Virtual Reality in Education: Learning a Foreign Language

Abstract

There are still open questions about the effectiveness of Virtual Reality (VR) in Education when compared to conventional learning methods. This paper studies the feasibility of a VR-based learning tool and the possible differences in knowledge retention across a VR learning method and a conventional audio method, when it comes to learning a foreign language. Also, the students' sense of presence and satisfaction were studied. For such purpose, a user study was conducted and results revealed that while presence and satisfaction were higher in Virtual Reality, the knowledge retention score remains the same across both experimental conditions.

Affordances and challenges of teaching language skills by virtual reality: A systematic review (2010–2020)

“…Exploring the potential of VR, Pinto et al (2019) highlighted the gap of literature concerning the relationship between increased realism and learning outcomes as the challenge ahead of the CALL practitioners and software developers while confirming the affordance of situated learning in delivering L2 listening exercises (Table 1).…”

An Educational Experience to Raise Awareness About Space Debris

“…social media, smart phones, or surfing the web). References [30] and [57], on the contrary, found no learning improvements with respect to traditional classes but reported a better overall learning experience in terms of enjoyability and motivation of the students. Notably, situated learning has received great benefits from the combination with immersive technologies.…”

Enhancing Social Justice: A Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence Model

“…Interactivity strongly influences both telepresence and immersion, telepresence strongly influences immersion, and immersion strongly influences satisfaction, as shown in Figure 4 (Mutterlein, 2018). Study shows that users felt more presence (telepresence) and satisfied when they used VR for learning than just audio because they felt more involvement and spatial presence, as well as experienced realism (Pinto et al, 2019). For VR to be valuable to the user, the user must be able to influence or manipulate the 3D content to get their desired result through telepresence, which keeps them immersed within the medium to generate some form of satisfaction.…”

“…VR is the combination of both hardware and software systems that possess a unique ability to make users have telepresence while immersed and interacting in another environment (Mutterlein, 2018). The goal of VR is to use the technology of integrated devices through users' five senses to give them a multisensory experience of feeling close to a different and realistic reality, which also allows users to change their perception of the world, as well as provide the capacity to store, transmit, or share information in a timely fashion (Pinto et al, 2019;Carlson & Caporuso, 2018). VR needs to be multi-dimensional with adequate sounds and colors that match the physical environment in order to give all human senses a real and authentic feeling.…”