Learning Foreign Language Vocabulary Through Task-Based Virtual Reality Immersion

In the rapidly evolving landscape of language learning pedagogy, Virtual Reality (VR) has emerged as a potent tool for enhancing the educational experience beyond traditional platforms like Duolingo. This study explores the efficacy of task-based language learning (TBL) in immersive VR. We conducted an experiment with 27 participants, teaching them 20 Spanish vocabulary words through a VR-enabled cooking task in Spanish, across three distinct learning conditions: fully immersive VR, traditional non-VR, and mixed modality. The inclusion of VR did not affect the overall gains; however, analysis of post-experiment feedback taken three weeks later showed that VR markedly enhanced engagement and appeal value for participants in the mixed modality, highlighting VR’s potential to enrich the language learning experience. These results suggest the promise of immersive TBL pedagogy in VR in making language learning more engaging and effective. Further, the success of the mixed condition indicates future explorations should factor in when to capitalize on VR and when traditional methods are sufficient.