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The goal of the project was to provide a virtual real-time language learning network for primary school children. The project seeked to bridge the gap between language learning and the new emerging technologies by including existing material into a highly innovative learning environment.
The VIRLAN language learning network is composed of the central node in an "above Europe" environment, which is the starting point for the navigation into the four virtual countries: U.K., Finland, Germany, and Greece.
Through the facilities of virtual reality and avatar technology, the children "enter" the central meeting place and from there "travel", via the Internet, to different virtual countries, in order to meet and communicate with other children. The communication is facilitated by means of educational games and dictionaries in various languages.
VIRLAN is used in primary schools as a complementary tool for language learning, but it also has the potential to be used for child-to-child communication on a private basis at home. The innovative aspect of VIRLAN is the incorporation of state-of-the-art technology in the every-day learning process.
The use of VIRLAN in real-class situations proved both the functionality of the interface and the benefits in the language learning process. The feedback from VIRLAN students was very encouraging, judging from their great enthusiasm and interest. |
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