Virtual Reality and English Language Education: Instructional Design Study

Abstract

This paper presents the design and formative evaluation of English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) lesson prototypes conducted within immersive virtual environments (IVEs) and reports qualitative insights derived from this Research through Design (RtD) prototype evaluation study. The research involved the development and formative evaluation of prototype lessons grounded in pedagogical expertise and contemporary principles of IVE-based education. The findings identify features, tools, and platform functionalities that were perceived by expert participants as relevant to lesson feasibility, user experience, and prototype refinement, and that informed the design of a collaborative educational IVE. Conducted within a broader research project on education in immersive virtual spaces, the study employed a role reversal methodology in which four experienced EFL educators participated as learners. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed with attention to both the instructional design of the lessons and the operational characteristics of the IVE technology. A Research through Design (RtD) approach was used to iteratively refine the lesson prototypes. The results emphasize the need for systematic formative evaluation and practical testing of IVE-based educational tools before claims about pedagogical effectiveness can be made. Rather than providing generalizable evidence of pedagogical efficacy or policy-level recommendations, the study offers formative design insights, expert reflections, and directions for prototype refinement in EFL-oriented IVE instruction.