Design and Construction of a Virtual Environment
for Japanese Language Instruction

by Howard Rose

Abstract

Recent advances in virtual reality have extended the boundaries of how technology can be applied to teach foreign language, but as yet there are no empirical studies to guide the development of such instructional systems. This thesis documents the design and development of Zengo Sayu*, a virtual environment to teach Japanese to beginning learners. This thesis also describes a proposed research methodology to ascertain the educational effectiveness of Zengo Sayu. Anticipated results of such a study are included.

Zengo Sayu is an immersive, interactive virtual environment designed to teach Japanese prepositions to students with no prior knowledge of the language. The underlying pedagogical theory is based on ideas expressed in Total Physical Response and other whole language instructional approaches. The characteristics of virtual reality make it a likely medium to overcome the limitations of existing whole language approaches to instruction, while retaining all of the advantages of these methods. It is assumed that the immersive aspects of a virtual environment will help students develop an understanding of Japanese through natural, physical interaction, thus strengthening both linguistic acquisition and recall abilities, while reducing the need for translation into the first language. This prototype application uses full immersion with a head mounted display, digitized voice samples for natural speech reproduction, voice recognition and body tracking technology which allow the user to interact and affect the world through combined vocal and gestural commands. Although designed for Japanese language, our approach can be adapted for a wide range of different languages, as well as other educational applications.

The proposed research study compares Zengo Sayu with two other instructional methods for beginning Japanese language students. A single lesson focusing on prepositions-of-place was standardized for three instructional presentations: the Zengo Sayu immersive virtual reality system, a real-world manipulatives approach using actual boxes, and a text-based, grammar-translation approach. Dependent variables to be measured are student achievement in listening comprehension and oral production, and changes in attitude towards learning Japanese. Predicted results include higher levels of listening comprehension achievement for the virtual environment and real-world manipulative methods compared with grammar-translation, text-based instruction. Because the virtual environment is based on the pedagogical approach as the real-world treatment, no significant difference is anticipated between these two forms of instruction. Based on the enhanced level of learner control and individualized pacing of the virtual environment, it is believed that the Zengo Sayu environment treatment group will demonstrate significantly better attitudes towards learning Japanese compared with both other treatment types.

Study results which support these predictions would verify the potential efficacy of VR for foreign language learning. Positive results would also warrant further, in-depth study of this and other VR applications in a variety of learning settings as teaching aids, self-study tools, multi-participant educational environments or network delivered enhancements for distance learning programs.