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a number of different dimensions, measured by
various in-game assets. For example, a participant
in the SIE may have various meters that measure
homesickness, wealth, social status, and profes-
sional status. Each time they engage in an interac-
tion these meters are affected, either in a positive
or negative direction, based on the outcome of the
interaction. It is predicted that a more complex
feedback and progress tracking mechanism would
help eliminate the perception of success or failure
as part of quest completion and, as a result, lead
towards further use of the SIE as a learning space
(Aldrich, 2005; Gee, 2003, 2005; Prensky, 2001).
Future research on the use of SIEs for providing
feedback and encouraging experimentation is
critical to fully utilizing the potential of immersive
spaces for L2 pragmatic acquisition.
Despite the lack of experimentation present
in the learner behavior, when asked what they
would have done differently in the SIE were
they required to repeat the unit, the participants
in Croquelandia indicated that they would take
more time to experiment with different responses
and personalities because they think they would
have learned more. This suggests a desire on the
part of the learners to utilize the SIE in a different
way than what is actually found in the data. Future
research is critical in understanding how to make
this happen at the beginning of the experience
instead of upon completion of all of the activities.
As is the case with many commercial MMOGs,
learning how to play the game should also be a
critical component to the in-game experience
(Gee, 2003; Nardi et al., 2007; Prensky, 2001).
This principle should also be incorporated into
SIE environments whenever possible.
paint the complete picture. As noted consistently
above, future research is critical to furthering our
knowledge in this area. Various characteristics
of MUVEs (e.g., complex, individualized tasks,
feedback mechanisms, and the potential for inter-
cultural communication) make them noteworthy
contexts for language acquisition. While not the
only relevant approach, design-based research
projects, such as Croquelandia , promise to yield
important insights for both researchers and prac-
titioners.
ACkNOWLeDgmeNT
I would like to thank the editors of this volume
and the anonymous reviewers for their valuable
feedback on this chapter.
ReFeReNCeS
Abrams, Z. (2001). Computer mediated commu-
nication and group journals: Expanding the rep-
ertoire of participant roles. System , 29 , 489-503.
doi:10.1016/S0346-251X(01)00041-0
Abrams, Z. (2006). From theory to practice: In-
tracultural CMC in the L2 classroom. In Ducate,
L., & Arnold, N. (Eds.), Calling to CALL: From
theory and research to new directions in foreign
language teaching (pp. 181-209). San Marcos,
TX: Computer Assisted Language Instruction
Consortium.
Aldrich, C. (2005). Learning by doing . San Fran-
cisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Bardovi-Harlig, K. (2001). Evaluating the empiri-
cal evidence: Grounds for instruction in pragmat-
ics? In Rose, K., & Kasper, G. (Eds.), Pragmatics
in Language Teaching (pp. 13-32). Cambridge,
UK: Cambridge University Press.
CONCLUSION
The results and design considerations presented
here are an initial step towards better understanding
how MUVEs can best be utilized in language learn-
ing contexts. This chapter is by no means meant to
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