Preliminary Research Aimed at Improving University Students' Online Conversation Skills and Consideration Toward a Training Program

University students increasingly need online conversation skills for formal situations such as online classes, job interviews, and workplace meetings. However, opportunities to learn these skills systematically are limited, and there are concerns about students' lack of speaking experience and the psychological burden caused by self-viewing. This exploratory, instrument-generating pilot study aims to (1) clarify the actual situation and issues surrounding online conversation among university students, and (2) provide foundational knowledge for developing future training programs and related applications. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four female students, and a questionnaire survey was developed based on the interview results, yielding responses from 91 students. The findings highlight unequal opportunities to speak, conflicting attitudes toward self-viewing, and difficulties in initiating and maintaining conversations online. These insights will contribute to the design of stepwise training programs for improving online communication skills.