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Madison College is breaking ground in language education by launching a pilot Virtual Reality (VR) program in two Spanish classes.
The initiative, funded by a grant received by Spanish instructor Carolina Bailey, immerses students into cultures and scenarios designed to help them hone their Spanish language skills.
Bailey purchased individual accounts for her first-semester and fourth-semester Spanish students on a VR platform designed specifically for language learning. With the support of Bill Ballo, academic technology faculty, and Carly Brady, academic technology academic manager, Bailey brought innovative teaching to her students in a pilot program during the fall of 2023.
First-semester Spanish students “traveled” to Colombia where they interacted with native Spanish speakers via VR in a public plaza, at restaurants, and even in homes. Students in fourth-semester Spanish were exposed to Spanish-speaking cultures and environments that included Spain and Colombia.
Finding the Right Program
As the team was preparing for the VR-driven experience, they sought a program that was realistic and engaging. Many programs the team reviewed were more like video games than cultural experiences.
“It took us a long time to find the right program,” Bailey said. “I wanted something realistic where the students are immersed and are actually seeing the plaza, ordering arepas at a cart, and learning about tejo, a uniquely Colombian game.”
For Ballo, the full 360 immersion was a key consideration. “I wanted the students to be able to look around and engage with their surroundings.”
Student Tessara Clark echoed the importance of the full 360-degree immersion. “One of my favorite parts is being able to turn around and there's more stuff going on behind you. It's like you're fully in the space. It feels like you're really experiencing part of the culture.”
Bailey said that the program offers critical experiences as students are immersed in environments they may never visit in real life.
“This is tied to global competency which the college has decided is important. If you really want students to be culturally competent, it’s one thing to talk about a culture and another to experience it and VR is a great way to do that.”
The Learning Curve
While there was a learning curve for many students, once they got the hang of interacting in a virtual environment, the feedback was mostly positive.
Bailey said the tool helps with retention, with one student staying in the class specifically because of the unique VR experience. Ballo also has seen prospective students walk by the class in the Gateway and take note of the unique and innovative approach.
While Clark was surprised to find that VR was being incorporated into the class, she quickly saw the benefits. “In class, when you're talking to other students, everyone else is learning the same sentence structures as you, and we're all just a little lost,” she said. “But, obviously, the people in the VR know the sentence structure, so it's a good way to learn new sentence structures and verb conjugations used by someone who is definitely getting them right.”
What’s Next?
The program is funded through the spring semester, but Bailey is hopeful additional funding can be identified to make the VR component a mainstay. She envisions VR as an ongoing and integral part of language education.
The academic technology team aims to support instructors in their creative use of VR and can help identify resources and appropriate vendor partners. As with most things related to VR in the classroom, Madison College is ahead of the curve. Ballo said, “I get calls and emails from instructional designers at other colleges who want to figure out how to do what we’re already doing.”
As Madison College pioneers this innovative approach, students like Clark are gaining valuable insights and skills that extend beyond traditional language education. The potential for VR in language learning is vast, promising to enhance global competency and prepare students for an increasingly interconnected world.
“It’s our responsibility as a college to be able to find creative ways to open the world for students,” Bailey said. “Programs like this Spanish VR initiative can do just that.”
