Virtual Reality is changing the way individuals view and interact with the world and it is not just for video games anymore. In the educational context virtual reality can enhance and successfully improve education. As a graduate student in Second Language Acquisition I am interested in exploring how virtual environments can be integrated in the language curriculum to aid and enhance students’ learning. The traditional language textbook has become an outdated educational tool which does not offer a comprehensive view of how the world is continuously changing and teachers must consider the potential of technology to promote students’ development.
In language education virtual reality in particular can immerse students in authentic environments representing the target culture. Many college students do not have the opportunity to travel the world and explore the …show more content…
Whether it is a language course, an art class or a healthcare program, the versatile features of virtual reality will enhance students’ learning process. Being immersed a new and intriguing context will increase students’ motivation and aid in gaining an in-depth understanding of the educational content. Through interactive and experiential lessons that utilize virtual reality videos, speech-recognition features and smart sensory gloves, teachers can give students new experiences and learning modalities which were unattainable before. It is now up to educational institutions, scholars, professionals and instructors to understand that this technology is gaining momentum and it is not just for fun. Research studies with empirical results might help in informing decision makers about the potential of virtual reality which should not be wasted but rather exploited. Virtual reality is here to stay and students are ready to virtually experience the real