Indigenous and minority languages in Virtual 3D

learning spaces

Eurocall 2014Kristi Jauregi, Utrecht University

Hanna Outakoski, Umeå university

Motivation for the paper

• Despite of the potential benefits of using virtual worlds in minority and indigenous languages education these groups are to large extent invisible in e.g. Second Life, OpenSimand other 3D virtual learning environments

• Look at two European minority languages (Basque and North Sámi)

• Two perspectives on invisibility: practitioners view and epistemological incentives

Background - minority languages

• Low speaker densities in some communities/areas

• Mobility and movement (pluricentricity)

• Smaller learner groups

• Heritage speakers, identity

• Connection to heritage culture

• Potential beneficiaries– Community building, affinity, easy access, flexibility

• Sámi and Basque: access to technology

The Basque case

Background on Basque:

• Unlike all other Western European languages, Basque is not part of the Indo-European family

• It is unrelated to any other known language.

The Basque case

• Basque is spoken in Euskal Herria

• by 27% of Basques in all territories (714,136 out of 2,648,998).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basque_language#mediaviewer/File:Basque_Country_Location_Map.svg

51.100speakers

663.035 speakers

The Basque case

Gobierno Vasco (July 2012). "V. Inkesta Soziolinguistikoa". Servicio Central de Publicaciones del Gobierno Vasco. Retrieved 18 July 2012.

Percentage of fluent speakers of Basque

Position of Basque

• Since the early 1800s, especially in industrial centres, and in the period of Franco’s dictatorship (1939-1975) Basque has had to fight for survival

• However at the end of the 20th century (nationalism & the establishment of autonomous governments) > increased interest in the language as a sign of ethnic identity & it has recently made a modest comeback

• Importance of education:– In the Spanish part, Basque-language schools for children,

Basque University and Basque-teaching centres for adults have brought the language to new areas

– Basque is being taught in different universities around the world– There is a big community of Basque descendents especially in

Latin America

Case study - Basque

• Objective: to find out

(1) whether (and how) teachers of Basque do use virtual environments, particularly 3D virtual worlds, in their teaching and

(2) what their perceptions are about using virtual environments in education

Case study

• A digital survey was designed

• The survey was sent digitally to more than 100 institutions/communities:– Basque secondary schools,

– Basque centers for adult learners/inmigrants,

– Basque institutions,

– European Universities where Basque is being taught

– Basque cultural institutions around the world.

• In the end 38 teachers of Basque participated in the survey

Nationality of Respondents

47%

31%

14%

5%

3%

Basque Spanish Argentinian French Bolivian

Gender of respondents

Men34%

Women66%

Background Institutions

25%

17%

5%

31%

11%

8%

3%

European Universities

IRALE Etxepare

Basque Cultural Institutions in Spain

Basque Cultural Institutions abroad

Basque institution in the Basque Country

Ikastola in Navarra

Ikastola in France

Education sector of the respondent

University55%

Secondary education

0%

Primary education

17%

Language centre28%

Continents where the respondents teach

78%

22%

EUROPE LATIN AMERICA

Respondents in Latin America

Brasil12%

Chile12%

Colombia13%

Cuba13%

Argentina50%

Countries where the European respondents teach

Germany14%

Czec Republic3%

Hongary3%

Ireland4%Poland

4%

France4%

UK7%

Belgium4%

Spain14%

BASQUE REGION

43%

Europe

Teaching experience

8%

24%

26%8%

10%

24%

Less than a year 1-4 years 5-9 years 10-14 years 15-19 years 20+ years

Learners’ age at different institutions

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

6-10 11-15 16-20 21-25 26-30 31-40 41-50 + 50

Language level at which they teach

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2

Do you know the followingapplications?

Moodle EdModo Mahara Blogs WikisDiscussi

onforum

Voicethread

Youtube Skype OovooGoogle

HangoutAnymee

tingAdobe

Connect

SecondLife (3Dvirtualworld)

OpenSim (3Dvirtualworld)

Minecraft (3Dvirtualworld)

No 5 32 30 2 7 4 31 0 1 29 24 33 31 29 33 32

Yes 32 2 3 35 29 32 1 37 35 3 8 0 2 5 1 2

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Axi

s Ti

tle

Do you use the following applicationsin your teaching?

Moodle

EdModo

Mahara

Blogs WikisDiscuss

ionforum

Voicethread

Youtube

TuentiFacebo

okTwitter Skype Oovoo

GoogleHango

ut

Anymeeting

AdobeConne

ct

SecondLife

OpenSim

Minecraft

Never 10 33 31 11 14 16 32 5 31 18 22 19 31 26 33 31 31 33 33

Rarely 7 0 0 7 6 5 0 3 1 3 4 2 0 4 0 0 0 0 0

Sometimes 6 0 1 9 11 9 0 13 0 4 4 10 0 1 0 0 1 0 0

Often 5 0 1 6 1 3 1 10 1 5 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0

Very often 8 0 0 2 1 1 0 5 0 6 2 3 1 1 0 1 0 0 0

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Axi

s Ti

tle

Chart Title

Teachers’ perceptions on the relevance of virtual environments for teaching Basque

Items Mean SD

Teaching in virtual worlds is a hot topic. 4 0,8

I am interested and would like to know more about teaching in virtual worlds. 4,2 0,7

I think teaching in virtual worlds can enhance teaching different aspects of Basque. 4,1 0,8

I would like more information about the educational possibilities of the integration

of virtual worlds in language teaching.

4,2 0,8

I would like to collaborate with others in developing a curriculum for the teaching

of Basque in virtual worlds.

3,4 1,1

It is important to reach students who cannot attend regular classes. In this sense

virtual worlds may facilitate access to education

4,3 0,7

Virtual environments for teaching seem interesting but I think that integration is

difficult because of the technical aspect.

3,3 1,2

Table 1. Teachers of Basque (N: 36) about the relevance of teaching in virtual worlds. 5point Likert scale (1: strongly disagree / 5: strongly agree)

North Sámi - one of 9 Sámi languages

• Sámi live in Norway, Sweden, Finland andRussia (Kola)

• Estimated total numberof Sámi 50 000 -100 000

• North Sámi 15 000-30 000

• Those with linguisticconnection max. 15 000

• Under serious threat ofdisappearing

North Sámi

Minimal presence in virtual 3D environments - threat tothe language is present in every day life

• Personal photoremoved

What and how is indigenous culturerepresented in 3D worlds?

Muinjij Island in Second LifeBackground of the Story: Muinji'jBecomes a Manhttp://www.storiesofconneriver.ca/EN/about/index.php

Traditional story For the people - open to all but only fully grasped withadequate cultural knowledge

Why are indigenous peoplesnot present in 3D environments?

• Infrastructure andeducation– Work load

– Time consuming

– ”Lone ranger’s” problem

– Lack of knowledgeand/or skills

– Lack of interest

– Conservatism

– Lack of resources

• Epistemological reasons– Authenticity

– Technology vs. nature and traditional language domains

– Need to protect the uniqueness of the culture

– Space and connection to SELF and LAND

– Feeling and emotions

Based on Kuokkanen 2009 dichotomiesbetween Western knowledge andindigenous epistemologies

Euroversity GPF (Good Practice Framework)

• The framework can function as powerfulengine for revitalization of endangeredlanguages in educational and especially in distance education contexts (optimally whenmade available in minority languages)

• Broad and interdiciplinary take on teaching

• Means to connect individuals and strenghtencollective identity of the minoritycommunities

THANK YOU! ESKERRIK ASKO! GIITU!