Virtual and Augmented Reality in English Language Arts Education

New times. Expanded worlds. Emerging possibilities. In Using Virtual Reality in English Language Arts Education, authors from multiple institutions across the United States and abroad share practical insights for teaching English language arts with virtual and augmented realities. These chapters draw on multiple theories and ideas to share perspectives from practicing and prospective teachers, as well as young learners themselves, about how to use applications and tools to transform teaching and learning. Collectively, this book advances innovation for using virtual and augmented realities as educational, inclusive spaces for teaching English language arts and literacy subject matter while supporting learners in developing the mindset for creativity, innovation, and even emotional empathy.

Table of Contents:
Part 1: Overview and Research: How can virtual and augmented realities support teacher learning? Chapter 1: A Review of the Literature on Virtual Reality: A New Frontier for English Language Arts Teaching, Paige Jacobson Chapter 2: VR Immersion in the ELA classroom: Supporting the Professional Development of Novice Teachers, Christine Chang, Elisabeth Etopio, Erin Kearney, and David Mawer Chapter 3: “So similar, but so different from my real-life classroom”: Using Augmented Reality in Teacher Learning to Facilitate Discussion in Diverse ELA Classes, Jennifer M. Higgs, Megan E. Welsh, and Steven Z. Athanases Part 2: Practical Applications: How can virtual and augmented realities support student learning? Chapter 4: How Am I Supposed to Teach This? Using Google Cardboards to Enhance English Language Arts Learning, Clarice Moran Chapter 5: Designing Engaging Virtual Field Trips for Secondary English Language Art Students, Kelly Torres and Aubrey Statti Chapter 6: Experiencing Literature in Virtual Reality

About the Author :
Clarice M. Moran is assistant professor of English education at Appalachian State University. Mary F. Rice is assistant professor of literacy at the University of New Mexico.

Review :
Virtual reality is already transforming media, industry, and entertainment. This important collection charts the affordances of this technology in ELA classroom contexts, ultimately challenges students and teachers to grapple with questions of power, identity, representation, and experience. In an era where we continue to question the role of technology for both remote and classroom-based learning, Clarice Moran and Mary Rice have created a collection in which ELA educators demonstrate how to span distances—both physical and pedagogical—with virtual and augmented reality tools. From historical sites to imagined futures, from national parks to enhanced scenes of our own communities, the authors in this collection remind us just how real AR/VR technologies can be for our students when integrated into instruction with passion and purpose.