The Use of Virtual Worlds for Developing Intercultural Competences

Abstract

In this research, the authors present a framework for developing Intercultural Competence (IC) and use Tridimensional Digital Virtual Worlds (3DVW) as environments for developing Intercultural Competence. They developed an artifact, via Design Research, constituted by an educational method using the 3DVW Second Life® as the place for a virtual exchange program between 92 Brazilian and Portuguese master students. The results of the authors' study indicate that the 3DVW can be used for the development of IC because it allows rich experiential and relational/conversational learning opportunities, especially due to the affordances of immersion/sense of presence, social interaction, content production and knowledge sharing.

Novel 3D Contextual Interactive Games on a Gamified Virtual Environment Support Cultural Learning Through Collaboration Among Intercultural Students

“…Such comments imply that the group engagement and presence emerged when these students fully participated in the 3DCIGs in the virtual room (Quinn, 2005). After completing the collaborative activities, if the feeling of team participation and belonging associated with multiple users of a virtual environment appeared, the group experienced presence (Abdul Hamid et al, 2017; Machado et al, 2016). The expressions of treatment group (see Table 3) used such as “teamwork”, “teammates,” and “between players” suggest that students were aware that other partners were acknowledging them during their team social interaction and collaboration (Zichermann & Cunningham, 2011).…”

“…Moreover, regarding the theme of the Irish university, Team 3 from the control group lost track in the context/theme but spent ample time discussing the colors of Chinese stocks and Chinese food. These findings indicate that the social context combined with different collaborative games created in a virtual platform may impact new knowledge exchange differently (Chen et al, 2018;Eun & Lim, 2009;Machado et al, 2016;Wood & Gregory, 2018). Meanwhile, this evidences that different ways of presenting the context may significantly impact creating a rich and collaborative learning environment (Lave & Wenger, 1991).…”

“…Overall, results demonstrate, compared with text-based assignments, 3DCIGs have a higher potential to activate an intercultural collaboration because they engage students more deeply in the activity being performed during the intercultural collaboration (Machado et al, 2016;Wood & Gregory, 2018). Sharing experiences in intercultural learning groups based on 3DCIGs implied that a cultural understanding and language learning emerged among representatives of different cultures (Chen et al, 2017;Corder & U-Mackey, 2015).…”

“…In a 3D virtual learning environment, intercultural students can see and hear one another and manipulate virtual artifacts together. Besides, virtual environments benefit the e-learning community because they increase participants’ sense of presence in the community and they enhance the social awareness and communication between participants in a safe way (Abdul Hamid et al, 2017; Machado et al, 2016; Shonfeld & Kritz, 2013). In particular, engagement and presence can be positively affected by the types of collaborative tasks (e.g., involve interactive factors) that are set in the virtual learning environment (Franceschi et al, 2009; González-Yebra et al, 2019; Khlaisang & Songkram, 2019).…”

Implementing computer‐mediated intercultural communication in English education: A critical reflection on its pedagogical challenges

“…Most of the current literature concerning CMIC activities in language curricula focuses on positive aspects of students' learning experiences and on the pedagogical potential of new CMC technologies—reporting both in many cases (see more examples in Bray, ; Jin, ; Machado, Klein, Freitas, Schlemmer, & Pedron, ; O'Dowd, ; Schenker, ; Tanghe & Park, ). However, it has also been noted that “online intercultural exchanges are extremely complex and dynamic educational contexts” (Turula, , p. 21), which are not without significant challenges.…”