Usability Evaluation of a VR French Learning App for Google Cardboard

Soon-Nyean Cheong; Dendi Permadi; Sze-Hao Low; Julien Pierre Bigot; Jie- Teng Lee; Muhammad Syaaqir Supaat

Soon-Nyean Cheong
Dendi Permadi
Sze-Hao Low
Julien Pierre Bigot
Jie- Teng Lee
Muhammad Syaaqir Supaat

Abstract

The purpose of this research work is to investigate cost-effective immersive virtual reality (VR) for learning French language by designing, developing and evaluating Mission Maison, an affordable immersive VR application for Google Cardboard. The development was guided by Design Science Research principle and aligned with John Biggs’ constructive alignment theory to transform passive learning into engaging adventures through immersive environments, compelling stories and gamified quizzes that is accessible via smartphone. 29 Malaysian young adults participated in the usability and acceptance evaluation using the System Usability Scale (SUS) in a controlled environment. All the participants were briefed on the application's functionality and went through a tutorial on using Google Cardboard prior to using the VR application. The evaluation revealed a high usability and learnability of Mission Maison, with an average SUS score of 86.38. The evaluation results also indicated that Mission Maison was easy to use, well-integrated, engaging and with minimal learning curves, serving as strong support that cost-effective immersive VR has the potential of springboarding traditional language learning to provide enjoyable and engaging learning experiences. The research work contributes in terms of a new practical budget-friendly immersive VR French language learning application and insights into usability and acceptance by young adults in Malaysia, for broader accessibility and adoption in language education. The findings provide educators, policymakers, and technology developers with a scalable solution to integrate immersive VR instructional design into curricula with aims to enhance language learning experiences.

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