TEACHx 2024

A growing body of literature has shown how Virtual Reality (VR) can be used as a tool to develop linguistic and cultural competencies in the language classroom (Song, 2019; Mills 2021; and Thrasher 2022). However, VR in language teaching and learning remains a novelty. This panel will explore the way in which Virtual Reality can enhance linguistic and cultural development by addressing two main questions for all panelists and audience: 1) Why is VR relevant as a tool for the development of linguistic and/or cultural competencies in language education? and 2) How has it been applied in language classrooms for different languages? The panel will have presenters from multiple U.S. institutions that have used 360-degree videos and images in their own classrooms to promote language and culture learning. These presenters will showcase the use of VR for the teaching and learning of two different languages: French (Dr. Kyle Patterson, Santa Monica Community College) and Spanish (Dr. Juan A. Godoy Peñas, University of Cincinnati; Dr. María Jesús Barros García, Northwestern University; Dr. César Enrique Hoyos Álvarez, Northwestern University; and Dr. Claudia Quevedo-Webb, Northwestern University).