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Learning Chinese through enter-the-story method in a multi-user virtual environment (MUVE)
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Type
Thesis
Author
Wong, Yin Mei
Supervisor
Tan, Seng Chee
Abstract
This thesis examines the use of the Enter-the-Story method, in both the face-to-face and Multi-User Virtual Environments (MUVE), for developing primary school pupils' Chinese language competency which is assessed based on their essay writing performance and thinking skills prominent in Chinese culture. The Enter-the-Story method, developed by Wenger (2004), requires pupils to assume roles in a story; imagine what they see in the story and use a language to describe the images. A MUVE was used to engage the pupils in an immersive environment full of Chinese cultural artefacts. This study was prompted by the recommendations of the Chinese language Curriculum and Pedagogy Review Committee (MOE, 2004a) to introduce an innovative instructional method for the learning of Chinese language that could cater to the learning styles of the youths today. It aimed to address the unique problems of learning Chinese language in Singaporean classrooms and to address the research gap on the use of the Enter-the-Story method and MUVE for learning of Chinese language. The study was conducted using multiple case study method; each case study serves a specific purpose and was conducted in a different setting. In Case Study One, Enter-the-Story method was carried out in a classroom setting. In Case Study Two and Case Study Three, the students interacted through a technology known as Multi-User Virtual Environments (MUVE). The first case study was conducted in a classroom where data were collected from four participants with mixed academic abilities; the second case study was conducted on three participants who were of high academic abilities and were in their final year of primary school; the third case study was conducted with three academically weak pupils in the Primary Three cohort. The results from each case study were compared to each other for literal and theoretical (Yin, 2003) replications in the subsequent chapter. The results of the study revealed that pupils of all academic abilities improved in their Chinese essay writing and demonstrated thinking skills in their writing. More importantly, cross-case comparison showed similar patterns in the learning process. Pupils’ behaviours in the Enter-the-Story activities also fit many of the theories from the social constructivist viewpoint. A logic model (Yin, 2003) illustrating the learning process of the Enter-the-Story method is presented in the final chapter.
Date Issued
2009
Call Number
PL1068.S55 Won
Date Submitted
2009