Hololingo! - A Game-Based Social Virtual Reality Application for Foreign Language Tandem Learning

Abstract

Hololingo! is a Social Virtual Reality tandem app for real-time immersive distance learn-ing of German as a Foreign Language (GFL). The acquisition of discoursive oral language skills for applied authentic contexts is challenging for group-based classroom settings and is often outsourced to autonomous analogue tandem learning. We operationalise a Digital Game-Based Language Learning (DGBLL) approach for distance-learning which also relieves tandems from overstraining autonomy and self-guidance. Hololingo! supports tandems in their learning activities by providing entertaining communicative, collaborative, and didactically designed team tasks. These are embed-ded in a narrative adventure, target linguistic phenomena, and support the holistic acquisition of oral-discourse competencies and fluency. The combination of the tandem principle, immersive So-cial VR gamification, barrier-free access to a global pool of expert/native speakers, and a curricular connection through task selection facilitates language learning and provides transcultural contacts. App development follows a Design-Based-Research cycle of conception, implementation, and eval-uation.