Abstract
Abstract Nowadays Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) has been widely used in the area of language teaching. However, one medium of CMC—MOO--quickly gaining both researchers and educators’ attention abroad -- has not widely known in Taiwan. MOOs (Multiple-user domain/dungeon Object Oriented) are computer applications that allow multiple users to connect simultaneously in a text-based virtual reality environment and to synchronously interact with each other. The text-based nature of MOO is beneficial for learners to improve skills of reading and writing. Although MOO has been applied in real classroom situations in many countries other than Taiwan, little empirical research has been done to investigate students’ language learning processes in MOOs. Thus the main purpose of this study is to observe what happens when EFL college students learn English in the SchMOOze University - a MOO environment intended for non-native English speakers to practice their English - to do some language learning activities. In this study, two groups of subjects – nine freshmen and ten seniors - were brought to the SchMOOze University to do some activities, which included reading and discussing. The senior group also had to do an on-line prewriting discussion. The whole processes were logged to text files for further investigation. Attitude questionnaires were delivered to probe subjects’ feelings and attitudes toward the MOO environment and the activities carried out on the SchMOOze University. The researcher observed the subjects’ processes from a pre-service teacher’s point of view so that suggestions can be provided for language teachers in Taiwan. Through the data analysis, the following findings were obtained. Firstly, it is found that MOO is an effective and feasible medium for language learning from both the pre-service teacher’s and students’ perspectives. Secondly, it is found that college seniors are more capable of maintaining a conversation with more discourse features than freshmen. Thirdly, responses from the attitude questionnaires showed mixed results. Ideas mentioned in the on-line prewriting discussion were not incorporated in subjects’ writing assignments. Subjects felt that activities carried out in such an environment were interesting and helpful for learning English. But they indicated that they had problems using the commands, identifying the responses from the MOO database, and moving around in the SchMOOze University. Seventy-three percent of the subjects showed willingness to use MOO to do on-line discussions in writing classes. From a pre-service teacher’s perspective, the following pedagogical implications are provided for other English teachers. First of all, teachers can show learners with low language proficiency how to involve others to talk before they interview other users. Teachers also need to show students how to identify the responses from the MOO database and handouts with questions can be given to students to check their understanding of the descriptions. Lastly, as subjects recommended in the questionnaire that MOO should add more color and pictures, the new generation MOO, the WOO (Webbed Object Oriented Multiuser Domain) with colorful design and multimedia, can be utilized by teachers to overcome the shortcoming of MOOs. Since this study was not designed to investigate empirically whether MOO is beneficial to language learning in the EFL college context via a comparison experiment. Further research can be done in the direction, such as long-term studies to include more sessions in one group and comparison research. In addition, studies can also be carried out to see if java-enabled web browsers with pictures motivate students in their reading and writing skills.