Abstract

Considered the fifth skill (Hong, 2008; Tomalin, 2008; Özüorçun, 2014), cultural knowledge is an important part of language teaching and learning. Culture and language are closely tied together since they shape each other while in constant change and evolution, and the lack of knowledge or understanding of a language’s culture can put the second language speakers in a position of outsiders in their second language (Neves Pereira, 2016; Kramsch & Zhu Hua, 2016). The difficulties of teaching culture in effective ways in the language classroom have been documented (Moore, 2016; Straub, 1999), and on trying[1] [2] [3]  to solve that problem, real-life immersion programs shield best results in terms of cultural knowledge and language acquisition (Freed, 1995; Hess, 1997; Paige, Jacobs-Cassuto, Yershova, & DeJaeghere, 2003; Storti, 2001). However, that is not economically possible for many learners. Regarding the use of technology in language classrooms, much has been researched on different technologies for the acquisition of different language skills. Specifically, in the areas of writing skills (Coleman, 2002); pragmatic skills (Holden and Sykes, 2011; Sykes, Oskoz and Thorne, 2008; Sykes, 2009); and vocabulary acquisition (Miller and Hegelheimer, 2006; Ranalli, 2008). Despite the advances of research on immersive and virtual realities, no attention has been paid to the potential benefits of virtual environments for the access to cultural knowledge. This project is focused on creating immersive environments to aid learners with the acquisition of cultural information, both factual/historical, and in the form of pragmatic or idiosyncrasy-specific knowledge, through the use of Google Cardboard virtual reality affordable gear and the Google Expeditions application.