1. Hiroshi SasakiHannah ChoLin Hur Learning Design & Technology STANFORD UNIVERSITY Jul 25 2008

2. Background Increased number of US Students who participate in Study Abroad programs – it will continue to increase Financial and time constraints preventing students from having the study aboard experience

3. Learning Problem U.S. students in higher education have difficulties learning Japanese since linguistic aspects, particularly honorifics, and cultural backgrounds in the language are extremely different from those in English

4. Learners & Learning Goals Target learner U.S. students in higher education who have intermediate Japanese communication skills, but are not yet confident using appropriate honorifics in diverse interlocutions Learning goals 1) Be able to understand cultural concepts of the new language, especially honorifics 2) Use appropriate honorifics in accordance with different contexts through communicating with real people in our virtual cultural language lab

5. Theoretical Background Socio-cultural learning theory Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) A level of development attained when children engage in social behavior. ZPD can be achieved best when there is full social interaction from adult guidance or peer collaboration (Vygotsky, 1978) Community of Practice Community of Practice Social interaction and collaboration are critical elements of situated learning as well – learners become involved in a “community of practice”(Lave & Wenger, 1990) Situated Learning Situated Learning Learning is a function of the activity, context, and culture in which it occurs (i.e., it is situated) In situated learning, knowledge has to be presented in an authentic context, settings that would require that knowledge (Lave & Wenger, 1990)

6. Design Process Prototype Design Survey 16 Stanford undergraduate students who took an intermediate Japanese class volunteered for our pre-design survey Learner Study A Stanford graduate student participated in our learner study

7. Findings Interested in Japanese culture as well as the language Socio-cultural understanding is the greatest challenge when students use honorifics – how, when, to what extent they use honorifics Studying in Japan and talking with native speakers is the most effective way to improve language skills

8. Our Solution A virtual cultural language lab in Second Life - Future Culture Adventure Watching video clips of Japanese culture Flash-based quizzes Situated and scenario-based conversation with Japanese native speakers in authentic cultural settings Teachable YOU !!!! - a Cyber “mini me” Community of practice – Interaction with native Japanese instructor, teachable YOU, and other participants

9. Our Solution An immersive virtual environment is our platform Explore Situated environments

10. Our Solution Watch video clips of Japanese culture

11. Practice Quizzes Practice language with flash-based quizzes When wrong answer Have a hint Go back to question Repeat quiz until having all correct answers Interactional Sequences:

12. Introducing FCA

13. WHY FCA? Be flexible with your time, expense, and location Learn not only language but also culture Customize situation and scenario for practice Continuous, instant feedback and interaction with native speakers and other learners Multi-media learning sources trigger your motivation Journey together with teachable YOU

14. Assessment Pre-Interview (evaluate current level) Trial of FCA for three days Post-Interview Post-Survey

15. Assessment Quantitative Analysis Both participants showed improvement in using Japanese honorifics Mr. N with little knowledge of honorifics 0/18 (0%) : Pre-interview  2/20 (10%) : Post-interview Ms. Y with basic knowledge of honorifics 2/16 (12.5%) : Pre-interview  10/21 (48%) : Post-interview  The participant with previous knowledge of Japanese honorifics showed more improvement.

16. Assessment Qualitative Analysis Students’ Feedback from the post- survey “ FCA can be a better method for learning a second language than actual study abroad programs. With FCA, learners can efficiently use their time, and save a great deal of money and time.” Mr. N “ FCA is even better than a private tutor since it provides multimedia learning sources.” Ms. Y “ I love the aspect of community learning in FCA. I learned a lot not only from the Japanese instructor, but also from the other learner, such as vocabularies and expressions.” Mr. N “ Teachable You was really helpful in that it reminds me of my mistakes and corrects them simultaneously.” Ms. Y

17. Assessment Overall Besides Japanese honorifics, the participants’ general conversational skills such as vocabularies and situated expressions improved noticeably Both participants emphasized that FCA can be a good alternative solution for study abroad programs in terms of learning a second language Even three times of trials of FCA the fire” of learning Japanese

18. Future FCA Expand the age group to younger generation → teen Second Life Expand the number of languages Increase the number of scenario-based situated lessons Expand the levels of students from beginners to advanced Off-line follow-up meetings and lessons MMOG (Massively Multiplayer Online Game) FCA Global Village

19. Immerse yourself in FCA! 감사합니다. Thank you! ありがとうございます ありがとうございます。