Running head: VIRTUAL IMMERSION

Abstract

Virtual immersion is an interactive multimedia learning module that incorporates

Gagnes nine instructional events. This module executes in a student-centered learning
environment to enhance the knowledge transfer and the student learning process. This
achievement learning module was presented to the Defense Language Institute students in
department C, learning Persian-Farsi language. Students were given non-virtual immersion and
the virtual immersion training to measure their learning outcomes according to the DLIs mission
2+/2+/2 proficiency level at the final exam (DLPT).
The results of the Defense Language Proficiency Test showed that students in the virtual
immersion training program achieved 2+/2+/2 and 3/3/2 in the final exam. Virtual immersion
training positively emphasizes on the language, culture, and sociodemographic aspects of the
target country. In the development of virtual immersion training, Gagnes nine instructional
events are considered as the instructional framework within a student-centered learning
environment.
Keywords: Student-Centered Learning- Gagnes 9 Events of Instruction- Interactive
Multimedia- Virtual Immersion- Defense Language Institute.

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Developing an Interactive Virtual Immersion Training

In designing Virtual Immersion training, and according to Gagnes theory, the primary
goal is that learners solve the problems and perform the tasks as close as those encountered back
on the job. Immersion training focuses on individual development for those who are interested in
enhancing, refreshing, or extending their individual learning skills. The training includes;
problem-solving activities; reading, listening, writing, and speaking modules. The training will
teach the learner how to use the information. In virtual immersion training, the learner does
something with the information rather than merely knowing the information.
In this training, the students get the information when they need it, not to expect them to
know the information just for future use. The design of the activities reflects the actual work and
permits the learner to compare the theoretical aspects of the training with their experience. In
virtual immersion training, students incorporate search and discovery and utilize the different
options for learning, in the course.
The design of the virtual immersion training follows the five primary education levels in
Gagnes theoretical framework. The focus of Gagne theory is on intellectual skills, and the basis
of the virtual immersion training is on the Gagne's theoretical outline. The virtual immersion
training is for the military language training institutions, with the stress on Gagne's (1962)
particular attention to military training settings.

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Verbal information
Verbal information or procedural knowledge will allow students to employ critical
thinking and annalistic approach. Learner will incorporate learning into a larger context, and
connect forms, meaning and use of the target language in the practice. Teachers can develop
frameworks based on real world tasks that students will need to perform using the Target
Language and learn grammar and vocab in those settings. According to Gagne, the preparedness
of the student is a vital point. The adequacy of students preparedness influences the efficacy of
learning guidance as an instructional event. Such adequacy, though, has different meanings
depending upon what learning outcomes is expected (Gagne, 1977, P 126).
Intellectual skills
In regards to mental skills; Gagne believes that: Rules and concepts are typically composed
of simpler rules and concepts, and the new learning, in fact, has the character of combining
fundamental simpler skills into more complex ones (Gagne, 1962, P17, P263- 276.)
Virtual Immersion is a combination of smaller concepts that combines the learners skills
into complex performances. The students will learn new and complex skills by recalling the
components of each task. The student readiness for learning intellectual skills is an influential
factor in their learning process.
Cognitive strategies
According to Gagne, Strategies, which influence the selection and mode of operation of the
internal process of learning and thinking are important kinds of learning outcomes (Gagne,
1977. P 126-128)

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In virtual immersion, the learner deals with real-life situations in a simulation, or task-based
instruction, where the result of the learning is directly the students internal process of learning
and thinking.
The interpretation of Bruner is: Strategies problem-solving that are specific to particular
kinds of problems may be discovered by the learner, or they may be readily acquired by being
told. Once required, they appear to function with equal effectiveness irrespective of how they
have been learned.
Utilizing all above systems require different internal and external conditions. Based on
Gagnes theory, learning tasks for intellectual skills depends on the complexity of organizing the
intellectual competencies in a competence style. The significance of hierarchy is providing the
direction for instruction and sequencing instruction that identifies prerequisites to facilitate
learning.
The methodology observed in the Virtual Immersion design, is based on step by step Gagnes
instructional events:

Gain attention (reception) Show a variety of pictures related to the language learning.

Categorize objectives (expectancy) - pose the question: Why learning new language
requires Immersion? And what to expect from it?

Recall prior learning (retrieval) - review and use the previous knowledge.

Present stimulus (selective reception) - produce language and talk with the native
speaker.

Guide learning (semantic encoding) - show examples of the role play.

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Elicit learning (responding) ask students to create scenarios, or give directions.

Provide feedback (reinforcement) - check all examples for accuracy.

Assess performance (retrieval) - provide scores and alleviation.

Enhance retention/transfer (generalization) - show videos and ask students to identify

the subjects.

Table one shows the relation of the learning materials designed for virtual immersion with
Gagnes nine events of instruction. In each step, the presentation, production, and application of
the instructional design module are discussed, along with the examples.
Table 1: Gagnes (1977) nine events of instruction about the materials taught in virtual
immersion.
Event of Instruction

Learning materials in virtual immersion

1-Gain Attention

Activate the receptors with the use of

stimuli
In an introductory scene, the content is
presented in short animation. The images are
utilized to hold the attention of the learner in
the process of learning.

2- Inform learners of Objectives

Create the sense of expectation for learning

A learning objective section is presented at
the beginning of each chapter. The Objective
statements list the expectancy of learning and
learners have the option to go back to the
learning objective section whenever
necessary.

3- Stimulate recall of prior learning

Retrieve and activate the information

stored in short-term memory.

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Before entering the learning sections in the

immersive state, learners go through a
Refresh Your Mind section, where they can
access materials from their prior courses to
stimulate prior knowledge. This link is
available throughout the lesson.
4- Present the content

Create or increase the selective perception

of content
Multimedia elements deliver media-rich and
interactive content. Users navigate and
determine their sequence in obtaining the new
information with their pace and preference.

5- Provide learner guidance

Encode the information semantically into

the storage of long-term memory
Content is embedded with on-screen
instructions to allow students to clarify and
organize the information. Authentic and reallife examples are incorporated into the
learning materials to enable the students to
assimilate the information more efficiently.

6- Elicit performance

Respond to questions to further enhance

encoding and ensure verification
Activities and tutorials are embedded into
content and encourage learners to participate
to confirm their understanding of the lesson
learned. The practices are tied to the learning
objectives displayed at the beginning of the
lessons.

7- Provide feedback

Reinforce and assess the accurate

performance

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Feedback to learners responses is provided

immediately upon the completion of the
exercises. These feedbacks include specific
guidance and showing the right answer for
incorrect attempts as a learning reinforcement
tool.
8- Assess performance

Retrieve and reinforce the knowledge or

skills as the final evaluation
Performance scores and percentages are
shown to reveal the results. Also, some
suggestions and praise are added according to
the level of achievement to increase the
likelihood of retention.

9- Enhance retention and transfer to the job

Retrieve and generalize the learned

knowledge or skills to new situation or real
environment
An analysis unit at the end of each learning
module consists of short video clips in the
target language, and more information for
advance knowledge. This article aimed at
enabling the learners to have more
exploration in the application and therefore
encourage them to improve their learning
further with the content.

The Blooms Taxonomy of Educational Objectives for the Cognitive Domain analogous to
Gagnes hierarchy of intellectual skill are the basis of the virtual immersion design. Following is

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the outline of Blooms Taxonomy (from the least to greater complexity), corresponding their
functionality in virtual immersion instructional design.

Knowledge know enough about the target language to be able to recognize the situation

Comprehension Be able to identify the usage of the word in a particular state in the
target language.

Application Be able to use the target language adeptly.

Analysis Be able to determine the essential technique for most efficient use of the target
language in specific situations.

Synthesis Be able to compare application in the target language to mother language and
compare specific characteristics; such as grammar, punctuations, and metacognitive
differences.

Evaluation The ability to assess examples of the use of the target language in different
situations and to pass judgment as to how useful and accurate was its application.

By following the sequence of nine instructional events defined by Gagne in the projected
instructional design, the learner can achieve the intellectual skills that he/she needs to learn a
second language.
Methodology
In designing virtual immersion, the primary audiences, learners, are the US in-service
military people. In an assessment conducted to determine the need for this training and its
application, 80% of the participants (4 out of 5) found the effectiveness of the program and
positive results in the enhancement of their speaking and listening skills. Also the analyses of
pre-virtual immersion and post-virtual immersion of the group that participated in the

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experimental version, the result indicated that the students on the virtual immersion program
showed 90% accuracy in their test, versus those outside the program, 73%.
Table 2: Analyses of the test results for Unit 9 Test for non-virtual immersion training and the
virtual immersion training.

No Immersion Program

Unit 9 Test

72.513

Immersion Program

Differences

89.875

17.302

In addition to further support the results from virtual immersion training, a departmentwide survey, yielded a positive response that students agreed and acknowledged the virtual
immersion program with 93 % consent.
Students were also positive in their feedback regarding the presentation of the content in
the module. 86% of the students found that the module had enough illustrations and examples
and that the learning materials were well-organized. 81% of the students reported that they liked
Refresh Your Mind section.
Overall, students specified active and encouraging satisfaction levels with the
training. 90% of the students are saying that they would like to use other computer-based
learning modules such as virtual immersion training in their future lessons. Table 3 suggests
some feedback from the students.

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Table 3: Student feedback towards the learning environment.

What do you first-rate the most about this interactive learning module? Why?

The short animation in the content provides better explanations and examples.

The use of flash elements in the program looks interesting and easy to interact.

The animation let me concentrate.

I can control, no need to sit in the class.

Can learn within our own time.

Student feedback and comments also strongly support the results of the survey as
students found that, using multimedia in the learning module helped their learning process, and
motivated them to engage further in the learning of the target language. The findings from the
survey showed that virtual immersion training gives the students the opportunity to experience
more commitment and a higher desire to challenge themselves to seek improvement in language
learning. These results are consistent with Gagnes suggestion that; learning can be improved
when conditions of learning are properly incorporated into the design development of training.
Constraints on Evaluations
In the process of conducting the evaluation, the following four categories: time, budget,
data availability, and political/contextual factors were measured.
In virtual immersion, the element of time was integrated into the program and from the
beginning, the quality of the data collection process was in balance. The budget, however, was a
concern because the evaluation had to be introduced first, and it caused the program managers
not to consider the budget analogous with the assessment. In order to ensure that all proposed

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data collection was essential, the sample size or level of personnel efforts needed was reduced
and incorporated various data collection technologies (i.e. self-administered questionnaires) to
lower costs of data inputs. Data availability a measure of the evaluation timeline was integrated
into program planning, and later the data was observed to determine a baseline for the major
indicators that were collected.
Politics and local contextual factors created some obstacles to quality evaluations. It
could be due to the policies of both the military and the setting at DLI where the evaluation
was performed, as well as the aims and perspectives of the DLI.
Conclusion
Much research has been conducted to understand better the effective ways in improving
the students learning experience. Virtual immersion learning design is incorporating Gagnes
nine events of instruction and marrying the content with multimedia technology. This
combination leads to an innovative and engaging student learning environment which
encourages the students to participate actively in their learning process and increases the
students retention level and motivation.

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References
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Gagne, R. M., & Merrill, M. D. (1990), Interactive goals for instructional design, Educational
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Gagne, R. (1977). The Conditions of Learning (4th.). New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston. 126

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Gagne, R. & Driscoll, M. (1977). Essentials of Learning for Instruction (2nd Ed.). Englewood
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