Talki: A Mobile Application to Improve English Learning of High School Students in Peru utilizing Virtual Reality and Gamification

Despite the widespread necessity of students to learn English, Peruvian students face challenges that include a lack of motivation, overwhelmed academic expectations, and low socioeconomic status. Therefore, in this paper, a mobile application that employs virtual reality and gamification is proposed to improve English language learning among Peruvian high school students. This research consists of three stages: (1) review, (2) proposal, and (3) validation. In (1), an exhaustive review of teaching techniques, gamification strategies, and virtual reality models applied to English language learning is carried out. In (2), specific guidelines are selected for the implementation of teaching techniques, gamification, and type of virtual reality for the construction of the mobile application, using Google Cardboard virtual reality glasses. Finally, in (3) the validation of the mobile application is reported, in which 58 high school students participated. Data were collected on student performance before and after using the application. The results showed that students increased their performance in the English language by 22%. This percentage was measured by the average of the grades taken at the beginning and at the end of the experiment.