Virtual Conference Explores New Frontiers in Language Learning
Barcelona Spain, 20 March 2008 – - SLanguages 2008 is a 24-hour multilingual conference to celebrate and investigate the use of 3D virtual worlds for language education. The event will be held in Second Life on 23-24 May 2008…
SLanguages 2008 is a 24 hour multilingual conference to celebrate and investigate the use of 3D virtual worlds for language education. The conference will be held within Second Life allowing the participants to exchange ideas and share experiences simultaneously around the world. The online conference is free to attend and includes talks, workshops, discussions and posters on language education using virtual worlds such as Second Life. The events will cover methodologies, teaching tools and experiences.
Second Life is a 3D virtual world that has attracted over 12 million residents worldwide and has become a mainstream phenomenon for education, business and entertainment. Throughout 2007 Second Life has become an important tool for language learning with many universities using the 3D world for language tuition, including Michigan State University and the University of Southampton. “Interest in using Second Life for education has increased exponentially over the last year” says Second Life educational consultant Gavin Dudeney, author of The Internet and the Language Classroom, Longman 2007.
The event is an opportunity for those new to virtual language teaching to learn about the opportunities virtual worlds offer. The conference also allows experienced language educators to share experiences and ideas. “3D virtual worlds such as Second Life offer a unique form of immersive learning not found elsewhere. The SLanguages 2008 conference is the perfect opportunity to see the recent developments in this area and to meet those involved in truly innovative educational projects” says Graham Stanley, who has established the British Council’s ‘Learn English Second Life for Teens’.
SLanguages 2008 will be hosted within Second Life on the tropical “EduNation” islands owned by The Consultants-E. The conference starts 10am (PST) Friday 23 May and ends 10am (PST) Saturday 24 May. The seminars will continue to also reach a much wider audience through archives of the event on the www.slanguages.net website.
To register for the conference or for further information, please contact Gavin Dudeney of The Consultants-E or visit the website www.slanguages.net.
About The Consultants-E:
The Consultants-E is an educational consultancy company specialising in online education, offering tailored consultancy in technology for education. Their consultants assist companies and educational institutions to integrate innovative technologies into their teaching practices. The company also offers courses in e-learning tools such as Second Life, wikis, podcasts and Moodle. The Consultants-E own and run three private islands in Second Life that foster education and training.
Contact:
Gavin Dudeney
The Consultants-E
c/ Cerámica 54
08035 Barcelona
Spain
gavin.dudeney@theconsultants-e.com
www.theconsultants-e.com
Dudeney Ge (Avatar in Second Life)
[Authorised press release from The Consultants-E]
April 2, 2008
“Second Life,” the online world that brings players together from across the globe to socialize, shop and even fly, is developing a second career as a hot spot for learning English as a second language (ESL).
It’s a classic innovation–a novel way to use a tool created for an entirely different purpose, namely to have a good time. That’s still the reason why most players come to “Second Life,” but English-language instructors who spend time with students there say they’re combining fun and learning–and getting excellent results.
Author: Bonnie Ruberg, Forbes Innovations, 19th March 2008
Full article available here.
March 31, 2008
UPDATE: If you log in on the 18th at 11am GMT you should be able to join my (hopefully) live Google presentation by clicking THIS LINK. (Should allow you to ask questions using the chat interface!)
Later today (after I get some sleep!) I’ll be attending the Massively Multi Learner workshop at Anglia-Ruskin University.
I’ll be uploading my presentation in as many formats as possible to this post – and you may also be able to catch the live presentation online if you follow the instructions here.
Author: Daniel Livingstone, Learning Games Blog, 18th March 2008
Full article available here.
March 18, 2008
Tomorrow I’ll be speaking at Massively Multi-Learner 2008. The presentations will be web-cast using Quicktime, details on the MML page here. My talk is titled “Before, Beyond (and Somewhere to the Left of) Second Life”, and will be a very brief run through of the use of virtual worlds in education (extremely simplified!) – looking at platforms past and future.
Author: Daniel Livingstone, Learning Games Blog, 17th March 2008
Full article available here.
March 17, 2008
The latest Eduserv Foundation funded study into UK universities,
colleges and academics developing “stuff” in Second Life, and using
this for teaching and learning, is underway. Fuller details are
blogged here:
http://www.silversprite.com/?p=460
As we visit these developments, we’ll be taking screen dumps and
adding them to this picture set in Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/silversprite/sets/72157603982005324/
If you’re in UK Higher or Further Education and you’ve developed
something in Second Life then get in touch:
john@silversprite.com
It’s an opportunity to promote what you’ve done, and also for like-
minded academics to find you.
If you are aware of other developments in UK universities and colleges
- be they at the institution, department, group or lone academic level
- then we’d appreciate word of them too; thanks.
Author: John Kirriemuir, Silversprite Helsinki, 4th March 2008
March 4, 2008
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