Development of the InteractionSuitcase in virtual reality to support inter- and transcultural learning processes in English as Foreign Language education

Abstract

Immersion programs and the experiences they offer learners are irreplaceable. In times of Covid-19, social VR applications can offer enormous potential for the acquisition of inter- and transcultural competencies (ITC). Virtual objects (VO) could initiate communication and reflection processes between learners with different cultural backgrounds and therefore offer an exciting approach. Accordingly, we address the following research questions: (1) What is a sound way to collect objects for the InteractionSuitcase to promote ITC acquisition by means of Social VR? (2) For which aspects do students use the objects when developing an ITC learning scenario? (3) Which VO are considered particularly supportive to initiate and facilitate ITC learning? To answer these research questions, the virtual InteractionSuitcase will be designed and implemented. This paper presents the empirical preliminary work and interim results of the development and evaluation of the InteractionSuitcase, its usage, and the significance of this project for Human- Computer Interaction (HCI) and English as Foreign Language (EFL) research.