SECOND LIFE AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT: A Review of Research

The purpose of this paper is to present a review of research on Second Life (SL) as a learning environment within English as a foreign language (EFL) context, as research on its use within EFL learning is relatively new. The study is categorized into four main sections. Introduction section introduces the rationale of the paper and SL. Next section reviews the studies on Second Life in EFL learning, and focuses on the effects of SL on affective states, interaction and communication in SL, collaborative and autonomous learning in SL, sharing culture in SL, engagement and participation in SL, some other issues and drawbacks. Third, the study compares SL usage in Turkish EFL context to its use in a global scale. Last, the study concludes that there has been a serious lack of research on the use of SL, as current literature reflects how SL might more readily be utilized as EFL learning environment. Finally, the study ends with recommendations for teachers and researchers.