Students (especially those from largely ethnically homogenous and monolingual countries such as Japan) preparing to study abroad may experience considerable anxiety about the prospect of an unknown foreign environment. The negative consequences of this anxiety may take the form of overcompensation in preparation and study, avoidance of preparation and study, or even physical effects, such as illness. The presenters propose that recently developed smartphone virtual reality, such as Google Cardboard, is a practical and affordable technology that could help train students in problem-focused coping strategies aimed at reducing anxiety. This technology allows anyone with a smartphone and a compatible headset, through the use of freely available applications, to visit locations around the globe and inhabit them immersively with the ability to look freely in all directions. In this presentation, we will discuss a pilot study examining anxiety-reducing VR-based activities as well as other CALL activities, that allowed students to virtually visit their overseas campuses, city downtown districts, and homestay neighbourhoods. In particular, the presenters will talk about the rationale for the study, the activities and materials used in the study, and the data collection methods and results. Also, how these preparatory activities might reduce student anxiety prior to departure will also be explored. Finally, improvements for a larger scale study will be proposed. Attendees will be able to experience the VR activities for themselves. This presentation may be of particular interest to teachers or administrators who wish to use more active learning-based activities in preparing students to study abroad.

1. Reducing Study Abroad Anxiety
Through Smartphone Virtual Reality
Chris Hastings Josh Brunotte
Christopher.robert.hastings@gmail.com JoshBrunotte@gmail.com

2. Outline
1. Study Abroad Anxiety
2. Our Study
a. Goals
b. Methods
c. Program Overview
3. Literature
4. Program Activities
5. Results

3. Study Abroad Anxiety - News from the Front

4. Study Abroad Anxiety - Intervention is Necessary
“...without intervention to reduce anxiety, the success
of study abroad programs will be unlikely to be
optimized.” (Riley & Shackleford, 2009, p.74)
But what kind of intervention is optimal?

5. Study Abroad Anxiety - Two Examples
Two Examples of Intervention - Explicit Teaching of English Language &
Learning Strategies
The Use of CALL as a means of reducing anxiety of students studying abroad
- White, 2014 - CALL Tool English Central focussing on authentic input and
practice
Addressing Pre-program Anxiety for Japanese Students Studying Abroad -
Riley & Shackleford, 2009 - Language Learning Strategies (LLS), for example,
students listened to a lecture about New Zealand while taking notes.

6. Study Abroad Anxiety - Our Approach
Use Immersive Virtual Reality Google Cardboard Streetview - High Fun & Novelty
Factor
Visit & Explore Actual Study Abroad Locations - Authentic
Supplement VR with non-VR resources - Google Maps & Streetview
Use VR sensory input as a ‘text’ to prime speaking activities - Opinion Gap
Include Navigation Task - Information Gap
Not explicitly teaching English, but all training and activities in English - CBI

7. http://labs.sogeti.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Augmented_Reality_Marketing_San_Diego.jpg
http://geoawesomeness.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Google-Cardboard-Geoawesomeness.jpg

8. Goals
1. Reduce Participants general anxiety towards their new
environments
1. Reduce Participants general anxiety towards using English
to navigate their new environments
1. Have participants independently use CALL methods
practiced in-session as part of their pre-departure
preparations and also while overseas

9. Methodology
Participants
32 English Literature Majors at Aichi Shukutoku University
1st through 4th-year Ss
Time Scale
Two 8-Week sessions over the Spring and Fall semesters of 2016
20 to 30 minute encounters during lunchtime once weekly
Data collection
Pre-treatment & Post-treatment electronic surveys
Numerical and written responses

13. VR & Theories of Language Learning
https://vrroom.buzz/sites/default/files/styles/article_top_banner/public/1-xtfabokvm8rul-tottcovw.png?itok=7EwNK0PD&c=2df38dc0c022c0f5a7dde0fb09e0c14b

14. Experiential learning - Learning by doing:
“The most unique and possibly also the most powerful characteristic of 3D virtual
environments for learning is that they afford a first-person form of immersive or
semi-immersive experiential learning.” (Chee, 2001, p.46 )
Constructivist learning - Knowledge is constructed through an individual's
interaction with the environment
“Virtually reality provides a controlled environment in which learners can navigate,
and manipulate the virtual objects found within, and more important, the effects of
such interaction can be observed in real time.” (Chen, 2009, p.73)
“The psychological processes that become active in immersive VR are very similar to
the psychological processes that operate when people construct knowledge
through interaction with objects and events in the real world.” (Winn, 1993)

15. Task-based Language Teaching - A communicative approach to language teaching
that views language as a means to an end to complete a task. In TBLT there are three
main categories of task, information-gap, reasoning-gap, and opinion gap (Prabhu,
1987). Often tasks are situated within a pre-task, task and post-task framework. Post-
task work is analogous with project-based learning.
Virtual Reality and TBLT
● TBLT is a first-person approach to language learning
● Information Gap - Navigation Task e.g. A is 3D Environment and B is 2D Map
● Reasoning Gap - Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes - Escape Room Photosphere
● Opinion Gap - Photosphere as ‘text’ or ‘situation’

16. Anxiety and Anxiety Reduction
http://images.agoramedia.com/everydayhealth/gcms/Coping-With-Anxiety-and-Depression-722x406.jpg?width=1440

17. Anxiety and Anxiety Reduction
”Anxiety is a psychological, physiological, and
behavioral response to anticipation of an aversive
event” (Kalisch, et al., 2005)
Physical/Mental responses often indistinguishable
from “stress”
Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (Lovibond, 1995)

18. Anxiety and Anxiety Reduction
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
“thought distortions” the root of anxiety/depression
anxious thoughts “create a powerful illusion of
truth” (Burns, 1999, p. 48)
“I’m bad at English.”
“I will definitely get lost overseas.”
treat thoughts, not feelings - find logical fallacies in
thinking through writing and other techniques

19. Anxiety and Anxiety Reduction
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
”The ability to volitionally regulate emotions helps to
adapt behavior to changing environmental demands
and can alleviate subjective distress.” (Kalisch, et al., 2005,
p. 874)
Evidence for CBT success greater than
psychopharmacological and other therapies (70%
better), and no treatment (98% better) (Dobson, 1989)

20. Anxiety and Anxiety Reduction
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Ergene (2016)
meta-analysis of 56 test anxiety reduction
programs
successful outcomes for 74% of Ss
receiving CBT-based treatments

21. Travel Anxiety and Study Abroad
”uncertainty avoidance” level in a society affects how
much risk individuals allow in their lives (Reisinger &
Mavondo, 2005)
cultures that value certainty tend to be risk averse
“When uncertainty is controlled, sojourners are more
adaptive.” (p. 215)

22. Study Abroad Pre-departure Program Overview
Week 1 - Orientation & Pre-treatment Survey
Week 2 - Introduction to Google Cardboard
Week 3 - Your New Campus pt. 1 - undirected practice
Week 4 - Your New Campus pt. 2 - directed practice
Week 5 - Places to Visit
Week 6 - Homestay House and Neighbourhood
Week 7 - Communicative Navigation Task
Week 8 - Post-treatment Survey

23. Google Cardboard - Orientation
Instruct Students to download necessary apps
Provide step-by-step documentation
Explanation and demonstration only
Cast iPhone screen to projector to demonstrate
https://vr.google.com/cardboard/images/hero-cardboard-download-mobile.jpg

24. Campus Walk
1st Session Undirected Practice - to familiarize students with
technology and troubleshoot issues
2nd Session Directed Practice - University Campus
photospheres used as ‘text’ for students to react to for opinion
gap speaking activity
http://www.mindingthecampus.com/originals/campus.jpg

25. Finding Local Points of Interest
Help Ss identify beforehand
teacher suggestions
Train to use once abroad
Use VR to identify appearance
and surroundings

26. Homestay Neighborhood Navigation
Used records of previous
homestay addresses
Information gap task
Navigate from home to campus,
places of interest
Practical training using real
environments

31. Written feedback examples
I wanted to use Wi-Fi.
I thought I am glad to know about Sheffield's university and town in advance.
It was useful to imagine a life in the future.
I feel like I'm there
I could see what the university looked like and experience the scenery around
it, reducing my anxiety a little. When I put on the Google Cardboard I felt a
bit dizzy and travel sick. It seemed like it would be difficult for me to wear it
for a long time.

32. Conclusions
Evidence for effectiveness
moderate reduction in overall/travel-related anxiety
97% of Ss found Google Cardboard some degree of “useful”
Ss’ own words
comments from returnees
Improvement in treatment design/instruction methods from
Spring to Fall semesters

33. Limitations
Sample Size
Survey Tool
Institution Lacked WiFi
Google Cardboard V.1 InputFuture Directions
Use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy anxiety-reduction techniques (e.g. writing
exercises) during sessions
Exploring cultural connections between our Ss and risk-avoidance, travel anxiety
Use Google Cardboard V.2
Independent Wifi Hotspot

34. References
1. Burns, D. (1999). Feeling good: The new mood therapy. New York, NY: Harper Collins.
2. Chee, Y. M. (2001). Virtual Reality in Education : Rooting Learning in Experience. Invited talk. In Proceedings of the
International Symposium on Virtual Education, Busan, South Korea.
3. Chen, C. J. (2009). Theoretical basis for using virtual reality in education. Themes in Science and Technology Education, 2(1-2),
71-90.
4. Dobson, K.S. (1989). A meta-analysis of the efficacy of cognitive therapy for depression. Journal of Consulting and Clinical
Psychology, 57(3), 414-419.
5. Goldsein, S., Kim, R., (2006). Predictors of US college students’ participation in study abroad programs: A longitudinal study.
International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 30(4), 507–521.
6. Kalisch, R., Wiech, K., Critchley, H.D., Seymour, B., O’Doherty, J., Oakley, D., Allen, P., and Dolan, R. (2005). Anxiety Reduction
through Detachment: Subjective, Physiological, and Neural Effects. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 17(6), 874-883.
7. Lovibond, P.F., and Lovibond, S.H. (1995). The structure of negative emotional states: Comparison of the Depression Anxiety
Stress Scales (DASS) with the Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 33(3), 335–343.
8. Prabhu, N. S. (1987). Second Language Pedagogy. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
9. Reisinger, Y., Mavondo, F. (2005). Travel Anxiety and Intentions to Travel Internationally: Implications of Travel Risk
Perception. Journal of Travel Research, 43(3), 212-225.
10. Riley, L.D., and Shackleford, N. (2009). Addressing Pre-program Anxiety for Japanese Students Studying Abroad. The Journal
of Liberal Arts and Sciences (University of Toyama. Sugitani Campus.) 37, 67-78.
11. White, J. (2014). The use of CALL as a means of reducing anxiety of students studying abroad. Procedia Technology, 18, 113-
119.
12. Winn, W. (1993). A conceptual basis for educational applications of virtual reality. HITL Laboratory.
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:5YH7iHRZtO8J:www.hitl.washington.edu/research/learning_center/
winn/winn-paper.html~+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=jp

36. Thank you for listening!
Chris Hastings Josh Brunotte
Christopher.robert.hastings@gmail.com JoshBrunotte@gmail.com
https://sites.google.com/view/EFL-VR
visit for useful documents and upcoming presentation information