Wiebke Sophie Ost

M.A. English and American Culture and Business Studies, Universität Kassel, Kassel, Germany

B.A. Moderne Fremdsprachen, Kulturen und Wirtschaft, Justus-Liebig-Universität, Gießen, Germany

B.Sc. Wirtschaftswissenschaften, Justus-Liebig-Universität, Gießen, Germany

DAAD-Scholarship, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa

Erasmus+-Scholarship, Kibbutzim College of Education, Technology and the Arts, Tel Aviv, Israel

Research Interests, Publications, Presentations/Talks

Research Interests

• Immersive Learning and Teaching (XR), Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) in Language Learning and Teaching
• Language Awareness & Cultural Awareness
• Multilingualism
• Intercultural Communication
• Organizational Psychology
• Diversity Management

Publications

• Finkbeiner, Claudia, Schlaak, Claudia, & Ost, Wiebke Sophie (2025). Virtual Reality in Language Learning and Teaching: An Exploratory Study of Four VR Applications from a Student Perspective. Research in Subject-matter Teaching and Learning (RISTAL), 8(1), pp. 88–113. https://doi.org/10.2478/ristal-2025-0008
• Finkbeiner, Claudia, Schlaak, Claudia & Ost, Wiebke Sophie (2024). 360-Degree Multilingual Learning Environments and Virtual Reality: A Pilot Study in Higher Education. Braselmann et al., *Teacher Education in (Post-)Pandemic and (Post-)Digital Times: International Perspectives on Intercultural Learning, Diversity, and Equity*, Peter Lang. doi.org/10.3726/b21759
• Finkbeiner, Claudia, Ost, Wiebke Sophie & Schlaak, Claudia (2024). Virtual Reality in Teacher Education: An Empirical Study on the Attitudes of Future Foreign Language Teachers. Journal of Romance Languages and Their Didactics, Issue 18.2, pp. 61–81, ISBN: 978-3-8382-1993-6.
• Finkbeiner, Claudia, Olson, Madeleine, Ost, Wiebke Sophie & Shonfeld, Miri. (2023). Language Awareness and Cultural Awareness Technology in an International Online Collaboration: A Mixed-Method Approach. Language Awareness. doi.org/10.1080/09658416.2023.2244882.
• Finkbeiner, Claudia & Ost, Wiebke Sophie (2019). International Digitalization Project “Education Initiative”: Report and Results. Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

Invited Talks and Workshops

• Braun, Maximiliane & Ost, Wiebke Sophie (2026). “Immersive, Multimodal, Motivating: Digital Approaches to Foreign-Language Reading Using the Example of *Le Tour du monde en 80 jours*,” presentation at the 15th Congress of the Association for French and Romance Studies, University of Kassel, Kassel, September 29–October 2, 2026 (accepted).
• Finkbeiner, Claudia, Schlaak, Claudia & Ost, Wiebke Sophie (2026). “Addressing Language Awareness and Cultural Awareness through Virtual Reality: An Exploratory Study in Multilingual Teacher Education,” presentation at the 18th International Conference of the Association of Language Awareness (ALA), ALA 2026: Heritages, Languages, Ecologies, Monterey, CA, USA, June 22–25, 2026.
• Schlaak, Claudia, Ost, Wiebke Sophie & Vogel, Lisa (2026). “Virtual Reality as a Catalyst for Language Learning Interest: Insights from French and Spanish Classrooms,” presentation at the Evidence-based Language Learning Conference, Ascona, Switzerland, June 17–20, 2026.
• Ost, Wiebke Sophie & Karnstedt, Franziska (2025). “Digital Higher Education Structures as a Response to a Diverse Student Body,” poster presentation, TURN Conference, Darmstadt, Germany, September 30, 2025.
• Ost, Wiebke Sophie (2025). “Agora [Future] Future Workshop,” Hochschulforum Digitalisierung, Berlin, September 9, 2025.
• Ost, Wiebke Sophie & Karnstedt, Franziska (2025). “Digital Department: Making Higher Education More Flexible,” presentation as part of the University Future Festival, online, May 14, 2025
• Ost, Wiebke Sophie (2024). “Constructing Identities through Language Use: A Study of Attitudes toward Code-Switching and Multilingualism in South Africa,” presentation at New Directions sub-Saharan Africa 2024, British Council, Nairobi, Kenya (accepted).
• Schlaak, Claudia, Finkbeiner, Claudia & Ost, Wiebke Sophie (2024). "Virtual Reality and Multilingualism in Language Teacher Education," presentation at the 17th International Conference of the Association of Language Awareness (ALA), ALA 2024: Language Awareness, Education & Power, PH Karlsruhe, July 7–10, 2024.
• Finkbeiner, Claudia, Hesse, Yvonne, Ost, Wiebke Sophie, Shonfeld, Miri, Foerster, Marcel & Olson, Madeleine (2024). “International Cooperation in Virtual Worlds,” presentation at the 17th International Conference of the Association of Language Awareness (ALA), ALA 2024: Language Awareness, Education & Power, PH Karlsruhe, July 7–10, 2024.
• Finkbeiner, Claudia, Schlaak, Claudia & Ost, Wiebke Sophie (2023). “360-Degree Media in Foreign Language Learning: A Pre-Post Survey Study,” presentation at the conference Evidence-based Foreign Language Learning – Multilingualism in Education (EBFL), Ascona, Switzerland, June 7–10, 2023.
• Finkbeiner, Claudia & Ost, Wiebke Sophie (2023). “International Online Cooperation in a Multilingual Context: A Pre-Post Survey Study,” presentation at the conference “Evidence-based Foreign Language Learning – Multilingualism in Education (EBFL),” Ascona, Switzerland, June 7–10, 2023.
• Finkbeiner, Claudia, Schlaak, Claudia & Ost, Wiebke Sophie (2023). “360° Applications and Multilingualism in Higher Education: An Important Step Toward Learning with Virtual Reality,” presentation at LEARNTEC 2023, Karlsruhe Exhibition Center, May 25, 2023.
• Finkbeiner, Claudia, Schlaak, Claudia & Ost, Wiebke Sophie (2023). “Virtual Reality and Multilingualism in Higher Education,” presentation at the International Conference on Teacher Education: Passion and Professionalism in Teacher Education 2023, Tel Aviv, Israel (accepted).
• Schlaak, Claudia, Finkbeiner, Claudia & Ost, Wiebke Sophie. (2023). “360° and Virtual Reality Learning Environments at FSU and Multilingual and Intercultural Learning (MIL),” poster presentation at the PRONET closing conference “Digitalization in Schools and Teacher Education—A Look Ahead to 2040,” Science Park, University of Kassel, July 10, 2023.
• Ost, Wiebke Sophie, Schlaak, Claudia & Finkbeiner, Claudia (2023). Workshop and Open Space as part of the project week “Redesigning Digital Teaching,” Integrated Study Workshop—Languages, University of Kassel, November 7, 2023
• Finkbeiner, Claudia, Schlaak, Claudia & Ost, Wiebke Sophie. (2023). “360-Degree and Virtual Reality Learning Environments in Foreign Language Instruction,” poster presentation as part of the 4th Networking Meeting & Digital Teaching Day at the University of Kassel, Gießhaus, University of Kassel, November 17, 2023.
• Ost, Wiebke Sophie (2022). “Student Attitudes in an International Online Collaboration: A Mixed-Methods Study,” presentation at the 16th International Conference of the Association of Language Awareness (ALA), “Language Awareness for the Next 30 Years,” Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho,” Brazil, July 7, 2022.
• Ost, Wiebke Sophie (2021). “Student Attitudes in the CoGI Project: The Pre- and Post Survey,” poster presentation at the conference “International Education in an Age of Information and Disinformation,” International Association for Intercultural Education (IAIE), Tel Aviv, Israel.
• Finkbeiner, Claudia, Olson, Madeleine & Ost, Wiebke Sophie (2020). “International Online Collaboration: Implementation and Research,” presentation at the 70th Annual Conference of the Literacy Research Association (LRA), USA.
• Finkbeiner, Claudia, Olson, Madeleine & Ost, Wiebke Sophie (2020). “Digital Learning and the Role of Language Awareness in Language Teacher Education,” panel session at the 15th International Conference of the Association for Language Awareness (ALA): Languaging and Language Awareness in the Global Age, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia.

Professional Services/Reviews

• Association for Language Awareness (ALA)
• Appointments Committee, Department 02, University of Kassel
• Immersive Learning Research Network (iLRN)
• Literacy Research Association (LRA)
• Academic Affairs Committee, Department 02, University of Kassel
• Session Host, University:Future Festival