Exploring Playful Language Learning in Higher Education Through a Virtual Reality Game

Abstract

This study investigates playful language learning in an immersive Virtual Reality (VR) environment. The authors designed a VR language game for adult learners of Finnish in higher education in Sweden and Finland, aiming to support foreign-language speaking skills. Survey data were collected from 36 participants, who reported their learning experiences, emotional responses, and perceptions of VR as a language-learning tool. Drawing on Nicola Whitton’s theory of playful learning, the findings show that positive emotions, such as excitement, curiosity, and enjoyment, were more common than negative reactions, suggesting that the VR environment functioned effectively as a “magic circle” for experimenting with oral skills without real-world consequences. Negative emotions were mainly associated with perceptions that the game was too repetitive, too complex, or lacked sufficient action. For many participants, the testing session was a transformative experience that increased their confidence and openness to using playful learning environments for language learning.