Language Learning in Virtual Reality

#virtualreality #virtualworlds #vwmooc #vwmooc23 #immersivetechnologies Dr. Tricia Thrasher, Christina Cavage, and Dr. Misty Wilson from Immerse https://www.immerse.com High-immersion virtual reality (VR) has recently gained popularity as a language learning tool. Many educators who were early adopters of Second Life have now started exploring whether VR can also offer a meaningful learning environment to their students. This session will provide an overview of what the research says about the affordances and efficacy of the use of VR for language learning. Attendees will also learn how Immerse leverages VR to provide authentic opportunities for learners’ to learn and practice language and see a demo of the platform. The ninth annual Second Life MOOC (renamed the Virtual World MOOC in 2018) started in 2014. VWMOOC23 took place from September 1-30, 2023 on Moodle for Teachers https://integrating-technology.org/course/view.php?id=13 The theme of the current MOOC was “Connecting in Virtual Worlds. Communities of Practice” There is a plethora of communities in virtual worlds promoting education and learning through connecting online via web technologies such as Second Life. The MOOC will focus on connecting online for collaborative learning and teaching around the world through virtual worlds like Second Life, Digiworldz, Kitely, Minecraft, Artificial Intelligence (AI) Augmented Reality (VR), Virtual Reality (VR), or OpenSim. The MOOC and the live online classes are organized and coordinated by Dr. Nellie Deutsch, Dr. Doris Molero, Dr. Nancy Zingrone and Dr. Valerie Hill. The live presentations (click to access) https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-22MwJjXdCQHz3HRNnBjPV1tFkn6M-m3qhAD0mMFEiM/edit?usp=sharing Bios of the presenters are available to download, view, and to print out https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Jtbn5VbWKNmw-yIn4Im_tqoxSEszVviDBlzDdkJHsWs/edit?usp=sharing VWMOOC23 is for educators, schools, and public and private businesses that wish to provide training in virtual worlds. Weekly badges and a final certificate of completion will be available for free. [00:00:00] Welcome and Introductions [00:04:41] Session Agenda [00:05:30] Defining Virtual Reality (VR) [00:08:19] The Rise of VR in Education [00:09:52] Research Affordances for Language Learning [00:15:50] Introduction to Immerse Platform [00:17:56] The Four Key Pillars of Immerse [00:18:06] Pillar 1: Learn (Instructor-led Classes) [00:27:03] Pillar 2: Connect (Live Conversation Groups) [00:28:33] Pillar 3: Practice (AI-powered Role Plays) [00:30:13] Pillar 4: Play (Interactive Learning Games) [00:32:24] Immerse Platform Demo [00:45:30] Q&A Discussion [00:57:47] Wrap-up and Contact Information