虚拟教学环境下的英语外语学习:探索“第二人生”

EFL Learning in MUVEs:Exploring Second Life

利用多用户虚拟环境辅助课堂学习受到越来越多的关注。而在众多基于多种媒介的多用户虚拟环境中，“第二人生”广受欢迎。为探索“第二人生”虚拟学习环境下我国高校英语教学的有效方式，本文采用准实验设计和评价研究方法，对中、美两所大学之间开展的“第二人生”英语学习项目的实验结果进行分析和研究，并着重探讨了该项目对中国学生英语学习所产生的影响。收集的数据包括：实验前后语言测试、实验后问卷调查結果、一对ー访谈和小组访谈，以及学生的博客等。实验前后语言测试成绩的方差分析結果表明，“第二人生”英语学习项目对中国学生的英语学习具有明显的积极影响，与控制组相比，“第二人生”英语学习组在实验后语言测试的分项和总分有明显提高；对调查问卷、学生的博客以及访谈录音的分析表明，“第二人生”是ー个有趣、有效的语言学习平台，“第二人生”英语学习项目使学生对外语学习产生了积极的情感，让他们体验到了激励、互动和成功。研究表明，第二人生能有效解决国内英语教学缺乏真实的语言学习环境这ー问题。

Educational researchers and practitioners alike have paid considerable attention to the use of multi-user virtual environments ( MUVEs ) to support learning across curricula. Among those MUVEs created through various media， Second Life ( SL) is one of the most popular. This study aims to explore the affordance of SL for EFL ( English as a Foreign Language) learning ana instruction and find effective and practical ways to integrate SL into an EFL program for learners from Chinese universities. It reports results of an experimental EFL program in SL SL_FEL Program with the Chinese EFL students and explores its effects on Chinese students' EFL learning. The study took an evaluative approach by using auasi-experimental design with participants from one American university and one Chinese university in East China. Data were collected through pre-study and post study language tests， pre-study and post study surveys ， one-on-one and focus group interviews and documentation review ( e. g. participants' blog postings ).Variance analysis of the pre-study and post study language test scores reveal that the SL_EFL Program had a positive impact on students EFL learning. The results indicated significant differences between a control group and the SL group on EFL measures， as well as significant gains in total scores and several subcomponents between pre and post tests. The data analysis from the post study survey， students' blog postings and interview transcripts reveal that the SL _EFL program helped the study participants form positive perceptions towards SL as a useful and interesting EFL learning platform. In addition， the SL_EFL Program left the study participants with positive feelings towards EFL learning as being motivating， interactive， and successful. This study indicated that the merits of the SL_EFL Program in solving the problem regarding the lack of authentic learning opportunities for EFL students that many Chinese universities face.