Negotiation for Action: English Language Learning in Game‐Based Virtual Worlds

Abstract

This study analyzes the user chat logs and other artifacts of a virtual world, Quest Atlantis (QA), and proposes the concept of Negotiation for Action (NfA) to explain how interaction, specifically, avatar-embodied collaboration between native English speakers and nonnative English speakers, provided resources for English language acquisition. Iterative multilayered analyses revealed several affordances of QA for language acquisition at both utterance and discourse levels. Through intercultural collaboration on solving content-based problems, participants successfully reached quest goals during which emergent identity formation and meaning making take place. The study also demonstrates that it is in this intercultural interaction that pragmatics, syntax, semantics, and discourse practices arose and were enacted. The findings are consistent with our ecological psychology framework, in that meaning emerges when language is used to coordinate in-the-moment actions.THIS STUDY APPLIED SOCIOCULTURAL perspectives and concepts from ecological psychology to English language learning, as well as content learning, in an intercultural avatar-based online environment. Areas investigated include negotiation for action (NfA; a reconceptualization of negotiation of meaning, discussed later), intercultural identity development, and meaning making. The following questions represent the focus of investigation:

Developing CALL for heritage languages: The 7 Keys of the Dragon

“…(Terrell, 2011;Wang & Vásquez, 2012) and synchronous environments such as video-conferencing (e.g., Skype), social networks (e.g., Facebook), interaction through online virtual worlds, e.g. Second Life (http://secondlife.com), Active Worlds (http://www.activeworlds.com), among others, have been effectively integrated in language learning methodologies giving to learners the opportunity to develop their reading and writing skills (Hew & Cheung, 2010;Zheng, Young, Wagner & Brewer, 2009). …”

General Impacts of Integrating Advanced and Modern Technologies on Teaching English as a Foreign Language

“…Since computers and mobile devices are faced with some limitations in appealing student learners and provide them with an interactive environment, possible use of other forms of technology has been explored in recent years. Among the fastest emerging technologies that have demonstrated to be of assistance to the language learning process are social robots [11][12][13][14][15]. From the mid-2000's social robots and interactive digital robots have also been explored as supportive and novel tools that have come to the aid of language teaching and learning, gradually evolving into the new methodology named as Robot Assisted Language Learning (RALL) [12][13][14].Social Robots not only have the features and interfaces already being employed in CALL and MALL, but are also capable of autonomous actions/movements, visual and voice recognition, and physical/environmental interactions when equipped with numerous sensors.…”

“…Therefore, it also seems essential and expected to utilize modern and immerging technologies to facilitate the task of English language education. From Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to intelligent/smart devices and robots, technology has been used in recent years to enhance second language teaching and acquisition in classrooms [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14].Clearly, students trying to learn and enrich their proficiency in English as a second language need supplementary language support. To expand their knowledge, skills and experience, they must actively get engaged and practice in listening, reading, speaking, and writing.…”

ReCall Special Issue: Multimodal Environments in CALL

“…More recently, attention has been devoted to the problem-solving nature of games (Reinders, 2012;Cornillie, Thorne & Desmet, 2012) in immersive virtual environments that create the conditions for embodied interaction. Gamers collaboratively solve problems and achieve game goals through multimodal communication and by coordinating actions (Zheng, Newgarden & Young, 2012;Zheng, Wagner, Young & Brewer, 2009).…”

“…More recently, attention has been devoted to the problem-solving nature of games (Reinders, 2012;Cornillie, Thorne & Desmet, 2012) in immersive virtual environments that create the conditions for embodied interaction. Gamers collaboratively solve problems and achieve game goals through multimodal communication and by coordinating actions (Zheng, Newgarden & Young, 2012;Zheng, Wagner, Young & Brewer, 2009).Student participation and how it is affected by multimodality has also attracted some attention, resulting in studies on learner practices in audiographic exchanges (Ciekanski & Chanier, 2008) and participation patterns (Hampel & Stickler, 2012). Other researchers have analysed the value of using digital stories as multimodal products in the foreign language classroom (Oskoz & Elola, 2014) or how foreign language students make use of the different codes that are available to them in a digital story to construct meaning (Yang, 2012).…”