Through the Looking Goggles: Virtual

Reality and Language Acquisition

3Dman_eu. Free Image on Pixabay.

Created by Christine and Dakota McBride

 Virtual Reality and Language Acquisition 2017

Purpose
The purpose of our proposal is to request the administration at Tarrant County College to
consider developing an immersive language learning pilot program utilizing virtual reality (VR)
goggles.

Introduction
Starting on March 20, 2017, Mrs. Tyesha McGilbrey encouraged us to research and to
recommend a recent, innovative product that was released in the past five years that would have
an impact on peoples lives. In a series of conversations with her, we decided that an immersive
virtual reality learning environment could greatly assist in learning a second language. This idea
was inspired by Eileen OConnors comments about virtual reality islands and real life situations.
She asserts that avatars can communicate via voice by using a headset as well as by text chatting
(OConnor 12). It is our opinion that the anonymity of having the foreign language students
avatars interact with other individuals avatars will remove some of the awkwardness of having a
verbal communication with a native speaker. Also, the richness and detail of the background
would aid in making the conversation more realistic, entertaining, and memorable.
Presently, there is no immersive virtual reality language program at Tarrant County College.
Acquisition of a second language requires both written and verbal skills. Students have
difficulty recalling vocabulary, sentence structure, and appropriate verbal responses in real time
conversations. Learning and utilizing a second language has always been formidable. Finding
native speakers to work with on verbal skills is challenging. It is often difficult to schedule
meetings to practice and locate willing mentors. Unimersiv has a Language Room that acts as
an international chat room for a conversation in another language (Learn a New Language).
This international chat room could be one tool for improving foreign language verbal skills.
Tarrant County College currently uses Vistas Supersite and Rosetta Stone in the language lab for
reinforcing language skills. The online Vistas Supersite has limitations in real-time verbal skills
acquisition. Verbal assignments require submission to the professor to review. This time delay is
not optimal in acquiring strong verbal competence. Rosetta Stone is another tool that is used in
the language lab. This program does have instantaneous feed-back for verbal skills, but it does
not tell the student what is wrong with his/her pronunciation. The trial-and-error repetition is
very frustrating to beginning students of a foreign language. Also, both Vistas Supersite and

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Rosetta Stone are dependent upon grammatical formulas which can lead the student to do the
exercise without deeply encoding the information into long-term memory.

Several perspectives have been expressed that have an impact on the development of a virtual
reality language program. Tony Diepenbrock, co-founder of Learn Immersive, had trouble
expressing himself in another language. He emphasizes that you need to immerse yourself in
situations where you need to figure out what to say (Moss). Students in other countries are
known to speak several languages. The lack of proficiency with foreign languages can impact
business relationships, diplomatic relationships, and the worldwide view of American literacy.
Language professors have limited time with students to achieve district requirements for the
curriculum. While Monica Burns is not listed as a foreign language professor, her viewpoint
regarding technology in the classroom has merit. Monica Burns credentials are that she is a
fifth grade teacher and EdTech and curriculum consultant based in New York. She feels that the
curriculum and the virtual learning activities should match (Hansman). Another viewpoint is
presented by Mayes and Fowler; they assert, In task immersion, there is a much higher degree
of realism and levels of manipulation, and experiential learning is a key attribute. The role of
avatars, although not essential, can certainly enhance task immersion by supporting activities like
role playing (Fowler 6). In other words, playing a role in an immersive environment can help a
person learn a new skill like a foreign language. A plan to develop an immersive language
learning pilot program utilizing virtual reality (VR) goggles would require the following tasks:
Determine which VR goggles would work with current TCC assets.
Determine which VR language programs would fit within current TCC curriculum
requirements.
Conduct a survey of TCC faculty and students attitudes and opinions towards VR
goggles and language programs.
Arrange for demonstrations of the VR goggles.
Ascertain the cost of VR goggles and VR language programs.

Proposed Tasks
Task 1. Determine which VR goggles would work with current TCC assets.

We have begun our investigation by determining that Tarrant County College (TCC) already has
desktop computers in the language lab. We decided against VR goggles that would require a
student to have a personal smartphone due to variability in cell phone abilities and service
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contracts.
The VR goggles being considered are: the HTC Vive and the Oculus Rift. The HTC Vive and
the Oculus Rift have the personal computer (PC) listed as the hardware platform. The two VR
goggles were compared in a chart depicted in The Best VR (Virtual Reality) Headsets of 2017
(Greenwald). Both sets of VR goggles are tethered; tethered VR goggles require a physical
connection to a computer. Kris Carlon, in Wireless VR vs Tethered VR: Which Is Best for
You?, explained that tethered VR goggles have reduced lag time with improved graphics. Both
reduced lag time and better picture quality will make the foreign language students learning
experience more realistic and less exasperating.
The newness of the retail virtual reality market contributes to the lack of peer-reviewed academic
journals that have more trustworthy information and data regarding VR goggles. We plan to
further review the following sources:
marketing materials
magazine and newspaper articles
discussion boards
product reviews by companies and individuals
Primary research such as product demonstrations and customer reviews will offset the unreliable
claims of companies regarding VR goggle function, reliability, and flexibility. Tasks 2 and 3
further illustrate this point.

Task 2. Determine which VR language programs would fit within current TCC
curriculum requirements.
Currently we are researching the various VR language programs that are available that work with
either the HTC Vive or the Oculus Rift. We are focusing on language programs that target adults
since the pilot program would be designed for undergraduate students at TCC.
The same sources that are being reviewed for the VR goggles (e.g. marketing materials,
discussion boards, and product reviews) are being used for the VR language programs due to the
novel nature of the software. TCC curriculum requirements and customer reviews will be
weighted more heavily than marketing materials in the selection of a compatible language
program. Some of the topics covered in the TCC curriculum to meet university foreign
language requirements are: oral expression, listening comprehension, grammar, writing,
vocabulary, and cultural study (Spanish).

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Task 3. Arrange for demonstrations of the VR goggles.

Given that VR goggles are uncommon due to their relative newness, we have found several
vendors in the Dallas Fort Worth area that advertise demonstrations on location with
appointment. Both the HTC Vive and the Oculus Rift will be scrutinized to determine the best
visual experience and performance for the user.

Task 4. Ascertain the cost of VR goggles and VR language programs.

Since the immersive virtual reality learning environment is not an approved TCC program yet,
the cost of the HTC Vive, the Oculus Rift, and selected VR language programs will be listed at
retail prices. Company websites, retail stores, and online retailers such as Amazon.com will be
searched for the best possible price per unit.

Task 5. Conduct a survey of TCC faculty and students attitudes and opinions regarding
VR goggles and language programs.
No program or product can realistically be considered without discovering if the faculty and
students would be interested in participating. A survey of TCC students and faculty members
will be conducted the first full week in April 2017. Questions will be designed to determine
peoples attitudes and opinions concerning VR goggles and VR language programs. No
questions regarding expert knowledge and use of VR goggles and VR language programs will
occur at this time due to the newness of the technology. Responses will be analyzed to see if
student interest in a VR language pilot program would warrant further research.

Task 6. Analyze the data and prepare the recommendation report.

We will utilize Google Drive to enable all members of the research team to make contributions
to the recommendation report. Additional access will be made available to persons with expert
knowledge about the VR goggles and VR language programs and interested faculty members
upon request.

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 Virtual Reality and Language Acquisition 2017

Schedule
Figure 1 is a schedule of the tasks required to complete the recommendation report by April 20,
2017.

Date
Task Date of Tasks (by Day)
completed
Task 1:
Research VR
goggles
Task 2:
Research VR
language
programs
Task 3:
VR goggle
demonstrations
Task 4:
Determine
product costs
Task 5: Conduct
survey

Task 6: Prepare
report

1 4 5 6 11 13 18 20
April

Key:
Tasks to be completed
Urgent tasks
Tasks completed

Figure 1. Schedule of Project Tasks

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Experience
Our team has combined experience in primary research, such as survey creation and analysis. In
addition, we have skills and knowledge in library databases research and gaming technology.
Christine McBride, Virtual Reality Project Manager, holds a bachelors degree in biology
with a language minor. She has aided in the creation and analysis of a political research
survey and has initiated creation of student study aid documents in Spanish I at Tarrant
County College, South Campus. She is currently contributing suggestions to improve
workflow and enhance employee morale to the Quality Action Council at Texas Health
Medical Laboratories.
Dakota McBride, Virtual Reality Research Analyst, is pursuing an associates degree in
internet security. He has created, distributed, and analyzed a political research survey
and has written a research report regarding the surveys findings at Tarrant County
College, South Campus.

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Works Cited

3Dman_eu. Free Image on Pixabay. Free Illustration: Pixel, Digital, Analog, Technology -

Free Image on Pixabay - 1027841, Pixabay.com, 9 Nov. 2015, pixabay.com/en/pixel-

digital-analog-technology-1027841/. Accessed 4 Apr. 2017.

Carlon, Kris. Wireless VR vs Tethered VR: Which Is Best for You? Android Authority,

Android Authority, 2 Mar. 2016, www.androidauthority.com/wireless-vr-vs-tethered-vr-

677648/. Accessed 30 Mar. 2017.

Fowler, Chris. "Virtual Reality and Learning: Where Is the Pedagogy?." British Journal of

Educational Technology, vol. 46, no. 2, Mar. 2015, pp. 412-422. EBSCOhost,

doi:10.1111/bjet.12135.

Greenwald, Will. The Best VR (Virtual Reality) Headsets of 2017. PCMAG, PCMAG, 10

Mar. 2017, www.pcmag.com/article/342537/the-best-virtual-reality-vr-headsets.

Accessed 30 Mar. 2017.

Hansman, Heather. How Can Schools Use Virtual Reality? Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian

Institution, 3 Feb. 2016, www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/how-can-schools-use-

virtual-reality-180957974/. Accessed 30 Mar. 2017.

Learn a New Language in Virtual Reality with the Unimersiv App. Unimersiv, Unimersiv, 8

Feb. 2017, unimersiv.com/learn-new-language-virtual-reality-unimersiv-app/.

Accessed 30 Mar. 2017.

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 Virtual Reality and Language Acquisition 2017
Moss, Richard. Learn Immersive Teaches Languages in Virtual Reality. New Atlas, New

Atlas, 9 Dec. 2014, newatlas.com/learn-immersive-language-virtual-reality/35128/.

Accessed 30 Mar. 2017.

OConnor, Eileen A. "Open Source Meets Virtual RealityAn Instructors Journey Unearths

New Opportunities for Learning, Community, and Academia." Journal of

Educational Technology Systems, vol. 44, no. 2, Dec. 2015, pp. 153-170.

EBSCOhost, doi:10.1177/0047239515617158.

Spanish. Tarrant County College District, Tarrant County College District, 27 June 2016,

www.tccd.edu/academics/tcc-catalog/courses-and-programs/spanish/. Accessed 30

Mar. 2017.

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