Abstract
Hololingo! is a social virtual reality app for real-time immersive distance learning of German as a Foreign Language (GFL). The acquisition of discoursive oral language skills for applied authentic contexts is challenging for group-based classroom settings and is often outsourced to autonomous analogue tandem learning. We operationalise a Digital Game-Based Language Learning (DGBLL) approach for distance learning, which relieves tandems from overstraining autonomy and self-guidance. Hololingo! supports tandems in their learning activities by providing entertaining communicative, collaborative, and didactically designed team tasks. These are embedded in a narrative adventure, target linguistic phenomena, and support the holistic acquisition of oral discourse competencies and fluency. The combination of the tandem principle, immersive Social VR gamification, barrier-free access to a global pool of expert/native speakers, and a curricular connection through task selection facilitates language learning and provides transcultural contacts. App development follows a Design-Based-Research cycle of conception, implementation, and evaluation. The results of a qualitative discourse analysis of the learning interaction are discussed with regard to tandem role behaviour, the relation between task design and communication as well as affective and creative behaviour.
Funding source: Stifterverband
Award Identifier / Grant number: H110 5114 5132 36419
Funding statement: Funded by the University of Hildesheim (starting grant) and the Stifterverband (program: Wirkung hoch 100, project: H110 5114 5132 36419, funding period: 12/2020–03/2022).
About the authors
Dr. Timo Ahlers is a postdoc in the Department of Educational Sciences at the University of Potsdam. He studied General and Applied Linguistics as well as Cognitive Science at the University of Vienna, where he received his PhD in German Linguistics. His research interests include cognitive linguistics, language didactics, grammatical variation and educational technologies.
Cassandra Bumann studied Information Science at the University of Hildesheim. As a research assistant, she worked significantly on the development and implementation of the Hololingo! application.
Dr. Ralph Kölle is a researcher at the Institute for Information Science and Language Technology at the University of Hildesheim. He studied computer science and completed his doctorate at the University of Hildesheim. His research focuses on virtual reality, e-learning and patent visualization.
Dr. Milica Lazović is a postdoc at the Institute for German Linguistics (AG DaF) at the Philipps-Universität Marburg. She studied German Linguistics and German as a Foreign Language and completed her doctorate at the University of Regensburg. Her research focuses on communication analysis, second and foreign language acquisition, advising in language learning, and research into language learning processes in digital learning environments.
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