Investigating the impact of a virtual reality mobile application on learners' interpreting competence

BackgroundThis research is inspired by the challenges encountered in interpreter training, changes in learning needs in the technological era, the educational paradigm shift caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the lack of studies on combining virtual reality (VR)_and mobile technologies, and literature gaps in the field of the incorporation of technology in interpreter education. ObjectivesThis research aims to develop a mobile-based VR application for bi-directional English-Chinese and Chinese-English interpreting learning named 'Virtual Interpreting Practice' (VIP) based on an interpreting competence model and to investigate its impact on students' self-rated language and interpreting proficiency levels as well as their declarative knowledge and operative skills as reflected in different interpreting modes (sight and consecutive) and language directions (English-Chinese and Chinese-English). The VIP app contains learning resources, including 13 learning modules covering both interpreting modes, practical topics and contexts, video lectures and demonstrations, fully immersive VR and non-VR practice, glossary lists, source texts, translated texts and an online feedback platform. MethodsThirty-one native Chinese-speaking English as a second/foreign (ESL/EFL) undergraduate students used the app for self-directed learning. The data were collected by the pre-study and post-study questionnaires as well as the pre-test and post-test. Results and ConclusionsThe results indicate that the use of VIP significantly raised the students' self-rated language and interpreting proficiency levels as well as their interpreting performance in both modes and language directions. While the students performed better in sight interpreting and Chinese-English interpreting, they achieved a significantly higher improvement rate in consecutive interpreting and English-Chinese interpreting.