360-Degree Videos, VR Experiences and the Application of Education 4.0 Technologies in Malaysia for Exposure and Immersion

Abstract

Obstacles, both imagined and real, continue to hinder the wider adoption of Education 4.0 learning technologies although these technologies are available in the mainstream consumer market. At the same time, the boom in Industry 4.0 manufacturing has brought down the prices of these technological tools making them generally more affordable. A case in point is 360-degree spherical video cameras and software that can record, render and playback immersive ‘real life’ contents. 360-degree spherical video contents can then be rendered and post-processed into VR (virtual reality) experiences that are not just immersive but also allow for limitless exposure time to learners. Both technologies allow for learner-driven learning to happen in the truest sense, for instance for second and foreign language learners. This research paper examines data collected from 560 undergraduates (n = 560) who were immersed and exposed to 360-degree videos and VR experiences for degree level courses on English (as a second language), Mandarin (Chinese) (as a third or foreign language, and Arabic (as a third or foreign language) at four public university campuses in Peninsular Malaysia. The benefits of 360-degree videos and VR experiences in second and foreign languages content delivery were evident to support learner-driven learning: Contents were developed by local lecturers and then uploaded for free online and learners could learn anytime, anywhere; total immersion could be achieved using cheap VR goggles powered by learners’ smartphones; and most beneficially, weaker learners who desperately need more time to understand and practice difficult degree level second or foreign languages now have the freedom to revise and upskill themselves at their own pace.