A domain specific language to retrieve objective indicators for foreign language learning in virtual worlds

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Balderas ◽  
Anke Berns ◽  
Manuel Palomo-Duarte ◽  
Juan M. Dodero ◽  
Raúl Gómez-Sánchez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Domain Specific Language ◽  
Specific Language ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
Objective Indicators

A Comparative Study of Platforms for Multi-User Virtual Environments

2011 ◽  
pp. 137-170
Author(s):  
Arda Tezcan ◽  
Debbie Richards
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Comparative Study ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Real World ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Fields Of Study ◽  
The Right ◽  
Minimal Effort

Multi-User Virtual Environments (MUVEs) have been found to be engaging and provide an environment in which the elements of discovery, exploration and concept testing, fundamental to the field of science, can be experienced. Furthermore, MUVEs accommodate lifelike experiences with the benefit of the situated and distributed nature of cognition; they also provide virtual worlds to simulate the conditions that are not doable or practicable under real world circumstances making them very relevant to many other fields of study such as history, geography and foreign language learning. However, constructing MUVEs can be expensive and time consuming depending on the platform considered. Therefore, providing the most appropriate platform that requires minimal effort, cost and time will make MUVE deployment in the classroom faster and more viable. In this chapter, the authors provide a comparative study of prominent existing platforms for MUVEs that can be used to identify the right balance of functionality, flexibility, effort and cost for a given educational and technical context. A number of metrics are identified, described and used to enable the comparison. Platform assessment was done in four main metric groups: communication and interaction, characters, features and education. Communication and interaction metrics are used to assess how the communication and interaction is done within the examined platform. Character metrics are employed to measure avatar and agent affordances. Features metrics are defined to compare what the platform offers in terms of technology. Lastly, education metrics are used to identify the value of the associated platform for educational purposes.

scholarly journals The Role of a Domain-specific Language Mechanism in Learning Natural and Unnatural Stress

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela C. Carpenter
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Domain Specific Language ◽  
Training Procedure ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Specific Language ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
Artificial Language Learning ◽  
French And English

AbstractIn an artificial language-learning task, two groups of English and French participants learned one of two language rules: 1) stress the first heavy (CVC) syllable, else the first syllable, or, 2) stress the first light (CV) syllable, else the first syllable. French and English participants were chosen to compare learning outcomes by speakers of different native stress systems, fixed and variable. Participants were trained on the target language by listening to a set of nonsense familiarization words exemplifying the stress rule. This was followed by a forced-choice task to choose the correct version of the words they had just learned. Following the training procedure, participants were tested on novel words with the same stress pattern to which they were familiarized. The result of the novel word testing was that the natural rule with stress on heavy syllables was learned significantly better than the unnatural, stress light syllables, rule. To account for the learnability of both the natural and the unnatural rules, I argue for the interaction of a general cognitive mechanism that facilitates learning in general and a domain-specific language mechanism that can access universal phonological principles to aid in learning a natural language rule.

Retrieving Objective Indicators from Student Logs in Virtual Worlds

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 69-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Balderas ◽  
Anke Berns ◽  
Manuel Palomo-Duarte ◽  
Juan Manuel Dodero ◽  
Iván Ruiz-Rube
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Learning Processes ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Domain Specific Language ◽  
German Language ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
Group Behaviour ◽  
Objective Indicators

Virtual Worlds (VWs) have been widely used to support learning processes. One main advantage is providing valuable data on student behaviour and interaction. Nonetheless, most platforms provide only limited access to student logs. Moreover, accessing logs usually requires technical skills most teachers do not have. In this context, the authors present a Domain Specific Language (DSL) designed to allow teachers to generate queries for retrieving valuable log information with a view to obtain evidence on learner behaviour and interaction; hence, to aid in the analysis of in-world behaviour and learning processes. Since this data is automatically retrieved, the teacher can easily run new queries to refine indicators or contrast hypotheses. The authors describe a case study carried out with undergraduate German language students using a VW-based video game. The results provide a set of indicators for analysing individual and group behaviour measuring student competence to communicate in the target language.

Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games as English as a Foreign Language Learning Environments

2019 ◽  
pp. 162-182
Author(s):  
Hélder Fanha Martins
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
English Language ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Role Playing ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Role Playing Games

The objective of this chapter is to gain a better understanding of the usefulness of massive multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) for promoting English as a foreign language (EFL) acquisition. To accomplish this goal, the author analyzed specific categories of interaction occurring between English language learners while playing an online game entitled Eve Online. Previous research has proved that there are positive outcomes on EFL acquisition from the interaction that takes place while playing video games known as MMORPGs. These games immerse players in virtual worlds that are inhabited by hundreds and even thousands of other players, and all are partaking in the game in real time. Learners who choose to play the game in a foreign language are exposed to target language input in a context-rich environment where they can interact with native-speakers and other language learners.

scholarly journals A domain specific language notation for a language learning activity generation tool

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Sebastián ◽  
Ricardo Tesoriero ◽  
Jose A. Gallud
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Activity ◽  
Domain Specific Language ◽  
Development Environment ◽  
Graphical Notation ◽  
Specific Language ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
Model Based ◽  
Activity Models ◽  
Model Editor

AbstractGlobalization has increased the need for society to master new languages. This need has encouraged the launch of many applications dedicated to language learning. This paper presents a graphical notation for a domain specific language to represent language learning activities. It describes how this notation enables developers to represent language learning activity characteristics using workflow, presentation, content, media and activity model conforming a metamodel that defines the abstract syntax of the domain specific language. This notation is implemented as part of an integrated development environment to build model-based applications. Finally, this proposal is evaluated with a framework that uses the cognitive dimensions of notations for notational systems. The proposed graphic diagram editor exceeds the experience that the user has with the reflexive model editor. In relation to the creation and editing of workflow models and presentation/activity models, the proposed graphical notation its more intuitive and easy to maintain visually than the traditional reflexive tree notation used by many model-based development frameworks.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document