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Makale Özeti:
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There have been several attempts to integrate Web 2.0 technologies including podcasts,
weblogs, wikis, and virtual 3D communities into language education thus far. Second
Life, a virtual 3D community, might create unique opportunities for language learners
specifically in the following ways: As a source of authentic interaction with target
language speakers, a venue for language classes, and an autonomous study opportunity
for learners. In this context, this study reports Second Life experiences of American
students learning Turkish as a foreign language in the University of Florida, the USA and
of Turkish students learning English as a foreign language at Gazi University, Turkey. The
interviews demonstrated that both groups of students regarded Second Life as a
contribution to authentic interaction with native language. Furthermore, the experiences
indicated Second Life served as a good bridge for cultural competence and an inevitable
tool to foster less threatened learning experiences despite challenges encountered on
the way.
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