What degree are you working on? How long have you been studying in this program? 
I've been working on my Master's degree in TESL since 2022.

What are your research interests and/or career goals?
My research interests primarily revolve around the intersection of language learning, immersive technology, and artificial intelligence. Specifically, I have been exploring the effect of virtual reality (VR) and immersive conversational AI on second language oral development, willingness to communicate, and motivation.

What are you working on right now? 
Currently, I'm working as a Research Assistant with Dr. Tricia Thrasher and Dr. Randall Sadler on a large-scale research project on integrating 500 VR headsets into high school curricula. In particular, I oversaw the integration of 164 Meta Quest 2 VR headsets in four Illinois high schools, trained 17 teachers, and over 1000 students to use VR and generative AI for language classes in Spanish, French, ESL, and German. In addition, I provide instructional support to teachers in developing lessons in VR, incorporating conversational practice using immersive AI, and assessing students’ learning gains.

Why should someone study TESL at Illinois?
The university's diverse academic community ,which supports interdisciplinary professionals, makes it an ideal environment for aspiring language teachers and researchers. For instance, I am getting my Graduate Minor in Game Design along with my MATESL degree, which allowed me to work on several projects on educational games development.

Contact: uo2 AT illinois DOT edu

Published 3/6/2024