Transcript Raising Language Awareness through Virtual Experiences (RAVE)

Raising Language Awareness
through Virtual Experiences
(RAVE)
Developing methods for revealing linguistic
stereotyping using digital media
Mats Deutschmann and Anders Steinvall
Project aim
• to further develop and explore
experiential pedagogic approaches
aimed at raising sociolinguistic
language awareness about
conceived identity-related
phenomena in language
• to systematically test the effects
and efficiency of these methods.
Research questions
• What methods are most efficient for raising
language awareness related to linguistic
stereotyping (choice of digital media, length,
content, group reflections etc.)?
• What effects have the developed methods
had on the subjects with regard to explicit
and implicit linguistic stereotyping compared
to those who have not participated?
• Will subjects who have been exposed to the
methods have a tendency to
overcompensate for prejudice effects
(positive stereotyping)?
• What are the long-term retention effects?
Background – previous research
• Language as an important attribute of
identity
• Matched-guise studies have shown how
attitudes can be linked to
accents/language (Lambert et al 1960)
• Stereotypical beliefs are established
early and resistant to change (Sherman
et al 2005)
• Gender expectations in educational
contexts (e.g. Sunderland 2000)
Background – our own case
studies
• Four different types of case studies
under the project ASSIS, sponsored
by the flex-project initiative at
Umu:
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Matched-Guise Experiment
Students’ gender-bending
Evaluation of teacher assistants.
The Lecture Model
Case 1: Matched-Guise Experiment
• Explored matched-guise technique in
virtual – gender manipulation. Video
• Four female master students
• Short text using their real voices and
female avatars.
• Then as male voices, male avatars
• Fifty outside ‘judges’ were asked to
evaluate the avatars on traits such as
“intelligent”, “confident” etc.
• Female avatars were evaluated higher
on all characteristics
Case 2: Students’ gender-bending
• Students were to discuss gender and
language matters in a cross-cultural
setting with peers from Chile in SL.
• Only one student chose to explore
gender morphing.
• “extremely liberating”, but “quite
psychologically disturbing”
• Ethically problematic
Case 3: Evaluation of teacher
assistants.
• 34 third-year EFL (English as Foreign
Language) teacher trainees discussing
with expert peers.
• Two “fake” avatars, a woman (Rory)
and a man (Rico), who served as
teacher assistants.
• Students were asked to rate Rory and
Rico on traits.
• Mixed results. But, Rory was rated
higher for being interested in what the
students said.
• Problem: distractions – unclean data
Case 3: Evaluation of teacher
assistants.
The teacher assistants
Case 4: The Lecture Model
• An online lecture on virtual worlds to
Master students in Intercultural
Communication at Utrecht uni.
• Performed by a Swedish lecturer and “his
two PhD students.”
• Students were asked to rate the two PhD
students.
• Male more intelligent; female more
likable.
• Post-event survey revealed reflections:
“I learned how easy it was to influence people's
thoughts on somebody's identity/personality”
Summing up our experiences
so far
• Less is more:
• For good effects, students as
“patients” and us as agents
(manipulators).
• Three aspects crucial:
– Time
– Ethics
– Quality of data
RAVE – the future
• Kiss approach (Keep it simple, stupid)
• Gender, ethnicity, class
Example of planned manipulation: Perceived
gender of discussants for participants.
Discussant
D1
D2
Perceived gender
for groups A1 and
B1
Male
Female
Perceived gender
for groups A2 and
B2
Female
Male
RAVE – the elements
• Independent testing of
stereotyping
• Workshops (“manipulation”)
• Perception tests
• Debriefings (“treatment”)
• Group reflections and
interviews
RAVE – Research design