Academic Sources

Chen, B., Wang, Y., & Wang, L. (2022). The effects of virtual reality-assisted language learning: A meta-analysis. Sustainability, 14(6), Article 3147. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14063147

Dhimolea, T. K., Kaplan-Rakowski, R., & Lin, L. (2022). A systematic review of research on high-immersion virtual reality for language learning. TechTrends, 66, 810–824. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-022-00717-w

Kim, S. K., & Webb, S. (2022). The effects of spaced practice on second language learning: A meta-analysis. Language Learning, 72(1), 269–319. https://doi.org/10.1111/lang.12479

Parmaxi, A. (2023). Virtual reality in language learning: A systematic review and implications for research and practice. Interactive Learning Environments, 31(1), 172–184. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2020.1765392

Product and Company Sources

Meta. (n.d.). Noun Town Language Learning. Meta Horizon Store. Retrieved June 28, 2026, from https://www.meta.com/experiences/noun-town-language-learning/5520452821357227/

Noun Town. (n.d.). Noun Town: A language learning game for PC and Mac. Retrieved June 28, 2026, from https://noun.town/language-learning-game/

Noun Town. (n.d.). Noun Town for education: Language learning game for schools and educators. Retrieved June 28, 2026, from https://noun.town/education/

Noun Town. (2026, May 22). Noun Town 1.0 is out: What launched and what it means for learners. https://noun.town/blog/noun-town-1-0-launch/

SUPER HYPER MEGA. (n.d.). Noun Town Language Learning. Steam. Retrieved June 28, 2026, from https://store.steampowered.com/app/2313720/Noun_Town_Language_Learning/

Market and Competitor Sources

Duolingo. (2026, February 26). Duolingo reports fourth quarter and full year 2025 results. https://investors.duolingo.com/news-releases/news-release-details/duolingo-reports-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2025-results

Dynamic Languages. (n.d.). Dynamic Languages. Retrieved June 28, 2026, from https://www.dynamiclanguages.org/

Grand View Research. (n.d.). Online language learning market size, share & trends analysis report. Retrieved June 28, 2026, from https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/online-language-learning-market-report

Immerse. (n.d.). Immerse. Retrieved June 28, 2026, from https://www.immerse.com/

Meta. (2025, February 26). New Meta for Education offering is now generally available. https://about.fb.com/news/2025/02/new-meta-education-offering-generally-available/

Mordor Intelligence. (2026). Virtual reality in education market size & share analysis: Growth trends & forecasts. https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/virtual-reality-vr-market-in-education

AI Tools Used

Google. (2026). Gemini [Large language model]. https://gemini.google.com/

OpenAI. (2026). ChatGPT (GPT-5.5 Thinking) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/

Even before this assignment, I had heard about Noun Town as a potential learning tool for my Japanese language classroom. This EVA assignment allowed me to put on an investor's cap and view this tool as a potential investor as well. For me the central question was not whether the product is interesting--I'm sure it is--but whether it is credible, scalable, and educationally valuable enough to justify investment or school adoption.

My final recommendation is cautious: Noun Town deserves pilot funding, but not broad implementation yet because of the need for more concrete data. As a Japanese teacher, I see its strongest classroom value in vocabulary review; however, I also noticed the diverse dialogues and freely available textbook which shows me that there is a growing potential for other aspects of the language to be covered in the future. Beyond just the novel experience of practicing Japanese in VR, I can see how having low-pressure opportunities can support confidence in speaking for learners. 

On the other hand, I would not position this tool as a replacement for teacher-led instruction, writing practice, assessment, or meaningful interpersonal communication. For Noun Town to become a strong school investment, it needs to demonstrate measurable learning value, manageable implementation, accessibility, and clear advantages over other similar classroom tools. 

This project ties into my upcoming venture pitch because I have an idea for a product which occupies a similar space as Noun Town. It is a language-learning platform for Japanese which both acts as a resource for learning online and tracks learning across a variety of mini-games and activities. It is a project I've been considering for about a year now.

AI tools supported this EVA by helping brainstorm possible topics, narrow the focus to Noun Town, organize the Google Site structure, identify relevant academic literature, compare competitors, draft concise page sections, assist with creating tables and icons, and format APA references.

However, AI did not replace my role as analyst. I verified claims through product, market, and academic sources and used my own professional judgment as a language teacher to evaluate classroom fit. The final recommendation reflects my educated views on the potential of Noun Town for the classroom and warranting a pilot.