Unlocking the Classroom of the Future: How Virtual Reality Transforms L1 Education for High School Students
Submitted by:
Anja Ballis
Abstract:
The incorporation of Virtual Reality (VR) into educational settings introduces both new prospects and challenges, particularly for L1 education (Braun et al. 2021). VR refers to a composite of technologies that facilitate the creation of synthetic, highly interactive 3D environments, replicating either real or imagined scenarios. Within VR, the concepts of immersion and presence are critical and are interconnected through interaction (Petersen et al. 2022). "Immersion" denotes the degree to which users feel involved in the simulated environment, encompassing sensory, cognitive, and social aspects. "Presence" can be categorized into physical presence, narrative presence and social presence (Dede 2009).
Our study examines the extent to which immersion enhances the sense of physical presence among L1 high school students. We are particularly interested in exploring whether different forms of interaction can mitigate extrinsic cognitive load, thereby increasing learners’ interest and motivation as well as their understanding of the story. The students experience the VR from the perspective of Faust and enter different rooms that embrace the idea of the world-builder Faust. To what extent this virtual setting is "understood interactively" is a relevant question when it comes to literary learning in VR. To delve into these questions, we conducted a qualitative study involving German high school students. After engaging with a VR experience centered on Goethe's "Faust" (using the methodology of thinking out loud), we interviewed the participants to gauge their perceptions. In a final step, the students answered a knowledge test. The results disclose the extent to which immersion and physical presence enhance or hinder the understanding of literature in VR. Consequently, we propose methods for incorporating physical engagement as innovative approaches to first-language education.
Braun, T. et al. (2021). Positionspapier zur Weiterentwicklung der KMK-Strategie‹ Bildung in der digitalen Welt›. MedienPädagogik: Zeitschrift für Theorie und Praxis der Medienbildung, 1–7.
Dede, C. (2009). Immersive interfaces for engagement and learning. Science, 323(5910), 66–69.
Petersen, G. B et al. (2022). A study of how immersion and interactivity drive VR learning. Computers & Education, 179, 1–16.
Prof. Dr. Anja Ballis, anja.ballis@germanistik.uni-muenchen.de
Dr. Lisa Schwendemann, lisa.schwendemann@germanistik.uni-muenchen.de
University of Munich, Schellingstraße 3, D-80799 München