Virtual Reality in Education: The impact on PGDE primary teacher students and on Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety in EFL Learning
Published: 1 October 2021
Gabriella Rodolico and Miaomiao Ding (PhD student at SoE) have presented their works on Virtual reality at the ECER Geneva 2021. They used 2 of the most popular VR systems appropriate to their purposes: Class VR and HTC ViveFocus Plus.
Gabriella Rodolico: This study intended to examine some of the concerns expressed by teachers about the implementation of Virtual Reality (VR) in school Education. It aimed to address the need identified by Cooper (2019) for further research into how Pre-service Teachers (PST) integrate this technology into their pedagogy and how teacher educators can facilitate and support this process. The research question aims to explore to what extent a combination of student experience of VR, in the context of learning about effective pedagogy techniques in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) courses, followed by student planning VR supported lessons, could assist student teachers in overcoming some of the barriers preventing the integration of VR into regular classroom practice.
Summary available on the Conference website:
https://eera-ecer.de/ecer-programmes/conference/26/contribution/50921/
and a commented PPT is available for consultation at National Teaching Repository:
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.16601717.v2
Miaomiao Ding: This poster first focuses on the gap in the literature of Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety (FLSA) and Virtual-mediated Communication Technology, specifically FLSA in English as a foreign language learning (EFL) and immersive Virtual Reality (VR) technology; and then move to provide an account of the research design. It aims to investigate the effects of immersive VR on FLSA in EFL learning in order to seek for approaches to reduce FLSA among EFL learners. FLSA refers to specific anxiety associated with either real or anticipated oral communication in foreign language with other people (He, 2018).
Summary available on the Conference website:
https://eera-ecer.de/ecer-programmes/conference/26/contribution/50033/
Miaomiao’s material will be deposited in the NTR after completion of her dissertation.
First published: 1 October 2021