Using Virtual World to Combat Communication Anxiety

In March 2020, the world began to slow down, especially in the realm of education. Students went from learning at desks in the comfort of a classroom to learning from their couch. Students were uprooted from the life they knew and were thrown into the unknown. With the unknown came uncertainty and with the uncertainty came anxiety for many students. As we approach the second anniversary of the world shutting down, it is important to reflect on the effects and the triumphs that debate coaches are championing around the country.

From the high school teacher perspective, it is evident that the anxiety from the COVID-19 pandemic lingers in students, specifically in the lack of social skills, fear of group work and communication apprehension. Encouraging students to give a presentation in front of the class has become a much larger chore than teachers previously faced.

In debate, speaking in front of others comes second nature to most students. However, since the shutdown, debate coaches are witnessing students with higher levels of communication apprehension. Coaches are having to be creative in the ways that they approach students presenting in the classroom.

To combat communication apprehension, it is important to draw on the world in which these students have become comfortable: the virtual world, specifically virtual reality. Virtual reality (VR) is a computer-generated experience that immerses the user in a setting that mimics a real- world experience by creating images that replicate a real-world experience. VR devices, such as the Oculus Quest, pairs two areas that teenagers tend to gravitate toward – virtual reality and video games. The Oculus Quest operates with a Facebook account and Wi-Fi. It is a headset device that covers the eyes, tightly fitted so that the user’s senses dial in to what is playing on the device, not the outside world. This allows users to feel immersed in what they are watching/playing.

The headset comes with two hand devices/controllers that help users take part in the app they are using. With the headset on, when looking downward toward their physical hands, users will see virtual hands and not controllers. The Oculus Quest tricks the mind into believing they are truly living inside the virtual world it has created.

Using downloadable apps, the Oculus Quest user can choose from apps like games, to simulated experiences like a roller coaster. In the realm of education, however, there are apps that can help benefit the debate classroom. For instance, the VirtualSpeech app lets the user upload a presentation to the app, and then simulates a large crowd or a board room for the user to practice a presentation. The app can even provide visual and sound distractions that the user would have to overcome during the presentation, as well as an eye contact rating test that helps track how often the user looks at the manuscript versus the audience. This virtual reality app helps users practice so that they can do their absolute best when it comes to the real presentation.

In the classroom, the Oculus Quest can be used to help students overcome communication apprehension as they can practice with the virtual audience before taking on a real crowd. For instance, when working with students’ informative speeches, oratories or debate, the teacher could create a “completion list” that students will work on throughout the six weeks.

The completion list would include practicing with the Oculus in both a small boardroom style setting as well as an auditorium. The students would have to score high enough on their eye contact test before moving on to presenting in front of their peers. The students would then work their way up to presenting in front of the teacher, and then eventually in a debate tournament. Students being able to practice in a virtual setting can only help set them up for better success in the future.

The virtual world is both similar and different to the real world, especially when it comes to the classroom. However, teachers are excellent at adapting to their surroundings. Teachers must keep up with the times, whether that be with textbooks, technology, or student behavior and struggles. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed education forever, so it’s time that teachers transform the way they teach to meet the needs of the ever-changing student population.