Learning Languages in Cyberspace

Meskill, Carla; Guan, Shuyi; Ryu, Dongwan

doi:10.4018/978-1-4666-0315-8.ch093

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 23 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The combination of communication tools provided by MMOGs with the purposeful and highly engaging social interaction provides an optimal environment for language learning (Peterson, 2011; Rankin, Morrison, McNeal, Shute & Gooch, 2009). Language learners have opportunities to develop second or foreign languages in the online contexts and to participate in the valuable language practices through collaborative interaction in a socially appropriate manner (Meskill, Guan & Ryu, 2012).…”

Section: Language Learning Through Gamingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Play to Learn, Learn to Play: Language Learning through Gaming Culture

Ryu

2013

ReCALL

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Many researchers have investigated learning through playing games. However, after playing games, players often go online to establish and participate in the online community where they enrich their game experiences, discuss game-related issues, and create fan-fictions, screenshots, or scenarios. Although these emerging activities are an essential part of gaming culture, they have not attracted much attention from researchers and only a few empirical studies have been done on learning through beyond-game culture. Language learning in particular has not been extensively researched despite the proliferation of game players who speak English as a foreign language within this community. To address how non-native English speaking (NNE) game players participate in language learning through game play and beyond-game culture, three generations of activity theories and a multiple-case study design were employed in this study. The asynchronous computer-mediated discourses were repeatedly reviewed, and email interviews with participants were conducted over three stages. The discourse analysis of interaction data and interview scripts showed how participants were engaged in language learning through gaming culture. First, words or phrases used in game play could be learned while playing games. Second, sentences or discourses could be practiced through interaction with native or more fluent peers in the online community after playing games. Third, these two types of engagement in gaming culture were closely related to influencing language learning through repeated practices and collaborative interactions. In conclusion, language learning through gaming is appropriately understood when ecological perspectives are adopted to look at both sides of gaming culture.

show abstract

Section: Language Learning Through Gamingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Play to Learn, Learn to Play: Language Learning through Gaming Culture

Ryu

2013

ReCALL

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Language educators, who are also often "on Facebook", have found innovative ways of using the social networking site for language practice, exposure and communication (Blattner & Fiori, 2009;Blattner & Lomicka, 2012;Mills, 2011;Promnitz-Hayashi, 2011) or to train and prepare language learners for the appropriate use of Facebook in the target language (Prichard, 2013;Reinhardt, 2013). While often conversational and informal in tone, the use of Facebook in educational settings is considered as formal (Meskill, Guan & Ryu, 2012). Embedded in the curriculum, Facebook-based tasks are part of a formal language assignment, requiring student participation and formal assessment procedures.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Facebook for informal language learning: Perspectives from tertiary language students

Alm

2015

eurocall

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper investigates the use of Facebook for out-of-class, informal language learning. 190 New Zealand university language students (Chinese, German, French, Japanese and Spanish) completed an anonymous online questionnaire on (1) their perceptions of Facebook as a multilingual environment, (2) their online writing practices and (3) their views on the educational value of their experiences. Findings indicate that language students are using a range of Facebook features to expose themselves to the languages they study (L2) and to communicate in their L2 with native speaker Facebook friends. The use of the social networking site varied according to proficiency-levels of the participants (beginner, intermediate and advanced levels), strength of social ties with native speaker Facebook friends and personal attitudes towards the site. Learning experiences on Facebook were not perceived as useful for the formal language learning context which suggests the need for bridging strategies between informal and formal learning environments.

show abstract

“…21st century advance in technology and impact on SLA theories, CALL research, and virtuality adapted from Meskill, Guan and Ryu .…”

Section: Overview Of 21st Century Call Research and Sla Theoriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

21st Century Virtual Language Learning Environments (VLLEs)

Mroz

2014

Language and Linguist. Compass

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Learning a foreign language (L2) has never been more efficiently done than through immersion in the target culture. By comparison, learning in a traditional classroom has proven to lead only to limited proficiency. But traveling to the target country is still inaccessible for many L2 learners. Investing in the tremendous array of technologies that have emerged since the beginning of the 21st century could bring us one step closer. This essay overviews the body of research on Virtual Language Learning Environments (VLLEs), considered as promising venues to approximate the type of naturalistic learning that happens in real-life immersion. Drawing on research in Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) and Second Language Acquisition (SLA) theories, this paper intends to provide a clearer picture of what virtuality entails for the L2 learning process, and to offer research-based suggestions on what to look for to integrate VLLEs in the L2 curriculum.

show abstract

Learning Languages in Cyberspace

Cited by 4 publications

References 23 publications

Play to Learn, Learn to Play: Language Learning through Gaming Culture

Play to Learn, Learn to Play: Language Learning through Gaming Culture

Facebook for informal language learning: Perspectives from tertiary language students

21st Century Virtual Language Learning Environments (VLLEs)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About