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Mockup showing help option for vocabulary in a conversation with an NPC, and subsequent elaborated input.
Source publication
Although there is pedagogical support for using computer adventure and role-playing games in order to learn a second language
(L2), commercial games often lack the instructional qualities for making their language comprehensible for learners. In an
interdisciplinary approach, this paper proposes a technique for adapting in-game text in order to tea...
Context in source publication
Context 1
... more information on difficult, unknown or domain-specific words in the NPC utterance. For each such a word in an NPC's utterance, an option is added to the list of PC options (e.g. "What do you mean by WORD X?") which, when clicked, leads to a short but natural explanation of that word, spoken by the NPC (e.g. "Well, WORD X is when you ...") (see Fig. 1). This way of explaining words is e.g. to be found in the COBUILD monolingual learner's dictionary [41]. What could we do to remedy the ...
Citations
... From the affective aspect, the use of digital games increases learners' intrinsic motivation, interest, and curiosity (Dickey, 2011;Lee, 2019;Malone, 2018). It encourages active participation, self-directed learning, and discovery learning (Cornillie, Jacques, De Wannemacker, Paulussen & Desmet, 2011;Lee, 2019). Digital games also promote incidental vocabulary learning by providing rich language input and an interesting learning environment (Chen et al., 2019;Sundqvist, 2019;Sykes & Reinhart, 2013). ...
... Meta-analysis studies confirmed that digital games are more effective in vocabulary learning than traditional methods by a large effect size (Chen et al., 2018;Tsai & Tsai, 2018;Zou et al., 2021). Most importantly, digital games offer a new, interesting, and immersive learning environment for L2 learning (Chen et al., 2019;Cornillie et al., 2011). Given that language is inseparable from the context, learning vocabulary within the context of a digital game can bring multiple benefits (Brown, Collins & Duguid, 1989;Lee & Park, 2020). ...
... In addition, a game environment presents vocabulary items in multimodal channels (e.g. auditive, visual, and textual) and allows learners to activate mental schemata about new vocabulary items and have better vocabulary retention (Cornillie et al., 2011;Hitosugi, Schmidt & Hayashi, 2014). According to dual coding theory (Paivio, 2007), the simultaneous use of two or more modes, particularly the combination of visual and verbal modes, helps learners build a meaningful form-meaning connection and a mental representation of the word, thereby better facilitating vocabulary learning and retention (Khezrlou, Ellis & Sadeghi, 2017;Ramezanali & Faez, 2019). ...
In recent years, the number of studies investigating the effectiveness of using digital games for incidental second language (L2) vocabulary learning has been rapidly increasing; however, there is still a lack of research identifying the factors that affect incidental L2 vocabulary learning. Hence, the current study examined vocabulary-related (word level, exposure frequency, salience) and learner-related (language proficiency, interest, viewing captions) variables and investigated factors affecting EFL students’ incidental vocabulary learning in the use of a vernacular (noneducational) murder mystery game ( N = 59). The study employed a quantitative research method and descriptive and inferential statistics (repeated measures ANOVA and multiple linear regression). The results showed that playing the game greatly facilitated L2 vocabulary acquisition and retention. Among the vocabulary-related variables, the study found that only salience significantly influenced vocabulary acquisition. Regarding the learner-related variables, the students’ interest and viewing captions were positively related to vocabulary learning, whereas their language proficiency levels were negatively correlated. The study found that the students’ conscious attention, in conjunction with salience of the word, was the main facilitating factor in incidental vocabulary acquisition and retention in the game-enhanced language learning environment. The study suggested pedagogical implications for incidental vocabulary learning through game play based on the results of the study.
... He asserted that students significantly grasped the concepts better and got higher grades. Last but not least, Cornillie et al. (2011) mentioned that vocabulary acquisition while playing RPGs was incidental. ...
... However, developing both challenging and entertaining games is a complex and difficult process, including educational and basic features that researchers seek to have (Charsky, 2010;Hung et al., 2018;Padilla-Zea et al., 2015). Also, Cornillie et al. (2011) stated that commercial games generally lack instructive qualities as they want ...
... It was also aimed that the students identify with their characters in the game because it is how RPGs work. Besides, Cornillie et al. (2011) suggested that for future studies, whether having the option of requesting lexical help during the game without interrupting leads to more vocabulary learning or not could be investigated. The target vocabulary was always comprehensible in this research as they all had their visual representations below them. ...
This study aims to integrate video games into classrooms not as a replacement for regular lessons but as supplementary materials under the teacher's supervision. To this extent, the researcher created an educational English learning video game specifically modeled on the students' real lives. Ninety-six middle school students, 48 in the control group and 48 in the experimental group, participated in the study. While follow-up activities were used in the control group and the regular classroom teaching, students in the experimental group played the educational game under the teacher's supervision with no follow-up activities. Pre, post, and retention achievement tests were applied to the students. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with 18 students from the experimental group. The results showed that the experimental group's vocabulary learning and retention were significantly higher than the control group. Also, the views of the students on English lessons and games based on their lives were promising. By considering the achievement test and students' views on the game developed, it can be said that the game in the study includes educational features as well as the basic features of the games.
... DGBL provides a meaningful and engaging context for language learning wherein the learner has an authentic opportunity to use language rather than merely engaging in drills and practice (Chiu, Kao & Reynolds, 2012). In reviewing the CALL literature on adventure and role-playing games, Cornillie, Jacques, de Wannemacker, Paulussen and Desmet (2011) claim that these types of games stimulate "the integrative development of the four language skills" (p. 132), and that games provide immersive contexts for language learning in which learners can acquire vocabulary and grammar on an incidental basis. ...
This qualitative study investigates a media transfer project in which a digital game was used to promote student creativity in an English as a foreign language (EFL) class. The paper first addresses the potential of opportunities for stimulating student creativity and motivation. Creativity has been highlighted as a core competency and has garnered considerable interest in many fields in recent years; however, creativity and creative writing are rarely cultivated in EFL writing classrooms. This study uses a digital game and designs a creative writing project to provide an authentic learning opportunity through which students were able to develop their creativity, use the target language in a meaningful way, and enjoy learning. A murder mystery game, Her Story , was selected because it provides a springboard for creative writing due to its fragmented and ambiguous narrative. Based on the game plot, 25 Korean university students reimagined the narrative in creative writing projects of their own. The study analyzes the students’ writing according to three constructs in Torrance’s model of creativity: originality, flexibility, and elaboration. The results demonstrate how the students’ writing exhibits considerable creativity in all three constructs. Student reflection papers and surveys indicate that participating in the project enhanced the students’ motivation for and engagement in learning.
... Excerpt of field note observation (FO/1/U/D1/3) The participant ever said "I don't understand" when his friend is talking in long sentence."…….... ya I ever meet the familiar word but I forget what it means….. Ever like that, sometimes think what is it mean and searching it on Google Translate…"Cornillie et al (2011) mentioned that language learning through online games can be in the form of activating mental schemata when the game players meet unfamiliar words. Better entrenchment in memory of the new vocabularies, in this case, was supported by Google Translate. ...
p>As information and communication technology (ICT) plays more important role in recent years, the use of ICT tools and media is more common in learning language. One of ICT media that is promising for language learning is online games because they facilitate incidental language learning as they inherently form part of reading, listening, speaking, and writing. This case study aims to investigate the opinion of gamers about the use of online game Defense of the Ancient 2 (DoTA 2) to learn language. Data were collected through field observation, semi-structured interview, and documentation. Two participants were interviewed. The findings of this research is that DoTA 2 supports incidental English language learning because it is easy to use and understand the langauge in the game platform; the content encourages gamers to use English so that gamers learn new vocabularies and practice their English reading skill while playing; the social interaction through chat room and voice chat in planning strategies encorage gamers to communicate in English; the enjoyment from the motivation to win the game makes gamers practice English in team strategy discussion. However, DoTA 2 only focuses on the action of strategies to win the game rather than intended interaction to learn language.</p
... Esto se logra facilitándoles entornos virtuales de aprendizaje (Virtual Learning Environments en inglés) diseñados como una aproximación al descubrimiento y al cuestionamiento, aspectos que fomentan los procesos de aprendizaje de los estudiantes aportándoles entornos de aprendizaje que les alienten a explorar contenidos y a resolver problemas [8]. Debido a que los alumnos objeto del caso de estudio parten de un nivel básico (A1, CEFR), es especialmente beneficioso facilitarles tanto vocabulario como sea posible [14], lo cual se consigue dándoles un entorno interactivo y atractivo en el cual los jugadores necesiten participar en conversaciones con personajes no-jugadores (diálogos basados en el sistema point-and-click, tan-to para leer como para escuchar) y seguir las pistas que reciben para superar paso a paso el juego (en nuestro caso resolviendo un misterio inicial). Para obtener el máximo rendimiento del sentido de la curiosidad del estudiante, nuestro objetivo es engancharlos en la exploración, satisfacer su curiosidad y fomentar su aprendizaje a través de un entorno de aprendizaje basado en la investigación. ...
... A pesar de que recientemente ha habido una tendencia a aumentar la diversidad de videojuegos en elámbito educativo, la revisión bibliográfica muestra que el tipo más utilizado para la enseñanza y el aprendizaje de idiomas son las aventuras y los juegos de rol [14]. Mientras que los juegos de aventura son frecuentemente usados para principiantes (con el enfoque principal de conseguir facilitar a los alumnos la mayor exposición posible al idioma), los juegos de rol generalmente se utilizan en niveles más avanzados para fomentar la fluidez en el idioma. ...
En las últimas dos décadas, los juegos educativos han sido ampliamente utilizados para mejorar el aprendizaje de lenguas extranjeras. Los estudiantes generalmente se divierten aprendiendo mediante desafíos intelectuales. No obstante, no todos los juegos logran mejorar la educación de cada alumno de la misma forma y al mismo ritmo. Diferentes características del juego repercuten en la experiencia del aprendizaje. En el presente artículo presentamos un estudio preliminar para el diseño de un videojuego en el que enfocar aspectos psicológicos como el suspense con objeto de mejorar la atención del estudiante mientras que juega. De esta forma pretendemos no sólo enganchar a los estudiantes a jugar varias veces al mismo juego, sino también conseguir un mayor aprendizaje en cada partida. En nuestro artículo, describimos cómo diferentes componentes emocionales (valencia, intensidad y control) pueden afectar al jugador. Esto se implementa en un prototipo de juego de detectives basado en el suspense que dinámicamente crea la historia de la partida, teniendo en cuenta las puntuaciones emocionales de los diferentes conceptos empleados en el juego.
... Furthermore, the connection between immersion and L2 learning is established since long, and recently the immersive environment of digital games has received scholarly attention from the perspective of L2 acquisition (see e.g. Cornillie, Jacques, De Wannemacker, Paulussen & Desmet 2011;deHaan, Reed & Kuwada 2010). The default language in WoW is English (Waters 2007). ...
This article argues that playing World of Warcraft (WoW) and Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) have a number of similar features. We base our argument on findings from three studies. The first (Sylvén 2004/2010) is about CLIL and non-CLIL students at upper secondary level and aims to investigate what effect, if any, CLIL has on the incidental acquisition of vocabulary. The second (Sundqvist 2009) is about extramural English and aims to examine its potential impact on learners' oral proficiency and vocabulary. Extramural English is broadly defined as any type of contact that learners have with English outside the classroom. The third is a joint study focusing on young learners and their extramural English habits and aims to see whether there is a relationship between what the learners do in English in their spare time and their learning outcomes in school, as measured by the national test of English and a written vocabulary test. A pattern regarding gaming and learning outcomes emerged from the three studies, making it possible to claim that playing WoW shares ma ny features with CLIL. In CLIL contexts, the aim is to integrate the learning of subject content with the learning of an L2. Similarly, in a game such as WoW – an extramural informal arena – an authentic, content-rich L2 immersive environment is supplied. We conclude that what CLIL claims to do intramurally, that is, in the classroom, WoW and possibly also other massively multiplayer online role-playing games seem to accomplish, at least to some degree, extramurally.
EFL students often struggle with second language (L2) learning, particularly because they learn L2 out of context, which they find unmeaningful and demotivating. To provide a meaningful context for L2 learning and make learning more interesting, the present study utilized a customizable metaverse platform. First, we developed a scenario of a rose theft, and then based on that, we created a town in the metaverse, which offered a variety of multimodal language input and missions to solve the problem and identify the thief. The entire activity was developed grounded in constructivist language learning principles (e.g., contextualized, motivating, interactive, and task-based learning), thus, learners could explore, play, and learn in the playful constructivist space. Seventy-two Korean EFL students participated in the activity. The study employed a mixed method for more robust research. Quantitative data (the pre- and posttests and the post-survey) indicated the students had a great interest in the activity and the learning outcome increased. Qualitative data (the students' journals, the interviews with the teachers and the screen recordings) further evidenced the students' enjoyment of the activity. Particularly, the screen recordings showed how the students participated in the activity in the metaverse, collaboratively created an emergent narrative through interaction, and produced their own narrative to reach the answer. The study suggested pedagogical implications for using the metaverse for L2 learning based on the results of the study.
Vocabulary learning is vital for second language development, and the use of technology has greatly changed how second language vocabulary can be acquired. Some adventure video games were found to be beneficial for vocabulary learning. These games offer engaging plots, rich input, and immersive learning context. Despite these advantages, many games often include difficult vocabulary items and fleeting subtitles. Researchers have suggested that games can be modified to provide a more supportive environment. The purpose of the present study aimed to examine the effect of an adventure game and the game plus L1 keyword glosses on second vocabulary acquisition. Two classes were recruited and took a pre-test, post-test, and two-week delayed post-test and filled out a survey. The results indicated that the control group (i.e. game only) has significantly improved, suggesting that the gaming context alone can assist the incidental vocabulary learning. The experimental group (i.e. game with L1 glosses in the subtitles) significantly performed better in the post-test and delayed post-test. The findings indicated that L1 glosses helped to enhance noticing and to learn new words. It was clear that adventure games have great potentials for vocabulary learning, and additional lexical supports in gaming can further enhance vocabulary learning.
Many studies have found that computer video games can offer a facilitative vocabulary learning environment. Among different types of computer games, adventure games have received much attention because of their rich input and immersive learning environment. However, some researchers have indicated that because of the characters’ fast-talking speed and many new vocabulary, more lexical supports should be provided in the games. This study thus developed an adventure game with two versions. One version was an adventure game and the other was the same game supported with vocabulary exercises. Two classes were randomly assigned to play two versions of the game and to take a pre-test, post-test, and delayed post-test. A survey was also conducted to investigate the participants’ perceptions. The results showed that both groups acquired new words, but the experimental group performed significantly better in both the immediate and delayed post-tests. These findings indicated that the adventure game alone can help participants acquire new words. However, the inclusion of word-focused exercises further helped learners retain more new words. Thus, it is suggested that game developers can incorporate word-focused exercises into video games. The additional exercise can allow learners to benefit from both implicit and explicit vocabulary learning.
Purpose
This study aims to present a meta-analysis of the use of serious educational games in museums. The analysis is based on a critical literature review that maps educational roles of museums against serious educational games used in support of those roles. The meta-analysis focuses on the specific context of informal learning in museums.
Design/methodology/approach
The research design presented in this study is based on a meta-analysis research design that consists of a critical literature review, a multi-matrix representation of findings of the literature review and a conceptual visualization of the multidisciplinary area of the usage of serious games in support of educational roles in museums.
Findings
Clear and detailed categorizations of educational roles and serious games types for informal learning are presented. These are followed by matching these educational roles with published reports of the use of serious games within museums. The study concludes with observations and a conceptual map of the design of serious games for museums.
Originality/value
This study presents the first meta-analysis of research in this emergent multidisciplinary field. It will help serious game designers, museum educators and educational practitioners to make decisions regarding the choice of game type, customization and content design to support informal learning in the specific context of museum educational activities.