A Pilot Study: Can Elementary School Students Learn A Second Language and Cultural Awareness in An Immersive Video Game?
Abstract: This study explored whether students could learn a second language and associated culture by playing a multiple-player immersive collaborative language learning game. A secondary objective was to examine middle school students' perceptions of learning a second language in an immersive video game. The rationale for this research study was to engage and motivate elementary school students to learn a new language by capitalizing on factors that entice school-aged students to play video games. The research team developed a custom-made immersive computer game that enabled elementary students to complete the levels of a game entitled "Exploring Swedish." Each game level had a different problem that increased in difficulty as students progressed in the game to challenge students and hold their interest. Participants' gaming experiences were analyzed using research observation and survey data. Research findings showed that participants had a positive perception of the language learning game and their gaming experiences.