SHREVEPORT, La. (
KTAL/KMSS
— A faculty member at Louisiana State University in Shreveport is utilizing a virtual reality application to assist students in improving their public speaking skills.
Trey Gibson, who teaches public speaking at LSUS, initiated a research project aimed at decreasing anxiety and enhancing the caliber of presentations among students. As stated in the press release, participants were advised to utilize an application named VirtualSpeech about seven days prior to delivering their speech to a real class audience. This software enabled them to rehearse within a simulated environment via a VR headset. With continued usage, Gibson observed that individuals expressed increasingly favorable attitudes towards public speaking and produced higher-quality talks.
“I believe it enhanced the caliber of presentations as VirtualSpeech evaluates various elements of a student’s delivery,” explained Gibson. “This tool provides valuable initial feedback, giving students concrete steps to take prior to presenting to an actual crowd.” Additionally, Gibson pointed out that using the VR headset for rehearsal encouraged students to start drafting their speeches earlier rather than at the last moment. This early preparation was another factor leading to improved speech quality.
In the course, 56 students utilized VirtualSpeech for a minimum of three out of the four assigned speeches. Gibson believes that this application could have a significant effect on other aspects of classroom activities and campus life as well.
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