Cultural Learning in Virtual Worlds: Students Explore Social Virtual Reality in Foreign Language Learning
15.07.2024On July 15, 11th-grade students from Bad Königshofen Gymnasium, led by StR Philipp Schleicher, visited the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg to gain insights into various academic and technological developments.
The Department of Modern Foreign Language Education, under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Maria Eisenmann and Dr. Jeanine Steinbock, participated in the day's program by introducing the use of Social Virtual Reality (SVR) in English classes, specifically in the context of cultural learning as part of the BMBF-funded project "DiSo-SGW." They were supported by Lena Holderrieht and Matthias Beck from the Department of Human-Computer Interaction.
During the presentation at DigiPhil, students were shown how Social VR enables the creation of virtual worlds and supports cultural understanding. They learned that this not only aids language learning but also fosters empathy and intercultural skills.
The students had the opportunity to try out the VR technology themselves. In small groups, they donned VR headsets and immersed themselves in virtual scenarios, creating their own avatars and interacting with virtual objects.
The students were highly engaged, actively participating in the VR activities with great interest. Their openness and enthusiasm for the new technology and the intercultural learning opportunities were clearly evident.
