Graduation Year

2023

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Ph.D.

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Degree Granting Department

Language, Literacy, ED.D., Exceptional Education, and Physical Education

Major Professor

Sanghoon Park, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Meghan Bratkovich, Ph.D.

Committee Member

James Hatten, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Jeeheon Ryu, Ph.D.

Keywords

anonymity, avatar, foreign language learning, virtual reality, voice chat interaction

Abstract

Virtual worlds (VWs) as emerging technologies have been perceived as positive by students for foreign language (FL) learning. VW affordances of presence and immersion have enabled FL researchers and practitioners to design and develop classroom-like environments in virtual settings, allowing authentic intercultural interactions from different geographical locations, in a variety of languages. This study conducted mixed methods research to deliver English lessons via an immersive 3D VW for avatar-context-avatar interactions via voice chat with a view to improving ICC necessary for effective intercultural interaction. The avatar-avatar interactions were between a native English-speaking instructor and English as a foreign language (EFL) learners represented in their avatars, while the avatar-context interactions were the avatars’ interaction with objects in the 3D VW. Furthermore, studies have argued that VWs are low anxiety environments for FL learning as a result of the anonymity avatars afford. Since oral interaction in FL learning is associated with increased anxiety, this study examined foreign language anxiety (FLA) of EFL learners after every intercultural interaction in the immersive 3D VW. In addition, this study investigated VWs as a promising learning technology for FL learning in terms of promoting learners’ motivation as a result of using an immersive 3D VW. The ICC, FLA, and motivation were examined quantitatively using questionnaires. To elaborate quantitative results, interviews were conducted to provide a holistic understanding of how learners were experiencing EFL learning within the 3D VW and 2D VC learning environments.

63 university-level EFL learners at a large private university in Indonesia participated in this study. Students were assigned randomly to either experimental or control groups based on the sequence of their voluntary participation. The independent variable was learning environment, which the experimental group learned in the 3D VW whereas the control group learned in 2D video conferencing (VC) platform. The dependent variables were ICC, FLA, and motivation. The ICC had four sub-dependent variables including knowledge, skills, attitudes, and awareness. The FLA was measured five times, after every intervention session, thereby having time as a factor with five time points. The motivation consisted of four sub-dependent variables including attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction. A pilot test was conducted prior to the study to evaluate feasibility of using 3D VW and 2D VC learning environments. Additionally, an orientation session on how to navigate the 3D VW and 2D VC platforms was performed prior to the intervention sessions.

For the ICC, the one-way MANOVA results revealed that the 2D VC group showed significantly higher scores in ICC knowledge and skills. There was no significant difference found in the ICC attitudes and awareness. The ICC results were in contrast with the qualitative findings in which the participants from both groups perceived improved knowledge, skills, attitudes, and awareness in the target language culture. Additionally, they experienced social presence, cognitive presence, and teacher presence throughout the intercultural interaction even though only the 3D VW group reported immersive experiences. For the FLA, the independent-samples t-test indicated that the 3D VW group showed significantly lower scores in FLA than the 2D VC group. Of the five sessions, the results demonstrated that the significant difference in FLA occurred in the first, third, and fourth sessions, and the effect sizes were medium. As a follow up, one-way repeated measures ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc adjustment, and Friedman test was run to ascertain that different time points did not influence the effects. All the three tests showed nonsignificant results, indicating that the significant effects gained in FLA were attributed to different learning environments. The FLA results were consistent with the qualitative findings showing that the 3D VW group experienced the anonymity affordance contributing to their reduced FLA. For motivation, there was no significant difference was found between the experimental and control groups. However, the qualitative findings indicated both groups perceived high attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction. The findings of this study resulted in three practical implications.

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