Effects of AI-enhanced immersive learning environments on English proficiency, intercultural competence, and learner engagement
Qiuyang Huang, Zhengjun Chen, Hua Wu · Frontiers in Education · 2026
Background Immersive technologies combined with artificial intelligence (AI) offer promising opportunities for enhancing English as a foreign language (EFL) learning; however, empirical evidence on their integrated effects on language proficiency, intercultural competence, and learner engagement remains limited, particularly from an educational psychology perspective. Methods A quasi-experimental design was implemented with undergraduate EFL learners assigned to traditional instruction, multimedia-assisted instruction, or AI-enhanced immersive learning environments. English proficiency, intercultural communicative competence, and behavioral and emotional engagement were assessed using AI-driven speech recognition, behavioral analytics, and facial expression recognition. Reliability, validity, ANOVA, and hierarchical linear modeling ensured methodological rigor. Results Learners in AI-enhanced immersive conditions achieved significantly greater gains in English speaking proficiency, intercultural competence, and engagement compared with control groups. Environments integrating cultural contextualization produced the strongest outcomes across linguistic, cultural, and engagement domains. Conclusion AI-enhanced immersive environments substantially enhance learning effectiveness by supporting adaptive feedback, authentic communication, and emotionally engaging learning experiences, offering strong pedagogical value for higher education language instruction. Theoretically, the study advances educational psychology by demonstrating how AI-mediated immersive learning operationalizes constructivist, experiential, and socio-cultural learning processes, linking cognitive, affective, and intercultural development within a unified framework.