The Virtual Tabadul project brings together college-aged youth in the United States and in the Middle East and North Africa for language learning and community building through VR. FIU and University of Michigan-Dearborn students enrolled in Arabic as a foreign language will be paired with college students at Oum El Bouaghi University in Algeria and Ibn Tofail University in Morocco, who are enrolled in English as a foreign language. The VR platforms will enable synchronous, one-on-one exchanges between students in 12 sessions per semester. Approximately, 1,400 students will participate over five semesters. The grant’s goal is to strengthen positive relations between the U.S., Algeria, and Morocco by bringing language teachers and college students together with young people in the MENA regions, defined as the Middle East, North Africa, and Palestinian Territories. By building the linguistic capability of MENA and U.S. students with virtual exchanges and artificial intelligence, the FIU researchers aim to create a learning environment conducive to a life-changing experience. Tabadul will provide American undergraduates with meaningful, real-world exchange opportunities exposing them to young people in a MENA country for the first time. In addition, female undergrads comprise 75 percent of the Algerian and Moroccan Arabic students enrolled, and their newly acquired English skills could further their access to U.S.-based opportunities. All students will be assessed for fluency, and global and cultural competency. They will also create portfolios showing the tasks that they achieved together.

Timeline: Fall 2021 - Spring 2023

Funded by Stevens Initiative, PI: Melissa Basalt

Role: Senior Personnel and Lead Immersive Lesson Research and Development

Sample Lessons: Lesson 1 in FIU Classroom in Miami and Lesson 3 in Timgad in Algeria

Publication in Journal of International Studies: Virtual Tabadul: Creating Language-Learning Community Through Virtual Reality More Information