Developing an Immersive VR Program for Tourism English Learners through Gamification Tasks

Developing an Immersive VR Program for Tourism English Learners through Gamification Tasks

This study aims to develop an immersive virtual reality (VR) program for tourism English learners through gamification tasks. English for tourism, a part of English for Specific Purposes (ESP), focuses on real-world language use in work-related contexts. An immersive VR program is designed to provide learners with a real-time and interactive experience. However, typical VR programs are not sufficient for ESP learners, who require more practical and contextualized learning. To address this gap, this study integrates gamification tasks into an immersive VR program. A review of 40 journal articles analyzed the benefits of VR and gamification in language learning. The analysis of the VR related journal articles reported the potential benefits of immersive environments for learning, while the gamification analysis revealed that key outcomes such as motivation, engagement, and skill improvement play a critical role in enhancing language learning experiences. Based on these findings, the study develops an immersive VR program that incorporates various gamification tasks such as fill-in-the-blank exercises, grading, and virtual sites such as hotel receptions, rooms, and restaurants to create a more engaging and practical learning environment for tourism English learners. The pedagogical implications of incorporating VR and gamification into the tourism English classroom are also discussed.