lives in the Twenty-first Century: Literate Connections (Selfe & Hawisher, 2007), Gee (2007a) mentioned that no remark about violence and gender in his book angered some of his colleagues more than when he wrote.

The news today Computer games make players less violent lets us hear a different voice about violence in computer game. The researcher, Jane Barnett from Middlesex University, found that a session in front of World of Warcraft made players “less stressed and more calm.” In this study, 292 online gamers of World of Warcraft between 12 and 83 were questioned about anger and stress. After they played the game for two hours, they were retested and the result showed there were “higher levels of relaxation before and after playing the game as opposed to experiencing anger.” But, the researcher adds that it to a large degree “depended on personality type.” When it comes to personality of gamers, this news mentions another study by Dr John Charlton, of the University of Bolton, and Ian Danforth, of Whitman College. It is found that people who are heavily involved in game playing is more likely to suffer from autistic spectrum disorders than those who are not interested in gaming.

Gee (2007b) emphasizes that technologies, such as movies, television, or video games and so on, “do not have any effects, good or bad, all by themselves.” What must be considered when we evaluate effects of a certain technology is its contexts. In Gee’s words (2007b), “[t]echnologies have effects – and different ones – only as they are situated within specific contexts” (Gee, 2007b, p.15). To discuss if violence in video games, it is dangerous to say that violence in virtual world causes violence in real life. Though Barnett’s study of World of Warcraft gamers’ stress needs more examinations on its validity and reliability (e.g. Is that possible some gamers intentionally hide their stress in retest? How about more than two hours of game playing? How about having the test in a longer term?), it demonstrates other factors, such as personality, cannot be ignored.

References

Gee, J. P. (2007). Good video games + Good learning. New York: Peter Lang.

Gee, J. P. (2007). Foreward. In L. S. Cynthia & G. E. Hawisher (Eds.), Gaming lives in the twenty-first century. New York: Palgrave macmillan.

Selfe, C. L., & Hawisher, G. E. (Eds.). (2007). Gaming lives in the twenty-first century : Literate connections: New York: Palgrave Macmillan.