Using Tools in the Virtual World to Teach New Words in the Chinese Fantasy Novel

Abstract

Tools in the virtual world can be used to teach new words in the Chinese fantasy novel. The purpose is to amplify quality teaching of Chinese as a foreign language. These tools in the virtual world have the potential to be effective learning tools to assist students in expanding their commands of new words from the Chinese fantasy novels. In this study, a pilot test was conducted at Universiti Teknologi MARA (Terengganu) using a group of 35 students as respondents. These students were exposed to three tools in the virtual world to learn new words in the Chinese fantasy novels. These tools in the virtual world are Basecamp, Google Docs and Wiggio. Students were to learn new words, discuss the meaning of the new words, make sentences using the new words learned and discuss if the sentences made were incorrect. Each of the tools in the virtual world was used for 3 weeks. After 9 weeks of access to these learning materials, students were asked to rank the usefulness of these tools in the virtual world in supporting their expansion of vocabulary. The result of the study showed that there were no significant differences in the ranking of these tools in the virtual world. The study also put on the view that without quality supervision, these tools in the virtual world are merely cognitive candy.