Irvine, CA – February 1, 2019 – After 18 months of developing in stealth mode, Immerse announced today the launch of the first ever platform to transform traditional language learning into an immersive, virtual reality experience. Imagine learning English from a real American in a virtual New York City or learning French from a real French person in a virtual Paris. Immerse’s team of PhD linguists and VR engineers use cutting edge technology to engage students in a whole new way. Convinced that the best way to learn a language is to have “real conversations with real people in real places,” Immerse revolutionizes the language learning industry by making this possible for anyone anywhere.
Immerse matches students with certified teachers in a distraction-free virtual environment, allowing them to learn and apply new concepts through interactive role playing and conversation based tasks. Additionally, Immerse’s customizable “Course Management System” allows teachers and administrators to manage students, classes, and curriculum online.
“I believe Virtual Reality is going to change everything in the next decade, but I am particularly thrilled for educational applications. Learning is most thrilling and effective when it is experiential and immersive,” said Quinn Taber, CEO.
Research shows that not only do students have more fun learning in VR, but it also boosts retention by 3x-5x. Linguists agree that the best way to learn a language is through a communicative approach that focuses on role-playing and conversations, rather than vocabulary and grammar memorization. Each VR scene helps students feel more immersed and strengthens their ability to recall the target language. When using the software, students are more likely to take risks, inquire, and explore in a realistic, embarrassment-free environment.
“Immerse is the first ever fully immersive language platform, connecting students and tutors in virtual reality. Welcome to the future of online education, where our students are whisked along on the exciting journey of learning a new language. In this world teachers are the adventure guides, inviting students to dive into the culture and have a blast experiencing the language first hand,” added Taber.
ABOUT
Before his 23rd birthday, Immerse CEO Quinn Taber had traveled to nearly 50 countries. After graduating from Pepperdine University with his B.S. in Economics, he moved to the Middle East to volunteer with refugees from Syria and Iraq. However, he quickly found himself discouraged and disenchanted with traditional language learning. After having taken three years of Arabic in classroom & textbook method, Quinn was running out of time, money, and all hopes for fluency. His circumstances drastically changed when he enrolled in an Arabic immersion program in Jordan that paired him with an old bedouin woman for six hours a day. Astonished by how quickly his language skills improved, Quinn left Jordan with a new vision: to start an online language school that empowers students to learn a new language using an immersive virtual reality platform. Established in 2017, Immerse honed their product by participating in the Wayfinder Incubator in Irvine, USC Edventure Accelerator in Los Angeles, and Praxis Labs in New York. As it expands, Immerse strives to create employment for people in the most vulnerable corners of the globe as language tutors.
