ABSTRACT

Virtual Reality applications are predicted to create a paradigm shift in education, but there is little empirical evidence of their educational value. Virtual Reality affordances to support language learning have not yet been realized. This quasi-experimental study investigated the effect of a Virtual Reality application on foreign language learning and compared engagement, engrossment, and immersion between two versions of the application (Virtual Reality and mobile). Twenty experimental group undergraduate students used a head-mounted Virtual Reality display and twenty control group students used a mobile application for learning Italian as a foreign language. Data sources included: (a) a 10 open-ended questions pre-test and post-test measuring vocabulary skills, and (b) a validated questionnaire with 21 seven-point Likert scale items measuring engagement, engrossment, and immersion. Findings revealed a statistically significant difference in the experimental group students’ vocabulary performance when students’ pre-test and post-test scores were compared. Engagement, engrossment, and immersion received relatively high scores by Virtual Reality participants. The study did not find a statistically significant difference between the two conditions. The study provides preliminary empirical data indicating that Virtual Reality applications can be both effective and engaging for language learning, even though they were not found to be superior to mobile applications.

摘要

虚拟现实应用预计将带来教育范式转变，但几乎没有经验证据证明其教育价值。支持语言学习的虚拟现实功能尚未实现。这项准实验研究调查了虚拟现实应用程序对外语学习的影响，并比较了两个版本的应用程序（虚拟现实和移动）之间的参与度、全神贯注度和沉浸感。二十名实验组本科生使用头戴式虚拟现实显示器，二十名对照组学生使用移动应用程序来学习意大利语作为外语。数据来源包括：(a) 测试前和测试后的 10 个开放式问题，衡量词汇技能，(b) 一份经过验证的问卷，包含 21 个李克特七点量表项目，用于衡量参与度、全神贯注度和沉浸度。研究结果显示，当比较学生的测试前和测试后分数时，实验组学生的词汇表现存在统计学上的显着差异。虚拟现实参与者在参与度、全神贯注和沉浸感方面获得了相对较高的分数。该研究没有发现这两种情况之间存在统计学上的显着差异。该研究提供了初步的经验数据，表明虚拟现实应用程序对于语言学习既有效又有吸引力，尽管它们并未被发现优于移动应用程序。研究结果显示，当比较学生的测试前和测试后分数时，实验组学生的词汇表现存在统计学上的显着差异。虚拟现实参与者在参与度、全神贯注和沉浸感方面获得了相对较高的分数。该研究没有发现这两种情况之间存在统计学上的显着差异。该研究提供了初步的经验数据，表明虚拟现实应用程序对于语言学习既有效又有吸引力，尽管它们并未被发现优于移动应用程序。研究结果显示，当比较学生的测试前和测试后分数时，实验组学生的词汇表现存在统计学上的显着差异。虚拟现实参与者在参与度、全神贯注和沉浸感方面获得了相对较高的分数。该研究没有发现这两种情况之间存在统计学上的显着差异。该研究提供了初步的经验数据，表明虚拟现实应用程序对于语言学习既有效又有吸引力，尽管它们并未被发现优于移动应用程序。