AZCALL 2020
Virtual Conference
Immersive classroom experiences using Google Cardboard
Carla H. Consolini; University of Oregon
Irene Soto-Lucena; University of Pittsburgh
Biographies
Carla is pursuing her PhD in linguistics at the University of Oregon, with an emphasis on second language acquisition and the use of technology in and outside the classroom for acquisition purposes. Carla is originally from Argentina where she became a professional Spanish-English translator and conference interpreter. She then moved to the US and earned a Masters in Hispanic Linguistics and Literature, and a Masters in Applied Linguistics at Ohio University.
Irene is a second-year PhD student in the Department of Linguistics at the University of Pittsburgh and an instructor of Spanish in the Department of Hispanic Languages and Literatures. She holds a B.A. in Linguistics and Literature from the University of Seville (Spain), and she completed a 1-year grad program in TEFL. Irene also holds an M.A. in Spanish Literature and Linguistics and an M.A. in Applied Linguistics, both from Ohio University. She has worked as a teacher of Spanish at the Ohio University and as a tutor for the graduate reading and writing, and pronunciation and presentation labs at Ohio University’s English Language Improvement Program.
*Ask questions and comment below
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.
