Teknologisoituva esiintymisen opetus – Virtuaalitodellisuus osana esiintymisen harjoittelua

Rapidly evolving technologies pose both challenges and opportunities for education. Virtual reality (VR) became integrated into communication education during the COVID-19 pandemic, when in-person public speaking practice was not feasible. VR offers a safe and immersive environment for rehearsing speeches, simulating audience presence and performance conditions. This study aims to deepen understanding of VR’s role in public speaking instruction by examining communication students’ experiences with VR headset-based exercises. Prior research has provided limited insight into how emerging technologies support the teaching of public speaking. Data were collected through group interviews with students in a communication skills-oriented course and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings indicate that students’ attitudes toward VR exercises were shaped by their experiences with gamification, physical discomfort, immersion, engagement, and clarity of instructional goals. Reflection also appeared to influence how students perceived the exercises’ value. Students focused on features typical of live speaking situations, revealing both the affordances and limitations of VR. These included: (a) speaker-audience interaction, (b) physiological arousal as a marker of authenticity, (c) nonverbal communication, and (d) speaker’s sense of control. These aspects were often discussed in relation to how “real” the VR experience felt compared to face-to-face speaking. Overall, the results suggest that VR is a promising tool for public speaking training, especially when students are encouraged to reflect on their learning and attitudes.