探究虛擬實境英語詞彙學習之效應

Abstract

幾十年來，以英語作為第二語言之詞彙學習研究，一直不斷地在發展當中。隨著電腦科技的進步，虛擬實境應用的研究越加受重視。雖然虛擬實境帶給我們相當多英語詞彙學習的機會，但同時亦面臨挑戰。其中，學習者之投入程度及雙人合作之學習，是兩個常在研究中討論的項目；不過，很少有學者同時研究這兩個因素對國小學童的影響。因此，本研究旨在探討學習者之投入程度及雙人合作之學習對國小學童於虛擬實境中英語詞彙之學習成效。本研究對象為新北市一所國小三年級的四個班級，每班皆學習二十個詞彙。四個班級分別接受四種不同的學習模式，包含三組虛擬實境實驗組如個人獨立學習組、雙人合作學習組、教師引導組與一組控制組。為了探究與比較因素間的影響，四組在學習單字前皆接受前測、學習後考立即後測、兩週後進行延宕後測，前後測結果以時間為組內因素和組別為組間因素來分析。研究發現：(一) 藉由虛擬實境學習，國小學童能有效地學習英語詞彙；(二) 學習者之投入程度越高，對詞彙學習越有助益；(三) 在學習者之投入程度相同時，個人獨立學習組與雙人合作學習組，在兩次後測成績中並無顯著差異。依此研究成果，提供教師在以英語作為第二語言之詞彙教學的一個參考：將虛擬實境軟體應用在課堂教學，有助於學習者投入程度之提升，亦提高學生詞彙學習的成效。Research on vocabulary learning in second language acquisition research has been mounting steadily for a number of decades. With the advancement of computer technology, though a recent surge of research on virtual reality learning has given us new opportunities, little empirical evidence has been gathered to support it. Learner involvement and pair work cooperation were two issues that drew attention but have seldom been investigated in one single study, especially at elementary school level. Therefore, the study investigated effects of the two factors on elementary school students' vocabulary acquisition. Four intact third-grade classes from an elementary school in New Taipei City participated in the study and learned twenty target words in four different modes including three experimental VR groups and one control group. In order to investigate the effectiveness of VR mediation and examine the effects of learner involvement and pair work cooperation on English vocabulary learning, four groups were presented as below: Individual VR Group, Paired VR Group, Teacher-centered VR Group, and Control Group. The results were analyzed across students' performances on the pretest, immediate posttest, and delayed posttest with time as a within-subjects factor and group as a between-subjects factor. The findings showed that (a) elementary school students could learn English vocabulary effectively through virtual reality mediation, (b) more learner involvement loads tended to yield better vocabulary growth and retention, and (c) with equal involvement loads, there was no significant difference between individual and pair work modes on two posttests. Hence, the study concluded that teachers should consider the use of VR technology and incorporate it into classroom instruction.