Italian Open Education: virtual reality immersions for the language classroom

Abstract

This case study describes the development of a free-to-use online platform for storing, sharing, and accessing 360-degree Virtual Reality (VR) videos. Although in the past VR was mostly used for gaming purposes, in recent years it has become increasingly popular in numerous areas, including education. In the field of language learning, little is still known about the development and use of open VR materials as well as their affordances and constraints. The current project addresses this gap by illustrating the practical steps taken to develop an open education platform, by investigating undergraduate students’ attitudes toward the implementation of VR in the language classroom, and by discussing pedagogical insights about how openly licensed VR resources can be used to foster students’ learning. Overall, this case study revealed that VR Open Educational Resources (OERs) can be powerful vehicles to promote inclusion, innovation, and engagement.