Vocabulary acquisition in new and learned contexts using immersive virtual reality

When recycling words in immersive virtual reality (IVR) it is possible to repeat target word objects in the same context (i.e. learned context), but it is also possible to change the context for each learning session easily (i.e. new context). To look at vocabulary acquisition in either a new or learned context in IVR we build a dynamic IVR system called Wics where participants learned 32 Japanese words in three learning sessions with short breaks in between. In the second and third learning environment all 32 target words presented in the first learning environment were recycled in either a new context, in which the visual representation of objects and the virtual environment (VE) was changed, or in a learned context, where the VE of the first learning environment was repeated and only the placement of target word objects was changed. Participants were tested on word retention in a posttest and a delayed posttest one week later, which were both provided in a new context.