17 There are some aspects which are important in 21
st
century skills like problem- solving, procedural thinking, and collaboration that can be got from games
Johnson et al., 2011, as cited in McClarty et al., 2012, p.16. Gee 2005 states that researchers have suggested that video games
simulated authentic learning experiences as cited in Kong, Masaki, Ackerman, Borengasser, Leong, 2010, p.159. Games can provide students an environment
for demonstrate strategic and critical thinking and others McClarty et al., 2012. Besides that, McClarty et al.2012 define that
“games can give students opportunities for authentic and appropriate knowledge representation of complex
ideas ” p.18.
There are some types of online games like arcade games, board games, massively-multiplayer role play online games, and others. Arcade games are
games like Pac Man, and Pinball machine. Board games are games like casino or monopoly. Massively-Multiplayer Role Play Online Games are at present one of
the most popular online games. World of Warcraft, Star Wars, Ragnarok, and others are included in this type of online games. The research will focus on
Massively-Multiplayer Role Play Online Games MMRPOGs.
5. Massively-Multiplayer Online Role Play Games
Massively Multiplayer Online Role Play Games as known as MMORPGs and Massively-Multiplayer Online Games MMOGs are new classes of Multi
User Domains MUDs online environments where multiple users can interact with each other and achieve structured goals Yee, 2006. It is supported with the
theory of Peterson 2011 that the development of MMORPGs was influenced by
18 early online adventure games known as MUDs.
“Massively-Multiplayer Online Games are computer games where thousands of players interact with each other
online in a persistent virtu al world” Zhuang, Pang, Bharambe, Seshan, 2007,
p.1. Based on Steinkuehler n.d., Massively-Multiplayer Role Play Online Games are highly graphical 2-D or 3-D videogames played online, allowing
individuals, through their self-created digital characters or “avatars,” to interact
not only with the gaming software the designed environment of the game and the computer-controlled characters within it but with other players
’ avatars as well. “Massively multiplayer online role-playing games MMORPGs are one of the
most interesting innovations in the area of online computer gaming” Hussain and Griffiths, 2009, p.563. That theory is supported by Yee’s statement. He states that
every day, millions of people interact with each other in online environments known as MMORPGs.
MMORPGs become so interesting and attractive because MMORPGs have characters. According to Yee 2005, MMORPGs are so appealing because
people have different motivation for playing it. Chan and Vordere 2006 have described six board characteristics of MMORPGs based on the persistence,
physicality, social interaction, avatar-mediated play, vertical game play, and perpetuity as cited in Hussain Griffiths,2009. The persistence of MMORPGs
means this game could be played anytime the player could. The second characters that bring MMORPGs interesting are the physicality. The MMORPGs’
physicality here is the physical environment and the usual notions of time and space that has been reproduced in virtual world that apply offline also apply
19 online. MMORPGs contain specific features that allow the gamers to
communicate with others gamers as a group or individually. The gamers can use their own avatars that represent the gamers’ characters. MMORPGs have a
vertical game play which refers to progress and how it is assessed by a character’s
level in the game, the quality of the equipment, or the amount of the wealth. Another character is perpetuity; perpetuity is a distinctive feature of the
MMORPGs’ experience that makes them different to other videogame formats like using ongoing storyline. There will be new goals to achieve and the game will
continues. Many people play MMORPGs. There are many games of MMORPGs
such as Ever Quest, World of Warcraft, Ragnarok, Gun Bound, and others. Large numbers of players may now access the most popular MMORPGs that is World of
Warcraft Blizzard Entertainment, 2004.
6. Online Games and Language Learning
Students nowadays are the native digital Prensky, 2001. They grow up with the technology like computer, tablets, cell phones, and others. Students
expect their learning environment can include the technology to be the acquisition. Graham 2006 states “in recent years traditional face-to-face learning
environments and distributed learning environments have begun to converge, creating new learning paradigms, of which blended learning is one” as cited in
JALT CALL Journal, 2011, p. 103. Teachers use many media and strategies like games, flashcard,
memo rizing, and others to grab learner’s attention and teach them as effectively as
20 they can. “It is not surprising that there is a large and growing interest in the
applicability of g ames in education” McClarty et al., 2012, p.6. Craton says that
playing video games usually affects the society with poor academic performance Association for Christians in Student Development, personal communication,
November 1, 2014. According to Anderson and Dill 2000, there is negative correlation between students achievement and time spent playing video games. On
the other hand, Claxton 2008 believes that games stimulate students and provide them with opportunity play an active role in their own learning as cited in
Ghanbaran Ketabi, 2014, p.492. Games which are combined with the computer can be a great tool for learning. Ke 2009 and O’Neil, Wainess, and Baker 2005
say that there is a relationship between computer games and academic performance by very little research as cited in McClarty et al., 2012. McClarty et
al. 2012 say “A digital game, then, further refines the definition by requiring the
game system to incorporate technology” p.6. “Different types of games can have different effects” Gee, 2005, p.1.
Some researchers say that video games are good for learning Gee, 2003. That theory is supported by Gee’s theory 2005. He states that video games are natural
tools for teaching and learning because it externalizes the search for affordances to match the character and the world by activating human instinct of thinking and
learning. Gee 2005 states that students have deep learning of school-based skills
and conceptual understanding by video games. He further explains, in video games the students will play role as somebody else and the students should know
21 the goals of the roles that they play. For example, the students play a role as a
soldier or a doctor. The games demonstrate how the students embed inside these games. On the other hand, the games practice of deep learning that transfers to
school-based skills and conceptual understandings. Some online games have chat room to communicate Gee, 2005. Students
who play will interact with others and they will communicate to discuss and share something. According to Peterson 2011, the network-based gaming in CALL
draw on two influential perspectives in second language acquisition those are psycholinguistic and sociocultural. Based on Lafford 2007, the psycholinguistic
and sociocultural of second language acquisition draw on differing conceptions of the processes ar work in language learning, both share a concern with
understanding the role played by interaction. Warschauer and Ken 2000 cite that net chat or chat room is ideal communication tools and networking tools, because
it provides the players medium both to convey thoughts and negotiate with others, and that makes the chat room particularly useful for second language acquisition.
However, the most important goal of learning a new language is to be able to express idea or comprehend others’ thought successfully. Gee 2005 finds that
students who play online games can form new forms of learning communities because in massive multiplayer games like World of Warcraft, City of Heroes,
Guild Wars, and others, people creating new ways to build and share knowledge for the better or worse.
Ghanbaran and Ketabi 2014 find that games can increase vocabulary mastery of students because games have an aspect to increase motivation and
