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Second language (L2) learning research suggests that virtual reality (VR) has the potential to enhance the development of language skills due to its immersive nature and its situated learning opportunities. This quantitative, between-subjects study compared the effectiveness of three learning conditions. University students (N = 63) studied vocabulary annotated on: (1) 360° pictures viewed using a VR headset, (2) 360° pictures viewed on a desktop monitor, and (3) standard two-dimensional (2D) pictures viewed on a desktop monitor (control condition). After the experiment, the students completed productive and receptive posttests measuring vocabulary recall. Through multiple analyses of variance (MANOVA), the study revealed that learning new vocabulary with annotated 360° pictures viewed on a desktop monitor is associated with significantly higher posttests scores, compared with learning using a VR headset or standard 2D pictures. Kruskal-Wallis H tests showed vocabulary learning with 360° to be engaging, but effective only when studied on the 2D monitor. This study has practical implications for VR-assisted language learning and for the design of teaching materials to enhance L2 vocabulary learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Holding learners' attention is challenging, especially when they are asked to listen to long passages. High‐immersion virtual reality (VR) can immerse learners in listening tasks, even in such complex languages as Chinese. This exploratory study examined the effect of VR on 43 Chinese language learners' listening comprehension, enjoyment, sense of presence, and cognitive load. Participants were self‐selected into two groups without knowing the purpose of the study or the details of their activity. The experimental group (n1 = 23) experienced an interactive multimedia story in VR, and the comparison group (n2 = 20) watched a screencast video recording of the same story. Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) indicated that VR may have a positive effect on the development of listening skills. Compared with the video group, the VR group had significantly higher listening comprehension scores, reported significantly more enjoyment and sense of presence, and reported experiencing less cognitive load. Thus, the findings suggest that VR could be used as a pedagogical tool to enhance foreign language listening skills.Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topicPractising listening skills is key for language development.Virtual reality (VR) is motivational and engaging.Research on practising listening skills in VR is scarce.What this paper addsVR can be beneficial for practising listening skills.Language learners highly enjoy practising listening in VR.Interactivity can improve engagement and support listening comprehension.Implications for practice and/or policyLearners should be provided pretraining and scaffolding prior to using VR.The duration of VR activities should be considered.Interactivity in VR may increase its effectiveness in attending listening tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multisensory‐rich VR experiences, which encompass visual, auditory, and haptic stimuli, have the potential to enhance engagement, motivation, and learning. However, extensive sensory stimuli could also compromise learning through sensory overload. In museum settings, visitors who are inundated with excessive stimuli such as unrelated background music or competing visual options may not experience optimal learning. This mixed‐methods study addressed this potential problem by exploring the impact of sound on learning, enjoyment, sense of presence, and the development of interest among museum attendees (N = 255) who used two different types of technology: high‐immersion VR or a tablet. Results from a one‐way MANOVA revealed that learning and sense of presence were unaffected by the technology used unless sound was added. Using a tablet with sound lowered the sense of presence. Participants in the VR condition with or without sound had significantly higher enjoyment scores than those in either tablet condition. The development of interest was not significantly affected by any condition, regardless of whether sound was used. The research findings have implications for implementing VR for learning in museum settings. For instance, VR can enhance a sense of presence in museum exhibits, but a sense of presence may be significantly diminished when museum visitors use tablets with sound. Additional recommendations for the use of multimodal VR in museums are provided. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic VR can support an immersive and engaging experience for users.VR is more immersive than tablets.When designed effectively, sound can increase immersion and engagement.When integrated into the visual environment, sound can add authenticity to the learning content.VR can complement museum exhibits as it allows museum visitors to extend their learning experiences.What this paper adds VR enriched with sound can significantly and positively impact sense of presence.Compared with a soundless VR exhibition, VR enriched with sound enhances engagement of museum visitors by drawing their attention to the content of the exhibits.VR with and without sound can support learning and add enjoyment to museum visitor experiences.Implications for practice and/or policy Developers interested in adding sound to VR should ensure that the visual and auditory experiences are directly related to the desired content delivery.Museum exhibit creators and curators should consider the use of VR to provide dynamic learning experiences that increase enjoyment and presence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐immersion virtual reality (VR) is an increasingly valued environment for language learners. Although reading constitutes a core language skill, practicing reading in VR has received little attention. In this between‐subject, quantitative study, 79 intermediate learners of English at a German university were randomly assigned to view an interactive, multimedia‐rich story under two conditions. In the experimental condition, subjects (the VR group) experienced the story using a high‐immersion VR headset. In the comparison condition, subjects (the video group) watched a video recording (ie, screencast) of the same VR experience. In both conditions, the story was presented using identical captions in English, which served as the reading comprehension text. In addition to measuring the impact of VR on reading comprehension, validated questionnaires yielded data on the subjects' intrinsic motivation, sense of presence and cognitive load. The analysis produced several findings. First, t‐tests revealed the VR group was associated with statistically significantly higher reading comprehension scores compared with the video group (p = 0.03). Second, Wilcoxon signed‐rank tests showed that the VR treatment elicited statistically significantly higher levels of motivation (p ≤ 0.0001) and sense of presence (p ≤ 0.0001). Cognitive load was not significantly different between the groups (p = 0.22). Our main implication is that VR can be beneficial for reading practice. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic High‐immersion virtual reality (VR) is engaging and motivational.Engaging students to practice reading is important.Research on practicing reading in VR has received little attention.What this paper adds It examines the effectiveness of using VR for practicing reading.It shows that VR enhances motivation and the sense of presence when reading.Students report equal levels of cognitive load while reading subtitles in VR and reading subtitles in videos.Implications for practice and/or policy Our main implication is that VR can be beneficial for reading practice.VR could be used as a motivational tool to engage students in reading activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public speaking, especially in a foreign language, is associated with increased anxiety. Research has shown the potential of virtual reality (VR) for simulating real-life experiences, allowing for public speaking practice in an ecological and safe environment. This between-subjects study investigated the effect of VR on foreign language anxiety (FLA) in public speaking practice. Intermediate learners of English participated in eight public speaking sessions over a three-month period, yielding 160 research observations. The experimental intervention took place in high-immersion VR with subjects wearing a VR headset and speaking in front of virtual audience. In the control intervention, subjects used a videoconferencing platform (Zoom) to speak in front of a real-life audience. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that practicing speaking in VR was associated with statistically significant lower FLA scores, compared with speaking practice using Zoom. The study found that VR technology had a positive effect on practicing public speaking in a foreign language. The research findings have practical implications for professionals and curriculum designers in various domains where public speaking skills are essential. For example, incorporating VR-based public speaking practice can benefit professionals preparing for a job interview, an elevator pitch, or a conference presentation. Curriculum designers can consider integrating VR simulations into language courses to provide students with realistic public speaking experiences. This approach can help students overcome language barriers, reduce anxiety, and develop their communication skills in a controlled and supportive environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extended reality (XR) is rapidly gaining attention and popularity; however, scholars confuse what XR technologies are and how they can be applied in language education. This qualitative, exploratory study unveils language teachers’ perceptions of XR, which is an umbrella term for virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR). Understanding teachers’ perceptions regarding XR is a necessary step toward successful integration, adaptation, and diffusion of these technologies. Based on 110 survey respondents and 10 focus group interviewees, we report on how language teachers apply XR and what potential benefits and barriers they face. This study contributes to the mutual understanding of XR in the computer-assisted language learning community, and it provides examples of practical applications of XR to facilitate language learning and teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vocabulary is crucial for language learning. Therefore, searching for the most effective methods to master vocabulary is an important quest. This study investigated the effect of stereoscopic three-dimensional (S3D) images on recall and retention of foreign language vocabulary. S3D images, frequently used in virtual reality visualizations, are highly realistic and differ from non-stereoscopic three-dimensional (NS3D) images in that they provide an impression of depth. In this within-subject study, American subjects (N = 82) were exposed to 16 Polish words accompanied by corresponding images. Half of these images were in NS3D format, and half were in S3D format. The vocabulary was counterbalanced throughout four randomly distributed versions of the experiment. Quantitative data were drawn from immediately administered and one-week-delayed productive and receptive vocabulary tests. Qualitative data were gathered through background questionnaires and follow-up surveys, which included a mixture of open-ended and Likert scale questions. Two-tailed, paired t-tests showed no significant difference on vocabulary recall and retention of test scores for words represented with NS3D and S3D images. Post hoc tests revealed that lower performance on S3D images occurred only for those subgroups of subjects who exhibited discomfort or lack of experience with S3D technology, or both Vocabulary is crucial for language learning. Therefore, searching for the most effective methods to master vocabulary is an important quest. This study investigated the effect of stereoscopic three-dimensional (S3D) images on recall and retention of foreign language vocabulary. S3D images, frequently used in virtual reality visualizations, are highly realistic and differ from non-stereoscopic three-dimensional (NS3D) images in that they provide an impression of depth. In this within-subject study, American subjects (N = 82) were exposed to 16 Polish words accompanied by corresponding images. Half of these images were in NS3D format, and half were in S3D format. The vocabulary was counterbalanced throughout four randomly distributed versions of the experiment. Quantitative data were drawn from immediately administered and one-week-delayed productive and receptive vocabulary tests. Qualitative data were gathered through background questionnaires and follow-up surveys, which included a mixture of open-ended and Likert scale questions. Two-tailed, paired t-tests showed no significant difference on vocabulary recall and retention of test scores for words represented with NS3D and S3D images. Post hoc tests revealed that lower performance on S3D images occurred only for those subgroups of subjects who exhibited discomfort or lack of experience with S3D technology, or both. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]