Cybertext redux: using digital game-based learning to teach L2 vocabulary, reading, and culture

Neville, David; Shelton, Brett E.; McInnis, Brian

doi:10.1080/09588220903345168

Cited by 72 publications

(62 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…According to our findings, DVGs seem to offer potential for inclusion in educational settings. Agreeing with Reinhardt and Sykes (2012), DVGs should not be considered a replacement for course books but more of complementary or supplemental activities that could be scaffolded into existing curricula (see also Neville, Shelton, & McInnis, 2009). Comparing the findings with similar studies, it seems that DVG features including genre, story, user interface, and design, play an important role in its effectiveness for vocabulary acquisition.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Readers, Players, and Watchers: EFL Students’ Vocabulary Acquisition through Digital Video Games

Ebrahimzadeh¹

2017

ELT

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The present study investigated vocabulary acquisition through a commercial digital video game compared to a traditional pencil-and-paper treatment. Chosen through cluster sampling, 241 male high school students (age 12-18) participated in the study. They were randomly assigned to one of the following groups. The first group, called Readers, involved those who learned vocabulary through intensive reading; the second group, Players, learned vocabulary through playing a digital video game; the third group, Watchers, were trained through watching two classmates play the digital video game. The vocabulary items were first pretested. Next, each group underwent training for five weeks (one session a week). Then, the vocabulary items were posttested. Also, field notes were made. To compare the three groups, a mixed between within subjects ANOVA was run. Results indicated that the Players and Watchers outperformed the Readers. It is concluded that digital video games can be beneficial complementary activities for vocabulary acquisition in high school classrooms.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Readers, Players, and Watchers: EFL Students’ Vocabulary Acquisition through Digital Video Games

Ebrahimzadeh¹

2017

ELT

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“…In sum, thanks to technological advances in the sphere of virtual environments, including the subset of online games, we can now simulate the studyabroad experience in an EFL setting. Recently, research has been carried out to document the effects of cultural immersion experiences provided by various technologies, such as digital/online games (Neville, Shelton, & Mclnnis, 2009) and virtual environments such as Second Life (Warburton, 2009), on cultural learning. Online games and/or virtual environments enable users to employ both network-based synchronous CMC and personal avatars and bring with them potential user benefits like immersion in linguistic, cultural, and task-based settings (Gee, 2003;Thorne, 2008) and cross-cultural knowledge (Peterson, 2010).…”

Section: Technology-enhanced Culture Learning 31 Network-enhanced Cmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Online games and/or virtual environments enable users to employ both network-based synchronous CMC and personal avatars and bring with them potential user benefits like immersion in linguistic, cultural, and task-based settings (Gee, 2003;Thorne, 2008) and cross-cultural knowledge (Peterson, 2010). Recent research into network-based gaming indicates that digital interactive fiction had an impact on students' perceptions of German cultural immersion and culture learning (Neville et al, 2009). Moreover, the potential of network-based gaming and, specifically, massively multiplayer online role-playing games in developing crosscultural knowledge has also been hypothesized (Peterson, 2010).…”

Section: Technology-enhanced Culture Learning 31 Network-enhanced Cmentioning

confidence: 99%

A virtual walk through London: culture learning through a cultural immersion experience

Shih

2013

Computer Assisted Language Learning

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Integrating Google Street View into a three-dimensional virtual environment in which users control personal avatars provides these said users with access to an innovative, interactive, and real-world context for communication and culture learning. We have selected London, a city famous for its rich historical, architectural, and artistic heritage, as the location of choice for culture learning. Using avatars, learners walk the virtual streets of London under the guidance of a native English-speaking instructor, and interact with each other using text and voice chat functions. The study examines the effects of this virtual environment on culture learning. Specifically, a qualitative case study combined with a time-series design is used to investigate the virtual context's impact on culture learning in terms of learner knowledge and attitudes, and to track associated change processes across the three research phases (baseline, treatment, and maintenance). The results show that all four English learners involved in the study benefitted from their cultural immersion, to varying extents, in the virtual environment. Four contributing learner factors, namely linguistic proficiency, motivation, character traits, and attitudes were found to correspond to the learners' levels of acquaintance with the target culture.

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“…Interactive fiction differs from hypertext fiction in that it contains stronger gaming elements, so much so that the demarcation between interactive fiction and digital games is far from clear (Hayles, 2008, p. 8). Some scholars (Neville, Shelton and McInnis, 2009;Pereira, 2013) have begun looking into the way these gaming elements, with a particular focus on language, can be applied in L2 courses. Typically in interactive fiction, the reader or "interactor" (Hayles, 2008, p. 8) might involve typing basic directions such as "open door", "get letter", "speak".…”

Section: Hypertext and Interactive Fictionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards narrative-centred digital texts for advanced second language learners

Bazinet

2015

OLBIWP

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Recently, there has been a steady influx of language development software and games intended for use both at home and in the classroom. Although some of these technologies are effective for language learners to develop certain skills such as sight word recognition, many of them lack aspects of advanced level literacy such as expanded narrative and character development, which can allow for higher cognitive function and thus greater language mastery. While recent research emphasizes the pedagogical possibilities for video games and interactive fiction when teaching basic L1 literacy and literature respectively (Simanowski, Schäfer and Gendolla, 2010;Beavis, O'Mara and McNeice, 2012), this paper makes the argument that similar texts and media can help advanced L2 language learners further develop a knowledge of figurative, culturally imbued language which they could analyze and substantiate in relatively autonomous environments. Furthermore, these digital texts function as dynamic, pedagogical tools that can elicit critical technological literacy, a skill that is ever more crucial in our increasingly mediatised and technological age.Key words: second language acquisition, digital literature, English second language teaching, computer assisted language learning Résumé Récemment, un afflux constant de logiciels et de jeux pour l'acquisition des langues à la maison et à l'école a été mis sur le marché. Même si quelques-unes de ces technologies aident de façon efficace les apprenants à parfaire certaines compétences, comme la reconnaissance des mots écrits, bon nombre d'entre elles ne tiennent pas compte des aspects de la littératie aux niveaux avancés, comme les descriptions détaillées et l'évolution des personnages, qui peuvent faire appel aux fonctions cognitives supérieures et, par conséquent, donner lieu à une plus grande maî-trise des langues. Bien que les recherches menées récemment mettent l'accent sur les possibilités pédagogiques offertes par les jeux vidéo et la fiction interactive pour l'enseignement des compétences de base (L1)

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Cybertext redux: using digital game-based learning to teach L2 vocabulary, reading, and culture

Cited by 72 publications

References 30 publications

Readers, Players, and Watchers: EFL Students’ Vocabulary Acquisition through Digital Video Games

Readers, Players, and Watchers: EFL Students’ Vocabulary Acquisition through Digital Video Games

A virtual walk through London: culture learning through a cultural immersion experience

Towards narrative-centred digital texts for advanced second language learners

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