Exploiting Three Dimensional Virtual Worlds For Learning Languages

This paper will discuss the ESL students and the programming that must be implemented in order to have an effective contributing outcome. ESL students are defined as people whose first born language is not English. However, not all ESL students are immigrants, according to Alberta Education (2007) there are two main groups of ESL learners; Canadian – born and the second is termed as Foreign –born.

A video game course is a good method of introducing students to the virtual world. It enhances our educational experience and teaches us a lot of valuable skills. Even though many people may think it is a waste of time, video games could lead us to a great path and career in the future. Since technology is constantly improving, we need to start improving our knowledge of technology as

ELL continue to rise year after year. In EDUC 628, the class delved into the rise of ELL in America and how the best teaching methods to approach each learner with. Every ELL student is unique and has different learning process. Although the semester covered a wide variety of topics ranging from dialects to teaching methods, every module served its purpose in providing a framework for future ELL teachers. Learning about how to teach ELL was significant to me because when I first entered the school system in America, I was placed into ESL and I have gone through the process of many of these teaching methods. EDUC 628 main focus was preparing students whose goal in the future was to educate ELL. The articles and readings assigned in the class provided a funds of knowledge going into each new lesson. Coupled with the readings, hands on activities such as the mini lessons and designing lesson plans provided each student with experience that will reflect on their teaching abilities in the classroom. In my paper, I will be provided a step by step synthesis of what was learned and accomplished every week along with a brief summary of the readings. I will probe deeper into the modules and lessons that piqued my interest the most and that also challenge my mindset.

Randy Pausch was a teacher, who taught his students valuable lessons dealing with Virtual Reality and also with life. He spoke countless lectures in multiple colleges, like the University of Virginia , and Carnegie Mellon University, where he went to obtain his Ph.D. Pausch was most known for his book, The Last Lecture. This book is based on a lecture he spoke on called, “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams,” which happened to also be his very last lecture. In September of 2006, Randy was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and in August of 2007 he was given a terminal diagnosis of “ 3 to 6 months of good health ” (Pausch 62). In The Last Lecture, Pausch makes a distinction between “people” and things” through lessons like pouring soda in

Virtual reality(VR) is a relatively new frontier in the technology industry. So new in fact, that, at its current stage, what it is and its potentials are unfamiliar to the general public. VR originally started gaining momentum as a new platform to game on, but its potential must be analyzed broadly in more than just one vocation. Because of the immersion VR provides, it has an immense capacity to benefit the educational field. Everyone is unique in the way they learn best; some people learn best by reading, some people learn audibly better, and, some people learn visually.

The reading of meet the Sims passage reminds me about one of the ideas that I thought before. It was about finding a way to contact the Moroccan education department or the other Arabic education departments. The purpose is to create a program that can help Arab children’s immigrants speak their mother language and know their origin culture. I thought about suggesting the virtual learning as an alternative solution to this dilemma. I am quite sure if the Moroccan government came with this project, the entire country will benefit from this idea. First of all, it will guarantee our children's loyalty to their country of origin. Second of all, the county revenues from hard currency will rise because children will be more willing to visit their

Educational video games are a valuable tool of learning for children if they are supervise by parents. Children can learn math, language, problem solving, critical thinking and even practice sports while being entertained. For instance, the video game "Rock la lengua" not only teaches Spanish language while they are entertained but also teaches children concentration and problem solving. Similarly, the game "Jones in the fast lane" while teaching patience and logical thinking, also children learn how to attain in real life education, wealth, happiness and career.

ESL teachers will be asked to complete an in-depth, open-ended interview with the PI. If needed, subsequent interviews with ESL teachers will be conducted, with questions constructed and designed for further probing, and dependent upon overall analysis of the previous interview results. Interviews will be held in person or via Skype. The interviews will be audio-recorded and will last approximately 45 minutes to one hour. The researcher proposed to use the Livescribe Technology Pen to record data from the in-depth interviews to assist in the coding process. Also, data from the recording of interviews using the Livescribe Technology Pen will be uploaded into a CAQDAS, such as NVivo 10.

To discuss Lanier’s keen views and anticipations regarding Virtual Reality back in the mid 1980s, it would be useful to first cover exactly how far Virtual Reality has progressed up until today. This essay will begin by discussing the history of Virtual Reality and the usage trends. That discussion will then be used to preface a discussion about Lanier’s views that were expressed in A Vintage Virtual Reality Interview. The essay will then finish off by looking at particularly interesting views held by some of today’s futurists and these views will be related back to Lanier’s original exuberant view of Virtual

Reflecting back on my field experience, I was able to gain quality insight as well as a better understanding of the teaching and the learning process of ESOL in a mainstream classroom. My experience in Mrs. Little’s classroom has shown that the role of the ESOL teacher is to educate students in functional language skills, offer content that is academically challenging, and helps students acculturate to the new language and culture.

Most online students use course management systems such as Blackboard to master the material. Some learn by streaming audio or video lectures. But, universities are offering courses that are taking online studies to the next level. According to a recent article by the New York Times, an increasing number of online courses are holding sessions in Second Life, a virtual world that mimics real life.

In simulations, 1st year EFL learners could bring items to the class to create a realistic environment. For instance, if a learner is acting as a singer, she brings a microphone to sing and so on. Role-plays and simulations have many advantages. First, since they are entertaining, they motivate the learners. Second, as Harmer (2001, p. 275) suggests, they increase the self-confidence of hesitant learners, because in role-play and simulation activities, they will have a different role and do not have to speak for themselves.

Virtual reality defined as to produce and create the effect of an interactive 3D world in which the objects have a sense of spatial presence by using computer technologies. Our perceptual and cognitive system will be presented by precise clues in order for our brain to interpret and understand those clues as outside object in 3D world. In addition, virtual reality suggest a lot of benefits and advantages to education of technical such as delivery information through multiple active channels, addressing of dissimilar learning styles, experiential-based learning and so on ( Bell & Fogler, 2004, p 217).

Lee, K. W. (2000). "Energizing the ESL/EFL classroom through Internet activities". The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. VI, No. 4, April. Retrieved http://iteslj.org/articles/lee-internetactivites.html

Virtual worlds have solved many of the challenges faced by educational institutions. Today, hundreds of colleges, universities and other learning organizations are either augmenting their current traditional classroom curriculum with a virtual learning component or are holding classes and entire programs exclusively in immersive learning environments in Second Life. Second Life’s persistent virtual environments give students an opportunity to work together synchronously and then return, individually or as a team. The learning space is always equally available, for geographically dispersed groups as well as for those who meet regularly in the physical world. This is especially useful when students require more flexible schedules or need to work asynchronously on the same project.