O uso de um ambiente imersivo em 360º para a promoção da atenção e da motivação durante a aprendizagem de vocabulário de inglês como língua estrangeira

Abstract

This research aims to investigate the impacts of a 360º immersive environment on promoting attention and motivation during the learning of English vocabulary as a foreign language (FL). Theoretically, the study is grounded in the principles of the Noticing Hypothesis (Schmidt, 1990), Gardner's Motivational Theory (Gardner, 1979 and 2010), and the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (Mayer, 2001), as well as studies in the field of Second Language Acquisition (SLA), particularly those that address the role of attention and motivation in this process. Additionally, this research highlights the importance of studies on teaching and learning foreign language vocabulary, emphasizing the benefits of multimodality through immersive environments, especially those using 360º images. Methodologically, the study adopts a mixed-methods approach (Denzin, 1978), as it seeks to control the use of a 360º immersive environment to promote attention and motivation during the learning of English vocabulary as a FL. Three experiments were conducted with 81 elementarylevel English learners from a public school in Juiz de Fora (MG). In Experiments 1, 2, and 3, groups of 27 students were exposed, respectively, to a 360º immersive environment, a reading environment with a multimodal glossary, and a combination of the 360º immersive environment and the reading environment with a multimodal glossary. Data were generated through the following research instruments: an English proficiency test, vocabulary tests, an identification questionnaire, the 360º immersive environment, the reading environment with a multimodal glossary, a reading comprehension activity, and an experience evaluation questionnaire. The results confirm the benefits of the 360º immersive environment for FL vocabulary learning, as well as for promoting attention and motivation during this process. Comparatively, it was observed that the third testing condition (360º immersive environment + reading environment with a multimodal glossary) was the most effective for lexical acquisition, presenting an average learning gain of 62%, while the first and second conditions showed average gains of 18% and 28%, respectively. This research underscores the relevance of immersive environments for fostering attention and motivation in FL teaching and learning processes, while also contributing theoretically to the field of Applied Linguistics by addressing attention, motivation, and multimodality in vocabulary learning. Furthermore, it offers practical insights for FL teachers.