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Game-based immersive teaching and learning

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Game-based immersive teaching and learning

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challenging and interactive experiences, with a huge potential in terms of learning outcomes

Authentic foreign language material

Online environments where learners can communicate with foreign language speakers, through email, text-based computer-mediated communication (synchronous and asynchronous), social media, or voice/video conferencing

Language-learning tools (online apps or software)

often include interactive and guided exercises;

offer teacher-student and peer-to- peer communication

deeper learning experiences

communication takes place in a context which can take the shape of life-like situations

enables learners to rehearse real-life scenarios and challenges in a safe environment

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Students must have the responsibility for their own learning
•The problem simulations used in problem-based learning must be ill-structured and allow for free inquiry.
•Learning should be integrated from a wide range of disciplines or subjects.
•Collaboration is essential.

•What students learn during their self-directed learning must be applied back to the problem with reanalysis and resolution.
•A closing analysis of what has been learned from work with the problem and a discussion of what concepts and principles have been learned are essential.
•Self and peer assessment should be carried out at the completion of each problem and at the end of every curricular unit.
•The activities carried out in problem-based learning must be those valued in the real world.
•Student examinations must measure student progress towards the goals of problem-based learning.
•Problem-based learning must be the pedagogical base in the curriculum and not part of a didactic curriculum

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Learners are moving from a passive stance and teacher-centred forms of delivery to a more active and student-centred one; instead of taking in information from a unique source (the teacher), students have the chance to learn more independently and collaboratively, interacting, comparing interpretations and working with teachers,fellow

peers in other parts of the world toward mutual understanding

Today’s students perceive little value in the absorption of factual information, given the accessibility and ease of use of search engines and web-based reference sites such as Google and Wikipedia ; students are now very much in control of online content and, as members of the open and interactive culture of the Web, are capable of being both producers and consumers of knowledge using a variety of accessible tools that empower them to develop and share ideas

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teachers are “curriculum developers” who critically assess school knowledge and reorder and enrich it according to the principles of new pedagogy supported by technology

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How connectivism compares to other learning theories and how it differs from established paradigms

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How connectivism compares to other learning theories and how it differs from established paradigms

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The connectivism model -  the use of technology in schools should lead to significant educational and pedagogical outcomes, beneficial for both teachers and students;

- the use of interactive multimedia software seems to motivate students and leads to improved performance

- focuses on Internet technologies and the new opportunities created to learn and share information across the World Wide Web.

-  the main principles of connectivism are the following:
•Learning and knowledge are based on adiversity of opinions;
•Learning is the process of connecting specialized nodes or information sources;
•Learning may reside in non-human appliances;
•The capacity to know more is more critical than what is currently known;
•Nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate learning;
•The ability to identify connections between concepts is important;
•Maintaining current and accurate knowledge is the purpose in connectivist activities;
•Decision-making is a learning process as information can change and what is viewed as correct one day may be incorrect the next.

Constructivist teaching - teachers relinquish control of the class and learners are the makers of meaning and knowledge under their guidance

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Numerous 3D learning environments have been developed using platforms such as Active Worlds, Second Life, Open-Sim, Minecraft, Traveler, Adobe Atmosphere, and There.

Students have the possibility to be fully engaged with the learning context; they can be anybody through avatar creation and they can experience different times and places and experience thelearning environment in whichthey are immersed

They are interactive environments with the preferred content, they also give the possibility to view a given problem from different perspectives presenting activities that may be difficult to practice safely in real life.

Users are able to access virtual contents simultaneously, share information (Prasolova-Førland, 2008), receive feedback (Cheng &Wang, 2011), and complete activities by engaging with objects and individuals from different locations

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- a systematic process of communicating and working with people from different locations through online or virtual means for the development of language and/or intercultural competence.
-  Technology is the mediational tool in telecollaboration; it is therefore central in the telecollaborative pedagogy and has an impact on interaction as participants engage with the technical as well as the social layer of interaction

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is a model of practice that organizes the learning around projects.

tasks based on challenging questions that involve students in design, problem-solving, decision-making or investigative activities while giving them the opportunity to work relatively autonomously over extended periods of time

learning is partly a social activity that takes place within the context of culture, community and past experiences

“workforce demands for high-performance employees who can plan, collaborate, and communicate”or the need for young people to “learn civic responsibility and master their new roles as global citizens”

When designing a solid PBL curriculum, research shows that 8 essential criteria should be met, specifically: 1) significant content,2) a need to know, 3) a driving question,4) student voice and choice,5) 21st century skills,6) inquiry and innovation,7) feedback and revision and 8) publicly presented product

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The final product :D

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The final product :D

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is grounded on learners’ experiences with the target language personalised and relevant to them

is used in communicative language teaching where “a task is an activity where the target language is used by the learner for a communicative purpose (goal) in order to achieve an outcome”

Learners are obliged to use all their language resources during the various stages of the task

allows for a great variety of learning styles or a combination of learning techniques

should equip learners with the knowledge and skills to:

-find and apply resources relevant to their learning tasks
-assess and value people ‘s learning experiences
-improve their language skills in the field of their interest
-collaborate and interact with other students to practice oral and written communication skills
-explore new ways of learning

The learning objectives suggest that successful learners achieve the following:
-initiate and sustain conversations in-world
-comprehend messages from peers and react accordingly

-understand the main idea when listening to or evaluating reports or videos
-read and comprehend materials written for native speakers, when the topic is familiar
-write short notes and reports
-restate and summarize material for the benefit of the group.

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can be used at any level depending on the communication and language skills of the learners.

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When considering the usability of games in 3D immersive virtual worlds, it is important to analyzethe rules, their initiation,andtermination, the use of resources and possibilities of collaboration and interaction.

One way of classifying games will be to specify linguistic contexts, investigating the selected games with regards to their goals, teaching objectives, the skills they require, and elements of language to be practiced, as defined in the CEFR (Common European Frameworkof Reference) at levels A1-C2: listening/understanding; spoken interaction/speaking with other people; spoken production/making announcements and speeches; reading and writing (from notetaking to report writing).

defining the specific goals of the games whether they are used as gap fillers, or warm up and whether a game is used as:
-competitive
-skill-based
-discussion based
-task-based
-problem-solving
-describing
-narrative
-recounting something
-guessing
-question and answers
-socializing
-collaborative activity or
just for fun

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Bartle (1989) identified four main categories of players in multiplayer online games. According to his taxonomy of player types, each player is defined by the gaming elements which they find most enjoyable such as Socialiser, Explorer,Achiever,and Killer.

Achievers like to find the goal,

Socializers like interacting,

Explorers like to increase the knowledge of the world and discover new places and

Killers (e.g. a griefer in Second Life) like to dominate others and do this through attacking others in a game.

Creators or Builders, most relevant for Minecraft, Second Life,andOpenSim

In teaching, we should focus rather on the aspect of ‘doing’ things using the learning by doing approach

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The biggest challenges for students who want to participate into classes in virtual classes include “robust hardware and a broadband Internet connection, liability issues like being subjected to sex, violence, or disruptive players”.

skills to create and design the learning environment

Identity issues like freedom to play with identity and manage reputation can become an issue of concern, and accountability for actions becomes displaced

Culture issues like set of codes, norms and etiquette for joining communities.

Collaboration issues like the need of building trust and authenticity while cooperating and co-construction and because of a minimal social network scheme within  the virtual learning environments, external services such as wikis, blogs or a virtual learning environment (VLE) are often needed to support the interactions between avatars.

Time constraints could occur by validating, running and teaching activities. Checking object permissions, intellectual property rights and accessibility also requires a lot of time.

Economic issues; even though the basic account to access Second Life® is free, anything else costs money like  buying land to build and create teaching spaces or uploading images and textures.

Standardisation presently is a problem. There is no interoperability between various virtual platforms, yet.

Scaffolding persistence and social discovery issues like each avatar remains trapped at the center of its own community and in-world profiles associated with each avatar provide a limited mechanism for the social discovery of other people, unlike other social networking services

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Lesson Ideas for Teachers to Use Machinima

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Lesson Ideas for Teachers to Use Machinima

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Warm-ups

Machinima on “How to play a game tutorial”

Machinima on “Lesson Instructions: Classroom Language”

Vocabulary and Pronunciation Presentation

Create simple machinima that demonstrate adjectives.

Create simple machinima that demonstrate classroom nouns/objects  (Home: house, rooms, garden, street, square, park

Create simple machinima that demonstrate: Simple Verbs

Create machinima that contextualize the vocabulary, e.g. travel vocabulary, educational vocabulary, restaurant vocabulary, etc.
Fixed Expressions Presentation

Create machinima that demonstrate idioms with various contexts like animals, people etc., proverbs, familiar quotations, expressions of belief, attitudes such as – clichés

Machinima representing the “use and choice of greetings” on arrival, in introductions, leave-taking, use and choice of address forms,

Spoken Language Presentation

Machinima presenting

casual conversations;

public announcements and instructions;

public speeches, lectures, presentations, sermons;

rituals (ceremonies, formal religious services);

entertainment (drama, shows, readings, songs);

sports commentaries (football, cricket, boxing, horse-racing, etc.);

news broadcasts;

public debates and discussion;

interpersonal dialogues and conversations;

telephone conversations;

job interviews.

informal discussion

formal discussion

debate

interview

negotiation

co-planning

practical goal-oriented co-operation

Story Telling/Re-Telling/Narratives

Machinima narrating:

Fables

Fairy Tales

Classical Literature

Mysteries

Societal Problems

Poetry

Joke-Telling

Grammar Review

The Phrasal Verb “Get”

Introduction to Conditionals

Introduction to Verb Tenses, modals, linking words, sentence construction, passive voice,

Intercultural Communication Practice

Machinima about “everyday living” of the target language whose content includes food and drink, meal times, table manners, public holidays, leisure activities (hobbies, sports, reading habits, media)

Machinima about “living conditions”, housing conditions

Machinima of “interpersonal relations” (including relations of power and solidarity) class structure of society and relations between classes, relations between sexes (gender, intimacy), family structures and relations, relations between generations, relations in work situations, relations between public and police, officials.

Machinima about “values, beliefs and attitudes”  including regional cultures, social class, occupational groups (academic, management, public service, skilled and manual workforces), history, especially iconic historical personages and events, minorities (ethnic, religious), arts (music, visual arts, literature, drama, popular music and song), religion, humour.

Machinima about “body language” and “social conventions” like hospitality, punctuality, presents, dress, refreshments, drinks, meals, behavioural and conversational conventions and taboos, length of stay, leave-taking.

Machinima about “ritual behaviour” in such areas as religious observances and rites, birth, marriage, death, audience and spectator behaviour at public performances and ceremonies, celebrations, festivals, dances, discos, etc.

Machinima about “dialects and accents” of target language society .

Language Practice as Machinima Task (Student Work)

Machinima for interpretation of a poem.

Machinima to review a book. Variation could be an interview with a character from the book or the author.

Machinima for advertising a book, piece of art etc. .

Machinima based on well known myths or legends, or create your own myth and produce a machinima

Machinima based on a short story.

Machinima presenting a typical everyday situation of a tourist such as booking a hotel room, ordering a meal, buying goods in a shop, asking for directions, going to a doctor, renting a car, reporting a crime and etc.

Machinima as presenting the latest news.

Machinima about a business meeting. Variation could be producing a presentation, negotiation sequence or job interview in business context.

Machinima based on a TV discussion/debate presenting different views about a particular topic.

Machinima as a travel report for the target language country.

Machinima about famous authors, their life and their books.

Machinima about public services.

Machinima about life of historical events and people, artists, singers etc.

Machinima about important regions or places in the World.

Machinima explaining a scientific concept, or a case study,  a lecture, a debate, or a documentary

Roleplaying

Meeting an Old Friend

An Invitation for a Meal

Shopping

On the Train

Writing Practice

passing and exchanging notes, memos, etc. when spoken interaction is impossible and inappropriate;

correspondence by letter, fax, e-mail, etc.;

negotiating the text of agreements, contracts, communiqués, etc. by reformulating and exchanging drafts, amendments, proof corrections, etc.; participating in on-line or off-line computer conferences.

Face-to-face interaction may of course involve a mixture of media: spoken, written, audio-visual, paralinguistic and paratextual

interactive man/machine communication in the public, occupational, educational and even personal domains.

Presenting Language through Content with Machinima (Teacher produced depending on the area content area)

Machinima about a particular artistic style, movement, or period in history.

Machinima on particular art pieces of famous artist or musician. Variation could be machinima on their lives.

Machinima explaining scientific method, fact, particular field of science or natural phenomena. (e.g. water cycle, recycling, alternative fuels, global warming, or biodiversity.)

Machinima on famous research, scientists, mathematician and their achievements.

Machinima demonstrating numbers and simple mathematical operations.

Machinima demonstrating the understanding of some element of basic statistics and how they apply to the real world.

Machinima explaining public information program about the benefits of a good diet, positive health practice such as smoking cessation, drug avoidance, or regular exercise.

Machinima presenting public information program about a topic such as AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, gender identity issues, or family planning.

Machinima on sports, games, rules and personalities of this field.

Machinima about a specific company or business, variations could be a TV commercial for a real or fictional product advertising or promoting or informing about working in a particular job.

Machinima about Interview Techniques in business context.

Machinima about production of multimedia texts, with reference to topic/focus, sequencing, cause/effect, thematic organisation, coherence and cohesion, logical ordering, style and register, rhetorical effectiveness, text design (description, narrative, exposition, etc.), how stories, anecdotes, jokes, etc. are told, how a case is built up (in law, debate, etc.), how written texts (essays, formal letters, etc.) are laid out, signposted and sequenced.

English for Specific Purposes and Students with Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Health Care Studies:

car accident (calling an ambulance, administering relief, Emergency arrival and so on)

accepting a patient in hospital

health check before an operation

giving birth

ordinary health check

Technical and business:

explaining mechanisms

explaining production processes

book printing

bookbinding

describing damages

assembling machines

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1. personal identification

2. house and home, environment

3. daily life

4. free time, entertainment

5. travel

6. relations with other people

7. health and body care

8. education

9. shopping

10. food and drink

11. services

12. places
13. language

14. weather

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Each act of language use is set in the context of a particular situation within one of the domains (spheres of action or areas of concern) in which social life is organised.

the personal domain - private life, home life, individual practices

the public domain - a member of the general public

the occupational domain -  job or profession

the educational domain - engaged in organised learning

In each domain, the external situations which arise may be described in terms of:

• the locations in which, and the times at which, they occur;

• the institutions or organisations – the structure and procedures of which control much of what can normally occur;

• the persons involved, especially in their relevant social roles in relation to the user/learner;• the objects (animate and inanimate) in the environment;

• the events that take place;

• the operations performed by the persons involved;

• the texts encountered within the situation.

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Humanising- Language- Teaching is an article discussing game -based immersive teaching and learning approach. The article gives specific examples of how students can benefit from being taught in this way and also gives first-hand experience examples of classes and projects that were carried out in Italy. It's always good to learn from good examples so I believe the article plays this role very well.

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Theory of Game Design is an interesting  study which introduces the reader into the world of game designing. The author focuses mainly on gamification in educational settings, which is called behaviour-change gamification. In subsequent parts of the study we can learn about relevant features of games like for example a learner-directed goal orientation, interaction with the game, through the game, and around the game, just-in-time, individualized feedback, the relevant use of narrative and context and finaly motivation.

The study also mentions a number of benefits coming from gamification being part of the teacher's toolbox, and I especially like the idea that  the gamification encourages learners to progress through the content and motivate  action. An obvious benefit is of course higher recall and retention. Finally, we learn about components and elements that make a game successful and in what proportions they should be used. I think this study is a good manual for a teacher who wants to enter the environment of immersive teaching, with a lot of theory and practical tips on how to procede and why.

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Active involvement is essential for your students’ learning outcome.

role-plays seem  to be an ideal way to practice writing, reading and performing authentic scenarios

The fun element is important, tooand influences the learner’s engagement and positive learning experiences.

The machinima shared with all participants after a learning unit can be used to take notes and provide feedback on language issues

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 Filming and recording learning sequences

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 Filming and recording learning sequences

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Watching the recordings of their performancehelpslearners to analyzeand critique their presentationand assiststhem to develop awareness of their performanceand improve it by re-shootingsome scenesor activities

“visual form of feedback, which allows learners to review their work and interactions many times and reflect on their performance”

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the more players are involved the longer the game will take and the more boring it might become for other players until it is his/her turn

When working ingroups the group size should not extend to more than 4 players

Introductory games, gap filler games orspecific vocabulary or grammar games should not last longer than 15-20 minutes

A quest, for example, carried out in a task-based or problem-solving context will certainly need much more time than a simple grammar activity.

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Don’t let your pupils play individually

Don’t kill your students’ creativity

Encourage communication between pupils

Don't give away your control over a game

Try to convey the message that competition is just a way to reach certain learning goals, not the main goal itself

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warm-up session to introduce new words with 3D immersive virtual board games

practice session to hear or read some authentic language

production session where they can produce language to achieve goals or get rewards.

games to help energize coursebook content and also extend the content and language of the coursebook

standalone materials where learners use the game as a primary source for language and access the authentic language and context.

Pre-task Phase - The teacher introduces the concept /nature of the task on games in 3D immersive virtual learning environments; learners pair up in groups and assign roles

Task Cycle Phase -task , Planning, Report, Language Focus and Analysis, Practice

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give learners the opportunity and the experience to fully immerse themselves in the environment

learners can undertake almost any activity collaboratively in a 3D immersive VLE which will help them to practise the target language

there are a lot of opportunities to provide your language learners with extra material for communication practice to play around with. Your students can interact with peers or pedagogical agents known as none-player characters (NPCs) by asking questions and getting responses in the language they are learning

a choice of holodeck scenarios, equipped with a variety of pedagogical agents. Such extra learning opportunities outside the regular classroom give learners the chance to experience genuine learning scenarios to practice their target language either on their own or collaboratively with peers.

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The beginning :)

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1. Components are the base of the pyramid and they make up the largest group of game elements. They are the leastabstract among the three categories presented and they lead to the tools that can be used to integrate gamification into the field of interest

2. Mechanics are the basic processes that guide users to engage with the content while continuing to drive the action forward. Specifically, the mechanics elements includechallenges, chance, competition, cooperation, feedback, resource acquisition, reward system, transactions, turns, and win states.

3. There are five dynamics elements: constraints, emotions, narrative, progression, andrelationships and these elements must be considered and managed when developing a gamified system.

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1. badges,

2. leaderboards,

3. progress bars,

4. performance graphs,

5. quests

6. avatars

7. goals,

8. rules conflict,

9. competition,

10.  cooperation,

11. time,

12. reward structures,

13. feedback,

14. levels,

15. storytelling,

16. curve of interest

17. aesthetics

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10 components that make a game design successful

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10 components that make a game design successful

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1. self-representations,

2. three-dimensional environments,

3. narrative,

4. feedback,

5. reputations ranks and levels,

6. marketplaces and economies,

7.  competition under rules,

8. teams,

9. communication

10. time pressure.

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Game design principles that should be considered in the designing process

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Game design principles that should be considered in the designing process

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Understanding systems, and interactivity, as well as player choice, action and outcomes.

Including a study of rule-making and rule-breaking, game experience and representation and social interaction.

Adding and focusing on the connection between the rules of a game and the play that the rules engender, the pleasures games invoke, the meanings they construct, the ideologies they embody, and the stories they tell.

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gamification techniques are a critical set of design tools in an educator’s toolbox

Intrinsic motivation - refers to the pursuit of an activity because it is inherently interesting and enjoyable

extrinsic motivation refers to doing something because it leads to a separable outcome such as receiving rewards, and reducing pressure

both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation promote performance gains as well as increases in the extent and quality of effort that students put into a given task

people may lack intrinsic motivation for non-game applications, extrinsic motivation, as seen in the form of rewards or other mechanisms, may be necessary to make them engage in the gamifying process.

engaging friendly competition

giving the learners a sense of achievement

offering an engaging and challenging learning experience

encouraging learners to progress through the content and motivate action

giving learners an immediate feedback and suggest a behavioural change

helping higher recall and retention.

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Five relevant features of games for language teaching and learning

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Five relevant features of games for language teaching and learning

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1. .There is a learner-directed goal orientation: Tasks and goals set for learning are dynamic, learner driven, and directly related to learning objectives.

2.  There are opportunities for interaction with the game, through the game, and around the game

3. And just-in-time, individualized feedback is provided.

4. The relevant use of narrative and context is important: this means the creation of a space in which context and narrative can be cultivated to create a meaningful experience.

5. Motivation is central as it is often the result of powerful learning experiences in which the players continually engage.

6. people may lack intrinsic motivation for non-game applications, extrinsic motivation, as seen in the form of rewards or other mechanisms, may be necessary to make them engage in the gamifying process.

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Several researchers have suggested applying game mechanics and game elements, core features of gamification, to learning.

four game dynamics which have proven to be successful in an educational contex:

1. freedom to fail,

2.  rapid feedback,

3. progression and

4.  storytelling.

integrating frequent and immediate feedback found in game design may prove to be extremely beneficial.

It may be challenging sometimes to accommodate each students needs in average classroom so games may provide difficulty progression on an individual basis, keepingplayers at a particular level until they have demonstrated that they are able to pass that level and move on.

creatinga narrative around a specific task may enhance motivation and engagement while other elements of game design usually applied to gamification such as leaderboards and badges encourage competition and participation while also offering a visual representation of progress

the use of gamification in education should not be restricted to giving points every time a student visualize a lesson or deliver an assignment. It's important to highlight that the use of other gaming strategies, allows the student to awakencreativity, leave room for errors, promote the exchange of experiences collaboratively and build learning situations in which they are free to make choices

gamification should focus on: (1) increased access to community‐based games, (2) meaningful incorporation of virtual reality, and (3) increased access to commercial games.

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Gamification in educational settings: internal gamification targets employees, external gamification focuses on customers engagement, while behaviour-change gamification aims explore habit formation.

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 Gamification: Definitions and criticisms

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 Gamification: Definitions and criticisms

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1. the use of game elements and mechanics in non-game situations in order to support and motivate users to perform tasks promoted by the services

2. gamification should not be considered only as an easy addition to learning which makes it enjoyable and fun, rather it should be investigated as acore medium in the educational setting that has the potential to improve learning performance

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OpenSimulator is an open source multi-platform, multi-user 3D application server. It can be used to create a virtual environment (or world) which can be accessed through a variety of clients, on multiple protocols. It also has an optional facility (the Hypergrid) to allow users to visit other OpenSimulator installations across the web from their 'home' OpenSimulator installation. In this way, it is the basis of a nascent distributed Metaverse.

OpenSimulator allows virtual world developers to customize their worlds usingthe technologies they feel work best -we've designed the framework to be easily extensible. Open Simulator is written in C+, running both on Windows over the NET Framework and on Unix-like machines over the Mono framework. The source code is released under a BSD License, a commercially friendly license to embed Open Simulator in products.

Out of the box, OpenSimulator can be used to simulate virtual environments similar to Second Life, given that it supports the core of SL's messaging protocol. As such, these virtual worlds can be accessed with the regular SL viewers. However, OpenSimulator does not aim to become a clone of the Second Life server platform. Rather, the project aims to enable innovative feature development for virtual environments and the Metaverse at large. OpenSimulator is becomingmore stable over time but is still a highlycomplex software system that can suffer bugs and quirks; handle with care

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Ideas for using Minecraft in the classroom

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Ideas for using Minecraft in the classroom

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a good tool for project-based or game-based learning

can support student creativity and collaboration

Minecraft Education Edition, which launched on November 1, 2016, has additional features for collaboration.

is a collaborative game, and students actively work in competitive ways, but they can also work together to solve problems and challenges.

an opportunity to build digital citizenship skills

can be used to tell stories with characters, locations, choices, motivations, and plots

can be  used for a demonstration of knowledge of ratios and proportions or a simulation of a historical event,  can be another tool to create engagement in the assessment process.

Teachers can use Minecraft to build skills needed for math competency. One example is persevering through solving problems

students can reconstruct various settings from a text, and even re-create scenes and plot events. They can also use these recreations to give a presentation or make predictions on what might happen next, and then actually create those predictions in the game.

it can focus on close reading and critical thinking skills. Readers must make inferences, examine point of view, interpret words, and analyze how a text works.

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One way of classifying games will be to specify linguistic contexts to support teachers as regards to
their usability and adaptability in their teaching curricula. This includes investigating the
selected games with regards to their goals, teaching objectives, the skills they require, and
elements of language to be practiced.

Further classifications will
be defining the specific goals of the games whether they are used as gap fillers, or warm up
and whether a game is used as:
- competitive
- skill-based
- discussion based
- task-based
- problem-solving
- describing
- narrative
- recounting something
- guessing
- question and answers
- socializing
- collaborative activity or just for fun.

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the categorization of games in the context of the GUINEVERE
Project:
1. Learning with entertainment games.
2. Learning with educational games.
3. Learning inspired by games – using games as a stimulus.
4. Learning within games – informal learning happening when playing a game for
entertainment.
5. Learning about games – studying games as cultural artefacts.
6. Learning from games – considering how game principles could be applied to
learning situations.
7. Learning through game creation – learning that takes place during the
creation of games.
8. Learning within game communities – developing collaborative and supportive
learning activities taking place in groups and game communities. (Whitton, 2014,
p. 4)

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Immersive education

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by fabrizio bartoli - Wednesday, 1 May 2019, 10:13 AM

Gamification and the future of education by World Government Summit

I think the video ultimately makes the point as for the difficulties teachers may have in applying effectively and permanently gamification in their school curricula. School, parents and class team support, in terms of involvement and time (or possibly financial) investment is not something you can do without if you want to go beyond the ‘sugar coating’ level of integrating games, videogames or even game techniques and mechanics in you lessons, more or less occasionally, and design instead, from head to toe, a game based, structured, permanent learning environment, efficient and user-friendly, providing a game like approach at all levels of the teaching activities - from design to development to feedback and assessment - fostering students cognitive as well as social and emotional/physical skills.

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CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) methodology.

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CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) methodology.

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Gamification helps create a system that enables learners to rehearse real-life scenarios and challenges in a safe environment. Many are the benefits alearner can get from a game-based learning experience, such as the following:
engaging friendly competition
giving the learners a sense of achievement
offering an engaging and challenging learning experience
encouraging learners to progress through the content and motivate action
giving learners an immediate feedback and suggest a behavioural change
helping higher recall and retention

“Can virtual worlds and game-based immersive technologies and approach enhance the teaching and learning of English and the delivery of content in English (CLIL)?”

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by fabrizio bartoli - Sunday, 28 April 2019, 12:19 PM

Tips for using videogames for language learning by Lindsay Williams

The video provides 5 valuable, clear cut tips to (get teachers to) encourage students, probably already playing their favourite videogames, to ‘fine tune’ their gaming time in order to get the best of it  for language learning purposes:

Play games in the target language, rather then in L1

Play social games, preferably, and with foreign speakers, rather than with your L1 mates

Deepen your knowledge and game skills by following tutorials (videos, guides, blogs) in the target language

Chose to play more strategy games (involving more text to understand and important problem solving skills) rather than shoot-&-kill ones

Invest time in creating games (coding skills+language practice) with blocks for example, as on Scratch, or creating Apps using scripted language

Difficult not to agree with all of the above, provided that in order follow guides and tutorials in native English, for example, already requires a fairly good level of language expertise, and creating games either on a block or scripted language requires a good amount of coding programming/activity as prerequisite. I think all the above relates more to the kind of side activities or habits every language learner should take up to further practice the language they are studying.

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Nick Hanson, producer on the project talks us through the BBC's first dedicated augmented reality app
So what is Civilisations?
Civilisations is an epic new BBC Two series presented by Simon Schama, Mary Beard and David Olusoga, spanning 31 countries and covering 5000 works of art across human history.

Alongside the show the Civilisations Festival is bringing together museums and galleries from across the UK through digital products and events. As part of this we've created an augmented reality app that allows users to bring the treasures of these collections into their own homes. Put very simply, AR, or augmented reality overlays virtual objects in the world around us that can be seen through a smartphone, tablet or headsets.
Why have we built an app for you?
With Civilisations AR you can use the app to look at wonderful artefacts from around the world at home, at school, out on a walk...anywhere!

For some time the BBC had been talking to the UK's culture sector about making the art and culture of the UK more accessible. For example, what if you can't get to one of the big museums in London? Or, how can everyone see the hidden gems from the more remote locations?

This was really important to us. Not just working with the big museums but also with the smaller regional galleries to get access to the hidden treasures they hold.

So, we invited the museums to submit artefacts from their collections that fitted the themes of the BBC Two series. Over 280 artefacts were submitted from over 50 museums and galleries. Those that were selected were then scanned to create 3D models. The final app features about 40 artefacts in total.
Why does your feedback matter?
We want to know how people feel about AR being used in this context. Does it bring these artefacts to life? Does it encourage them to learn more about artefacts? Does deepen their engagement the BBC Two series or make them want to visit their local museum to see these treasures in real life? We certainly hope so.

We've already learned so much about creating augmented reality through the process of developing the App, curating, scanning and modelling the content. We hope to apply this and your feedback to future projects, so don't forget to leave a rating once you've had a go!
What were the challenges?
There are always challenges when bringing together so many people from all these organisations. This becomes even more challenging when you're doing so whilst exploring the potential of an emerging technology.

Editorially the biggest challenge was curating the content so that we had an even spread of artefacts tied back to the nine themed episodes of the BBC Two series. We also wanted to find a good spread of artefacts from cultures across the whole globe, organisations across all parts of the UK and throughout human history.
Who made it?
From a technical point of view, as augmented reality is still an emerging technology, we were learning every day about what makes a compelling augmented reality experience using these technologies.
How was the app made?
Civilisations AR is a collaboration between BBC Arts, BBC R&D, Nexus Studios and around 30 museums and galleries from across the UK.
Please do remember to read our terms of use for this app
The app was built by Nexus Studios; using the Unity middleware. Unity was initially created for multi-platform video game development but, more recently, has become a leader in AR & VR content creation. The App uses native marker-less Augmented Reality frameworks on both iOS (ARkit) and Android (ARCore) to allow us to place and render realistic looking objects (3D scans) that react to the real world on mass-market mobile phone handsets.

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Bring art and culture from across the world to you with this BBC Augmented Reality app. Explore beneath the surface of Renaissance masterpieces and discover the secrets of ancient Egypt. Augmented reality needs a modern smartphone to work. You'll find out if yours is compatible in the app stores.

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CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning)

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CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning)

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Examples of CALL:
Authentic foreign language material, such as video clips, flash-animations, web-quests, pod-casts, web-casts, news broadcasts etc.;
Online environments where learners can communicate with foreign languagespeakers, through email, text-based computer-mediated communication (synchronousand asynchronous), social media, or voice/video conferencing;
Language-learning tools (online apps or software), for phonetics, pronunciation,vocabulary, grammar and clause analysis, which may include a text-to-speech functionor speech recognition, and often include interactive and guided exercises;
Online proprietary virtual learning environments, which offer teacher-student and peer-to- peer communication;
Game-based learning.

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by fabrizio bartoli - Wednesday, 1 May 2019, 10:52 AM

Hello Claire. Nice tools the ones you suggested, thanks for sharing. I think, being time a valuable resource, we'd better rely on Augmented Reality software , rather than on Virtual or Mixed Reality,  being handset based and with a mixed PC/mobile more practical and varied usage, though already implying issues at school, with BYOD approach always having to fight against schools strict regulations regarding the use of mobile devices in class. If we are into coding, traditional, opensource apps as MIT AppInventor or newer ones like Metaverse Studio/App I think provide valuable coding practice while creating useful augmented reality educational applications that can be created on PC an then used on just a mobile phone or tablet. Unfortunately, even in the field of AR there are very few applications - like Aurasma and MetaverseApp so far - free to use or even with a free plan for students or teachers (Augment and WakingApp, for example, were good ones that used to have basic free plan but no longer do) and if they do there is no guarantee they would provide that in the future, so I honestly think twice before spending time, students' and mine, on learning how to use them :)

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a technology that superimposes a computer-generated image on a user's view of the real world, thus providing a composite view.

There's real potential for this kind of augmented reality social software, but the trick has always been developing an interface that will make sense in such a rich sensual environment.

In contrast, the goal of augmented reality is to allow users to engage with the world more fully.

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by Claire Collis - Tuesday, 30 April 2019, 5:06 PM

I agree with you in some ways about VR Farizio.  I saw a class set of VR tech being demonstrated for history classes last year - it was for learning about the conditions in the trenches/life during wartime.  The set + support + software updates and so on soon added up to a pretty hefty price.

But I also think that there are ways to use VR in the classroom now without a huge expense or much training in some contexts.  For example I've used this free Mars Walk app (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mars-walk/id1192328042) and a cheap cardboard VR headset in class for lessons on functional language of description and direction.  The class was in small groups and took turns to have the headset or to be the notetaker/instructor.

Having said that I think that there is more potential for AR to be widely used in education sooner.  One AR app I loved was BBC Civilisations:  https://www.bbc.co.uk/taster/pilots/civilisations-ar which meant you could project historic artefacts into the classroom.  This was just run as a trial by the BBC, but hopefully it will be available again in the future.  What are your thoughts on AR in education?

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by fabrizio bartoli - Sunday, 28 April 2019, 11:47 AM

What is game-based learning? videoclip

The video gives an overall view of the variety of impact video games can have on learning through serious games, simulations, sci-fi or historical narratives, virtual reality and language learning applications, together with some of the downsides of using games in learning, such as the fact that students do already spend most of their times playing video-games or using their tech devices, reducing face to face interaction with peers or first hand real immersion in nature and environment. As language teachers we have generally applied playful learning using board or other language games, efl apps or other games/applications not specifically designed for learning as well as extracts from narratives both from games or movies, as hubs for our projects, with varied short and long term results. As for virtual reality developments, though promising they look, I believe they are not to be taken in consideration, realistically, for the next few years, due to the cost of the investment, in terms of training/design time and money required, for the educational use of the headsets and their software.

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by Maria Rita Pepe - Saturday, 27 April 2019, 6:02 PM

Comment on “Tips for using videogames for language learning” by Lindsay Williams

Not all games are suitable for language learning. I agree with Williams on the benefits of strategy games or simulation games which provide chunks of language in context, and among these types of games I would prefer contemporary settings and real-life situations to teach language rather than immersions in medieval jousts and expressions, which could be used, on the other hand, to teach literature.

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by Maria Rita Pepe - Saturday, 27 April 2019, 5:45 PM

Comment on the article Game-based Learning: benefits and challenges

Using gaming in the class certainly has potentials as far as 21st century skills are concerned. One of the most interesting aspects underlined in the article is the potential for developing resilience as it is sometimes difficult to promote among teenage students the notion of failure as a step towards success.

Creativity and divergent thinking are also skills which are not easy to work on in traditional class activities.

All the challenges listed in the article still prevent the widespread use of GBL in public schools.

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by Raffaele Antonio Nardella - Monday, 15 April 2019, 7:47 PM

Comments on "Tips for using videogames for language learning by Lindsay Williams"

Some of the five tips for using videogames for language learning suggested by Lindsay Williams are to be considered out of the school context, in what we call an “informal learning”; it’s hard to plan such activities at school if students have to browse on platforms searching for unknown gamers or using a slang language; other tips could be useful for language learning: managing to play games in a foreign language, or choosing strategy games for cooperative learning, or becoming a game designer making your own game.

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by Alicja Bomirska - Saturday, 20 April 2019, 8:19 PM

Learn or Die! 5 Epic Ways to Learn Languages by Playing Video GamesBy

Maureen Stimola

The guide focuses more on practical tips for teachers or students who would like to start with game-based learning approach. The author particularly praises video games and stresses their additional therapeutic or catharctic load. I agree that the VR can provide constant electronic stimulation which surely can facilitate language learning. Additionally, they offer in-context learning, which can be easily customised and provide constant repetition, which definitely helps recycle and solidify new chunks of language. The social aspect is important as well, the author gives tips on how and where students  can meet other players and create new teams. Finally, there is a selection of sites for different types of apps or games for learning languages, which I think is a very useful selection.

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by Raffaele Antonio Nardella - Tuesday, 23 April 2019, 7:29 PM

Dear Alicja,

more than gamification or GBL, I've been using a blended methodological approach mainly based on PBL project-based learning and edutainment; here is an example of a PBL for second-year course students from a high school, final product: a presentation (power point, google presentation, google tour builder, prezi)

Cheers

Raffaele

A Trip to the USA

a. This project is designed to allow you to research a place you would like to go in the US on holiday. Your trip will be for 7 days. You have the opportunity to research parts of a trip, such as:
• hotels
• important museums/monuments/places to visit
• restaurants and bars
• anything else that helps you be an informed traveller.
You must also work on a budget. Your final result will be a presentation (PowerPoint, Prezi, Google Tour Builder, etc) that you will give to the class about all of your choices.

b. In your research and presentation you must:
1. CHOOSE A HOTEL, and give the address and rate per/night
(you may include photos, maps, etc.)
2. CHOOSE AT LEAST 5-6 "OUTSIDE" DESTINATIONS/MONUMENTS/ PLACES/THINGS TO SEE, and give at least a sentence/phrase about their importance, the location or address, and the cost
(you may include photos, maps, hours, etc.)
3. CHOOSE AT LEAST 5-6 "INSIDE" DESTINATIONS/MUSEUMS/ PLACES/THINGS TO SEE, and give at least a sentence/phrase about their importance, the location or address, and the cost
(you may include photos, maps, hours, etc.)
4. CHOOSE AT LEAST 5-6 LUNCH RESTAURANTS, and give at least a sentence/phrase about their importance, cooking style, or best dishes. Also include the location and price range (if you know the price range).
(you may include photos, maps, hours, etc.)
5. CHOOSE AT LEAST 5-6 DINNER RESTAURANTS, and give at least a sentence/phrase about their importance, cooking style, or best dishes. Also include the location and price range (if you know the price range).
(you may include photos, maps, hours, etc.)
6. CHOOSE AT LEAST 3-4 PLACES TO GET DRINKS OR GO OUT pretending you are of age in the US, and give the importance if it exists and location.
(you may include photos, maps, hours, special drinks, etc.)
7. Finally, TELL ME WHY YOU CHOSE THAT PLACE/CITY, IF YOU THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD TRIP, and IF YOU WOULD WANT TO SAVE MORE MONEY BEFORE THE TRIP.
• REMEMBER TO CREATE AN INTRODUCTION SLIDE: WHERE YOU ARE GOING (CITY, STATE), YOUR NAMES, and maybe photos, something cultural, etc.

c. Be as realistic as you can. Be as creative as you can. Research as if you really had this opportunity for Summer 2019.

d. As for THE BUDGET, once in groups you will draw out of a hat how much money you have for your trip, ranging from 2000 dollars, 3500 dollars, 5000 dollars, or unlimited resources. Remember:

• Your trip will be for seven days any time during the summer.
• Don't worry, I bought your plane tickets, and you can go and return whenever you want (as long as it's seven days).
• You must reserve at least 45 dollars a day for food. In the case of a special restaurant you should reserve more.

Some important websites that can be used:
www.expedia.com
www.travelocity.com
www.kayak.com
www.tripadvisor.com
www.lonelyplanet.com
www.citysearch.com
www. smartertravel.com

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by Raffaele Antonio Nardella - Monday, 15 April 2019, 7:24 PM

Comments on "Gamification and the future of education by World Government Summit"

There is a difference between Game-Based Learning and Gamificafion: when students play games to learn some content, we experience GBL, whereas when we incorporate the game based elements to non-game situations, we experience Gamification. This difference results in a more accurate planning of the activities in Gamification, because mechanism has to be prepared before implementing activities in the classroom; while the GBL is more adapted to a work-in-progress approach, where the co-building of rules is one of the aims of the project itself, in Gamification the setting of the main elements of serious games (strategy, time management and role-playing) are to be carefully designed to help reconfiguration of an educational experience on the principles of game. Moreover the 4 freedoms of play (fail, experiment, assume different ID and effort) lead students to a new idea of learning, more enjoyable and motivating.

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by Alicja Bomirska - Saturday, 20 April 2019, 7:48 PM

Game Based Learning - Why Do it: Benefits, Challenges

The article presents a handful of useful tips on how and when to use games in the classroom and it can be especially useful for teachers or students who are hesitating or have some doubts whether to use games in the classroom or not. The authors support the ideas with several new educational approaches, which makes them sound more convincing.

What is more, the guide not only introduces the reader into the concept of Digital Pedagogy, but also it includes information on educational theory, presents a collection of case studies, and resources relevant to the study of digital pedagogy. In my opinion it can be very useful for someone who wants to begin their adventure with game-based learning.

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by Raffaele Antonio Nardella - Monday, 15 April 2019, 5:42 PM

Comments on “What is Game Based Learning?”

When we talk about game-based learning, we usually think about learning through playing games; the video “What is Game Based Learning?” underlines some of the most important advantages in using this methodology in Education and Training, for example simulation, problem solving, learning about the past, learning languages and so on. However I like to see the GBL from a different point of view that is closer to a modern and open didactical approach: which are the advantages of learning through the making of a game? What about the developing of cooperation skills in the creation of a game? Which consequences would we have in teaching and learning at schools? As stated by Matthew Farber in his article “The Benefits of Constructionist Gaming” (https://www.edutopia.org/article/benefits-constructionist-gaming), “when students make and share games, they learn not only about course content but also about their own thinking”, in this way the constructionist gaming combines, in a metacognitive approach, game-based learning with project-based learning, developing team working skills or cooperation skills or role-play based learning. This kind of vision is strictly connected to the new tech world of education, where teachers are tutors and students work and learn together (peer-to-peer) to create new didactical material to be shared on the Internet.

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5 Tips for Using Video Games for Language Learning║Lindsay Does Languages Video

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Video games provide constant electronic stimulation on a level that mankind has never seen before.

Immersing yourself in an action-packed, digital world has been shown to boost brain power and memory strength, increase connectivity between regions of your brain and improve mental dexterity, hand-eye coordination and problem solving power.

They can even be highly cathartic and therapeutic. Had a difficult day at work? Stressed out after trying to master a complex grammatical structure in a foreign language? Go blow up some bad guys!

Meanwhile, some people will have you believe that video games make you dumb, lazy, desensitized or, at worst, a serial killer.

We can probably chalk that up to people being afraid of change.

Video games are the most modern way to explore, learn, connect, converse and unwind.

Even my mom is rocking the virtual battlefield by leading a "Call of Duty" clan. (Mom, if you're reading, you're the coolest.)

So, it's only natural that video games are starting to gain a reputation for being powerful learning tools, and of course, this can be applied to language learning.

You no longer have to limit yourself to interactive tools made specifically for language learners, either-you can play anything from "Call of Duty: Ghosts" to "Left 4 Dead 2" and "The Sims 4," as we'll show you later on.

First, let's explore the why and how of learning languages with video games. Then we'll jump into the popular game titles available in foreign languages!

Why Learning by Playing Is Super Effective

Positive associations. Let's play a little word association game.When I say "language learning," what pops into your brain? If your answer is textbooks, flashcards, vocabulary lists, quizzes, exams or all-nighters, then, for the love of God, shake things up. Videos games are for you. If your study methods feel stale (or if you simply can't motivate yourself to get started), then you need to create more positive associations with language learning in your brain.

In-context learning. You'll learn vocabulary and grammar while you're embroiled in the action. You'll be immersed in your virtual world, interacting with virtual people, traveling to virtual places and earning virtual money. Listening, reading and understanding the language of the virtual world (read: your target language, after you get around to switching your game's language settings) will be rewarded with points, digital bucks or progress in your game's storyline. This is how immersion works when you're studying abroad: You learn by doing, you get immediate feedback and you need to keep guessing, trying and thinking creatively if you don't quite understand something.

Repetition. Even in games with complex stories or ones that give you tons of freedom to choose your fate, you'll still hear the same words over and over as you play. That's because every game has some core themes, key characters, big events and repeated actions that will keep popping up as you go. This will help to strongly solidify a good chunk of vocabulary. The more familiar with the game you are, the more familiar you'll become with the language used.

You'll never put off study time. When study time is game time, will you really dread it or procrastinate it?

Learn or die! If you don't follow what's happening, you'll die. Plain and simple. Do you really want to lose another life?

You can make real-world friends. Many games offer you the ability to connect with people online while you're playing. Others will just give you a common interest to talk about with friends or Internet strangers on forums and websites.

Games are easily accessible. Even if you don't have an Xbox at home, many games are easily accessible through Steam and app stores.

Let the kids have some fun! Kids adore games, obviously, so this is a great way to go if you're raising bilingual kids or if you're learning together with your whole family.

Level 1: Game-ify Study Time

Start with games made for children.

If you're skeptical about playing children's games, know that you're in good company. I was too. But then I tapped into my inner '90s kid and remembered all the amazing click-like-a-madman flash games I was addicted to on the Nickelodeon website and elsewhere. I remembered the immense pleasure of playing Spanish Nickelodeon games with my younger brother-in-law and cousins-in-law.

That's where the idea began. Then, after clicking around a little bit, I become completely convinced. For example, I'd readily dare any Spanish learner to play the Ninja Turtles "Las Tortugas en la pizzeria" (The Turtles in the pizzeria) game without smiling-and without picking up at least one new vocabulary word.

You're bound to learn something from these options because games for early childhood education, and even a bit beyond, are always designed to teach language fundamentals on some level.

-This fantasy adventure game puts your new language in context. You wander around the virtual world in a free-play mode, clicking on whatever piques your interest to learn new vocabulary words. It offers tons of interactive elements to play with, and you can challenge yourself by trying to unlock a few secret play modes.

- FluentU takes real-world videos-like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks-and turns them into personalized language learning lessons. Not only does it let you watch fun video content that native speakers actually watch when they're chilling out in their free time, it also equips you with active learning tools like video-based flashcards and fill-in-the-blank questions. It packs all the entertainment power of a video game, while boasting all the educational value of a classroom. Try it for English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese and Mandarin Chinese.

My Chinese Coach - This Nintendo DS game is also available in Japanese, French, Spanish and English. The Spanish and French versions are currently available on iOS, while the others are still in development. A couple versions can be found for Wii U. The English version works for learners and natives who want to expand their vocabulary. If you've got a DS, you really can't beat the portability of this option!

They don't have to be targeting vocabulary and grammar specifically-given the age group they're appealing to (think ages 3-10), any game developers worth their salt will make sure the gameplay is friendly to young players who are still absorbing the basics of their native language. For example, Japanese children's games rely more heavily on hiragana and omit more advanced kanji, which is great for learners who are still trying to get into the flow of reading.

Check out the websites below for some great resources in different languages:

The games found on these sites are all of the same variety-kids' games based on favorite cartoon characters and episodes. Having played a couple to test them out, I'd say that many (or perhaps most) are designed to include some more subtly mature elements to entertain parents and older siblings who have to play along with the little ones.

Sopa de Letras: Español - A classic, granny-style alphabet soup game where you search for words. Searching in another language is great for exercising your brain's recognition of that language. To find similar games in any language, try searching for "alphabet soup" or "word search." Doing this quickly in Japanese immediately brings up options, like this Japanese word search app. Give it a try in whatever language you're learning!

Maratón Clásico - A great trivia game app from Mexico that's great to play with 2-4 friends on the same phone.

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? - Oh yeah, we all want to be millionaires. That's why this TV franchise-and all its related games and merchandise-have taken over the world. Simply search for the equivalent of the show's title in your target language. That's how I uncovered this Spanish version and this French one.

Quizduell - This is a very popular trivia app straight from Germany.

Play games made for adult learners.

This is the next step up. We haven't yet arrived at games for adult native speakers, but we've found a comfortable middle ground to get you started.

The games here can take the place of your dull study materials that are overdue for retirement.

People love to learn in fun ways. And people love to learn using technology. Those are two truths of the modern age. So, what better way to combine the two than gamifying language learning? They might be fun, but they're made to get serious results. Here are the best of the best games out there for learning a language:

Level 2: Remember, There's an App for That

The game apps we'll discuss here are ones that native speakers of the language twiddle with on their phones instead of spending time with their loved ones, not apps designed for learners. You already know what that means: You'll be thrown in the deep end.

App games are great because anyone with a smartphone can download them instantly. Sometimes you've got to pay a little, or you have to pay to unlock certain game features, but the ease of access and portability arguably make up for that.

I will admit that it's hard to track high quality ones down if you're not actively living (and paying for a phone plan) in a country that speaks your target language. If you're having trouble finding ones that work for learning and are actually fun, be sure to search your app store for any app that says the name of your target language in the target language. For example, español or日本語.

Some apps seem to be in another language, but then download to your phone in English (or whatever language is used in your current location) instead. Frustrating! Just keep digging, and something is likely to turn up. Here are a few options for American learners (can't guarantee you'll find them elsewhere):

Level 3: "Steam"roll Through

Do you have an Xbox, PlayStation or Wii? Any game is great in a foreign language, but they can be hard to come by. Usually, you'll need to have bought your console and/or games in a region that speaks your target language. Most games aren't automatically available in multiple languages.

The exception to this is Steam.

Most games here are offered in a variety of languages, so you can download the one that you want to learn! When you choose a game, be sure to check the "Languages" section before getting too excited. Here, you'll see if the game supports your target language as subtitles only. Most commonly, you'll be able to download a version of the game that offers subtitles and complete game interface in your target language. For many games, which don't have characters that speak a made-up language or which don't involve any dialogue, this will be more than enough to work with.

Even if the characters are all speaking English, having some Chinese subtitles and having to navigate maps and menus in Chinese will be a good boost for your learning-especially if that's a game you were dying to play anyway.

Here are the games that support full audio in other languages, and a list of their supported languages.

Shoot. Kill. Don't die. Curse like a rabid teenager when you do die. Accuse everyone else of hacking, modding and cheating. All the necessary ingredients for an infuriatingly fun time. This is perhaps the epitome of the addictive video game model, and one that you've likely played if you're into video games at all.

Full Audio: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian

Subtitles and Interface: English,Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Russian, Spanish

"Snaaaaaake!"

This installment of "Metal Gear Solid" allows you to play more freely than ever before. Sure, you can roam around and cross wide distances with vehicles in this game, but don't get to thinking that you're done sneaking around forever-you're not! You'll still need to get Snake safely from point A to point B without him being caught and killed.

Full Audio: English, Japanese

Subtitles and Interface: English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian

This radioactive, mutant-infested, post-apocalyptic wasteland needs your help. But you'll probably be too busy customizing your characters and building your own little settlement to bother with doing good deeds. Or perhaps you'll decide to go on an explosive rampage instead. No matter which direction you choose, do it in your target language and explore this vast world while you learn.

Full Audio: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish

Subtitles and Interface: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese (Traditional)

Explore mystical (and valuable) alien ruins on a faraway planet in another one of those shoot-em-up adventure games, complete with quests and little side missions you can opt to complete.

Full Audio: English, French, Italian, Japanese, German, Spanish

Subtitles and Interface: English, French, Italian, Japanese, German, Spanish, Korean, Chinese (Traditional)

Love "The Lord of the Rings"? So do I. (My chihuahua is named Frodo. True story.)

That's why it's so fantastic that French and German learners have the opportunity to explore the beautiful regions of Middle Earth, meeting familiar faces and strangers along the way. You'll learn some very unique language from your adventures in this sprawling online arena, and you'll learn how to talk about your favorite trilogy in a foreign language.

Full Audio: English, French, German

Interface: English, French, German

This might be one of the coolest, darkest and more artfully innovative video games out there these days. Play your way through a spellbound tale of prophecies, legends, elves, dwarves and wild monsters. Your choices really matter in this world-you can't just passively ride the rails of the predetermined storyline as you can in most other games-so you'll need to pay close attention to the language being used so you know what to do at every new juncture.

Full Audio: English, French, German, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian

Subtitles and Interface: English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Arabic, Czech, Hungarian, Korean, Chinese (Traditional)

This game has no audio to speak of-the Sims themselves speak Simlish, obviously-so you'll just want to make sure you have the interface in your target language. Then click your way around the various text options. If you're not familiar with "The Sims," to play you'll need to control virtual humans and help them navigate their way through day-to-day life. Every action is performed by clicking on a text command. That means you'll see the words for every single human activity, from mundane daily tasks to major life events and exciting escapades, in your target language.

Prepare to learn how to live life in your new foreign language.

Interface: English, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Chinese (Traditional)

Well, the zombies in this game speak the same language that they do in the English version-they just moan, groan, scream and splutter-but by downloading a version in your target language, you can learn while hearing the intrepid apocalypse survivors hash out their game plans and scream for help.

I haven't listed the interface and subtitles languages, because this game is much better played with the full audio in your foreign language.

Full Audio: English, French, German, Russian, Spanish

This game has the power to capture your heart, I promise. Unless you decide to become an evil villain and inspire fear in the hearts of everyone around you. Your choices define whether your character becomes a beloved hero (a saint, really) or a vicious madman. So, pay close attention to what's going on at every step and make your choices accordingly. Your understanding of the language will determine your virtual fate.

Full Audio: English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish

Subtitles and Interface: English, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish

Level 4: Meet Gamers

Many of the games listed above from Steam are multiplayer online. Be sure to get yourself a headset to plug into your computer so you can hear and speak clearly! Interact with other players, get to know them, make cooperative teams and become friends.

Soon, you may find that you have a regular group of foreign gamer friends to play with!

If you need help finding people to play with in the foreign language of your choice, then take to the Internet to find some. Here are some subreddits curated in foreign languages that are perfect for tracking down international gaming buddies:

Level 5: Twitch and Let's Play!
French German Spanish
elrubiusOMG - Want to learn Castilian Spanish? This the gaming host for you. The "Games in 1 Minute" segments are great to watch for those new to the gaming scene. You'll also get to watch him run around trolling (frustrating and mocking) other gamers, which is always worth a laugh.
Chinese
JuegaGerman -This Mexico YouTuber loves online and flash games, "The Sims 4," "Minecraft" and "The Walking Dead."
Japanese
Remember when your older sibling or annoying friend would hog the console and play one-player games for hours? (Okay, I'll be honest-I was the older sibling who hogged the controller.) Well, this is more fun than that. Not to mention, it will help you learn lingo and meet people to play with.

Pazudoraya - Here you'll find features on mobile and tablet games, puzzle games and generally games you've never heard of. However, this guy talks a lot so his channel will give you excellent listening practice and great inspiration for future mobile app downloads.

Tomo0723sw - Do you find loud, maniacal laughter to be contagious? Then this channel will have you in stitches! The host mostly covers mobile and app games, old "retro" games, flash games and online multiplayer modes. You'll also get to see him play through "Alan Wake," "Call of Duty, "Grand Theft Auto 5," "Lego Star Wars" and Japanese games with strong elements of actual Japanese culture and society. I'd recommend you try watching videos about games like "Boku no Natsuyasumi" (My Summer Adventure), which will give you magical summer vacation nostalgia even if you didn't grow up in Japan.

You've probably heard of the YouTube trend where users record themselves playing favorite video games, walking views through the games and reacting to whatever happens along the way. This trend has completely gotten out of hand, in the best possible way.

Just this past summer, YouTube made its Gaming site, set up specifically for viewing and broadcasting live streams, available to every country where YouTube is available. Plus, it made streaming live insanely easy-anyone can set up a live stream account and get started broadcasting in a matter of seconds. Save your favorite games and channels, and pop back to see what's live whenever you feel like watching.

But there's one catch for international viewers and language learners alike: For now, the interface is entirely in English. This will hopefully change as the site becomes more popular (which it inevitably will), but for now you can track down the recently recorded and live videos in your target language by simply typing your target language in the search bar. For example, Spanish learners will want to search for español. That will just show whatever's most recent in Spanish.

Looking for a specific game and specific language? Type the name of the game with the language. For example, Japanese learning GTA5 enthusiasts would search for "日本語GTA5." Star the channels and videos that look relevant, and you'll be able to keep track of when they go live or upload new videos.
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Let's Play!

You might see the phrase "Let's Play!" around the Net when searching for good video game videos. "Let's Play!" videos are any YouTube videos that shows video game walkthroughs. The idea is that viewers will learn how to play in general, or they will learn the specifics of advancing through levels and completing games. These videos compile series of screenshots or gameplay clips, and they provide audio commentaries that explain every step.

These are awesome for listening practice, so it's worth tracking down some in your foreign language.

YouTube Channels

All Let's Play! channels are YouTube gaming channels, but all YouTube gaming channels are not Let's Play! channels. This is a slight but subtle difference. The more broad YouTube gaming-related channels can go far beyond the walkthrough format, where you see how to play through games.

YouTube hosts on these channels might spend time talking about the mythology and lore of their favorite games, talking about themselves, making music videos, featuring hot gaming news and so on.

This could give you new perspectives on gaming, favorite games and your target language.

Understandably, most of our Chinese gamer friends aren't on YouTube. There are, however, a few popular Taiwanese gamers that you can watch online.

If you're learning Japanese, using video games (and videos about them) to learn will be a breeze. Not only do Japanese natives love games, they love sharing them and talking about them. Not to mention, Japan has tons of unique, otherwise unheard of games that only exist within the country, so you're always in for new surprises.

So, that's it!

It sure was a long list, but the hope is that now every language learning gamer has been able to identify a video game that works in their target language.

Now's the time to get out there, connect with fellow gamers and dive into your own virtual language learning experience.

Good luck, and game on!

If you liked this post, something tells me that you'll love FluentU, the best way to learn languages with real-world videos.

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Learn or Die! 5 Epic Ways to Learn Languages by Playing Video Games

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Video games provide constant electronic stimulation on a level that mankind has never seen before.Immersing yourself in an action-packed, digital world has been shown to boost brain power and memory strength, increase connectivity between regions of your brain and improve mental dexterity, hand-

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Gamification and the Future of Education

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Digital Pedagogy is a difficult term to describe, as its definition varies. The Digital Pedagogy Lab , the educational outreach branch of Hybrid Pedagogy , an open access, peer-reviewed journal that combines critical pedagogy and digital pedagogy to arrive at the best social and civil uses of technology and new media in education, defines Digital Pedagogy in the following way:

"Digital Pedagogy is precisely not about using digital technologies for teaching and, rather, about approaching those tools from a critical pedagogical perspective. So, it is as much about using digital tools thoughtfully as it is about deciding when not to use digital tools, and about paying attention to the impact of digital tools on learning."

In his introduction to the MLA Digital Pedagogy Unconference (2013), Brian Croxall a very enlightening discussion around digital pedagogy. He defines it very broadly, stating that it:

is the use of electronic elements to enhance or to change the experience of education."

He gives the examples that these "electronic elements"can range from a powerpoint presentation, to full on MOOCs, to flipped classrooms. It can include blogging assignments, use of social media in the classroom, forking syllabi with Github, and getting students to use digital tools to test out ideas. It is an attempt to change teaching and learning in a variety of ways through the thoughtful use of technology.

Please see Rebecca Frost Davis's presentation, " Big Ideas in Digital Pedagogy," presented as the opening plenary session at the Digital Pedagogy Institute 2014.

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Research guides: Digital Pedagogy - A Guide for Librarians, Faculty, and Students: Digital Pedagogy

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Digital Pedagogy is a difficult term to describe, as its definition varies. The Digital Pedagogy Lab , the educational outreach branch of Hybrid Pedagogy , an open access, peer-reviewed journal that combines critical pedagogy and digital pedagogy to arrive at the best social and civil uses of technology and new media in education, defines Digital Pedagogy in the following way: "Digital Pedagogy is precisely not about using digital technologies for teaching and, rather, about approaching those tools from a critical pedagogical perspective.