Investigating students’ adoption of virtual reality for L2-learning in India

Virtual Reality (VR) technology has become a powerful tool for Second Language (L2) learning, but few studies have explored the factors influencing learners’ experiences and intentions, particularly in developing countries like India. The purpose of the study is to reveal both the reception of VR technology for L2 learning in India and the factors that affect this reception process. The present study combines factors based on the Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) theory, Flow theory, Theory of Planned behavior (TPB), and Technology acceptance theory (TAM) to scrutinize the learners’ experiences regarding the potential benefits virtual technology offers for language learning. The study used a quantitative research design along with descriptive and inferential statistics to validate the proposed model. Data collected from 200 learners via an online questionnaire was analysed using SPSS v26 to answer the research questions formulated regarding which factors influenced learners’ behavioral intention to use VR technology. Based on the findings, it was concluded that service compatibility, observability, trialability, and spatial presence influenced learners’ perceptions of relative ease and advantage of language learning and their flow experiences positively and significantly, while perceived service complexity influenced learners’ perceptions negatively. Moreover, the behavioral intention to embrace VR technology was positively and significantly influenced by the learners’ perceived relative advantage and flow experience. The implications of the results were discussed.