Game on! Digital Gaming and Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality in Language Learning

Digital games have become an important educational tool for learning and teaching. The development of such games has advanced from 2D, desktop-based technologies to 3D, augmented reality (AR) / virtual reality (VR)-based technologies. Yet digital game-based language learning (DGBLL) with AR/VR has only recently started to be investigated, owing to the emerging availability of these new technologies. This position paper begins with a short review of the educational benefits of DGBLL, followed by a discussion of the use of AR/VR in language learning. To illustrate the potential use of AR/VR in DGBLL, recent empirical studies are reviewed. Based on this analysis, a new model for integrating AR/VR in DGBLL is proposed. The paper ends with suggestions for how DGBLL with AR/VR technologies can be used in future educational endeavors.