Abstract :
[en] Effective oral communication skills are essential to ensure optimal teaching while preserving the teacher’s vocal health. Training these skills in representative settings is expected to promote their generalization. Since the implementation of such training in actual school situations is challenging, virtual reality (VR) may represent a solution.This study evaluated the effects of VR simulations on trainee teachers’ oral communication skills. Based on our Theoretical Framework for Teachers’ Vocal Behavior, we developed and empirically assessed a voice-related prevention program including noisy communicative situations in a virtual classroom. In a randomized controlled trial, the participants were assigned to one of two conditions: (1) individual voice training including simulations in the virtual classroom and a group information session (experimental group, n=21); and (2) a group information session only (control group, n=20). The purpose was to determine whether the experimental group would exhibit greater changes in communication skills and self- efficacy than the control group. Acoustic measures during speech production in noise (speech rate; spectral slope; phonetographic surface) and self-rated measures (vocal effort; communication self-efficacy in noise) were conducted pre- and post-intervention. Results indicated a positive effect of the intervention on phonetographic surface, vocal effort, and self-efficacy in both groups. The self-efficacy of the experimental group improved more than for the control group, illustrating the benefit of training sessions including simulations of communicative situations in noise and immersions in a virtual classroom. These findings suggest that practicing oral communication skills in situations as close as possible to their professional reality – by using VR – can improve (trainee) teachers’ belief in their ability to implement these skills in real-life situations.
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