• Undergraduate

Florida International University’s Virtual Tabadul brings together college-aged youth from Algeria, Morocco, and the United States for language learning and community building through virtual reality (VR). Participants engage in one-on-one exchange meetings in VR spaces that are entirely viewable from their cell phones and that represent everyday scenes in their communities (e.g. an outdoor market, a restaurant, a university classroom, etc.). By completing real-world pedagogic tasks together in both English and Arabic, participants develop language proficiency and interpersonal skills.

Activities

Participants meet and utilize the virtual reality real-world scenes via Google Cardboard. They work together to complete everyday tasks in the target language in the virtual reality spaces, such as successfully ordering coffee and food at a restaurant. Participants showcase what they learned with their partner via end-of-semester presentations and report on the pedagogic tasks that they achieved together in the target language (English or Arabic). Students’ experiences are documented with  micro-credential digital badges and a language proficiency certification.

Program Details