Tertiary Students’ Perceptions On Using 360-Degree Videos To Enhance Speaking Skills

Abstract

The study investigates tertiary students' perceptions of using 360-degree videos to enhance their speaking skills and explores factors influencing students' perceptions of using 360-degree videos to improve speaking skills. These videos are still new but they are quite common so students can gain access easily. Data is collected from 100 participants of a university in Perak, Malaysia. A quantitative design is applied and a survey-based. There are three-sectioned questionnaires that are segregated through Google Forms. The data is analyzed through frequencies, percentages, median and interquartile ranges. The results indicated a mostly positive and welcoming reception of 360-degree videos to enhance speaking skills. However, certain matters are addressed in the findings. Several implications can be derived from the study. First, this research increases the awareness amongst students of all levels that this technology exists and can enhance their speaking capabilities. From an educator's standpoint, this study can help them to diversify their teaching methods especially involving speaking skills.

Keywords: 360-degree videos, factors influencing speaking skills, perceptions, speaking skills

Introduction

Speaking is one of the English language skills taught by educators all around the globe. However, Simona (2015) and Huertas-Abril (2021) said that speaking skills must be performed within the classes of foreign languages to enable students to bring forth their ideas clearly and dynamically. Besides that, proper speaking skills would make learners more self-confident, imaginative, coordinated, and help solve their fears and shyness.

In today's technological world, the teaching-learning aspect has grown exponentially. Teaching has now been made accessible to assist educators. An educator's technology was merely chalked and talked back in the day. This has been a norm for decades now. Next would be the usage of textbooks. Yes, these textbooks have worked wonders, and most schools are still utilizing them in recent years. However, they are no longer used due to higher and more state-of-the-art technologies. Learning and navigating in English may be a daunting task to some, considering it is a language understood and not acquired.

Muslem and Abbas (2017) mentioned that English educators had used plenty of communicative language teaching, information gap techniques, and audio-recorded media strategies to strengthen learners' speaking performances. According to Giannakos (2013) and Yoon et al. (2021), the interest in using lecture videos based online as a learning tool has been widely employed recently. People are now living in moving images, commonly known as videos. The internet has been humanity's best creation to encourage education. The rise of 360-degree videos or standard videos from channels such as YouTube is changing the way students learn, and teachers teach, specifically a foreign language.

These 360-degree videos are under video-based learning (VBL). Recently, the trend has been positively increasing. Learners or millennials may watch videos from various platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo, or even social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. In addition, learners can access such videos through today's cutting-edge laptops, smartphones, and tablets. Video lectures can also access academic content via digital libraries, discussions, forums, online classes, and blended learning from anywhere at any time. Learners benefited a lot from the use of 360-degree videos. The researcher will explain more in-depth and in detail in the literature review

Problem Statement

Learning and navigating in English may be a daunting task to some, considering it is a language understood and not acquired. Hence, the research problems lie among the students themselves. It can be seen that most tertiary students have poor English verbal command. They might stutter or simply utter sentences word by word. Mastering the language is critical because everything is in English nowadays – learning materials, attending job interviews and communicating in today's world. This claim is supported by Jalaluddin et al. (2008), stating that there are challenging constraints in comprehending the English language in Malaysia.

The level of their speaking skills is still below par. Yes, educators can apprehend the meaning learners convey, but how they deliver is their biggest concern. They still face difficulty applying English to communicate with their peers, teachers, and undoubtedly with foreigners who speak the language. It can be said that poor speaking skills may lead to misinterpretations and misunderstandings. The ability to use and speak English fluently and accurately indicates that a student is proficient in English. However, it is difficult for an EFL student to master the language, as they are not using much English in their daily routines despite the abundance of English there is. Thus, the use of 360-degree videos may be the answer to this matter. Therefore, this motivates the researcher to conduct the research. In short, the problem statement is addressed as follow:

• Tertiary students have average speaking skills and cannot convey spoken messages.

Research Questions

This research will investigate students' views of using 360-degree videos to improve their speaking abilities and the factors impacting their perceptions of using 360-degree videos to enhance their speaking skills. In addition, this study will explicitly address the following research questions:

What are the students' perceptions on using 360-degree videos to enhance their speaking skills?

What factors influence students' perceptions of using 360-degree videos to enhance speaking skills?

Purpose of the Study

The study investigates tertiary students' perceptions of using 360-degree videos to enhance their speaking skills and explores factors influencing students' perceptions of using 360-degree videos to improve speaking skills.

Research Methods

The research is survey-based. Survey analysis is described as how the study is carried out using surveys submitted to survey respondents. Survey design is chosen simply because it is easier to collect data, especially with the pandemic Covid-19 spreading throughout the country. The survey results are systematically analyzed to draw concrete conclusions from the study. The researcher employs a quantitative design. A quantitative research approach deals with quantifying and testing variables. It involves using and analyzing specific statistical techniques of numerical information to answer questions.

The researcher decided to collect data from diploma students of a university in Perak. They are of various courses from two faculties, Faculty of Architecture, Planning, and Surveying (FSPU) and Faculty of Art and Design (FSSR). The researcher will apply a convenience-type sampling in getting survey responses from 100 students of mixed genders.

A survey research design is always associated with questionnaires. The questionnaires follow the Likert scale. The scale used would be a 5-type; one strongly disagreed, and five strongly agreed. Participants are requested to show their opinions with the given statement on a metric scale. The Likert items are adapted and adopted from other journal articles. They have been vetted and published in Adnan et al. (2020), regarding its reliability and validity. The survey is segregated by using Google Forms and consists of three sections. Those sections include Section A of demographics, Section B, which are the perceptions of using 360-degree videos to enhance speaking skills (ten questions), and Section C, which are the factors influencing using 360-degree videos to improve speaking skills (five questions).

Findings

Table 1 shows the data collected for the questionnaire for Section B. It is safe to say that the participants are in favour and are leaning towards the use of 360-degree videos to enhance their speaking skills. The participants mostly agreed on all the questions mentioned. Their perceptions toward it are positive and welcoming.

From the data collected for the questionnaire in Section B, it is safe to say that the participants are in favour and are leaning towards the use of 360-degree videos to enhance their speaking skills, as seen in Table 1. The participants mostly agreed on all the questions mentioned. Their perceptions toward it are positive and welcoming.

However, question 3: In the future, I think all students who want to learn through 360-degree videos are an exception. This is due to the majority neutral response being highest at 34. This shows that they are probably unsure or on the fence about it. Perhaps, not all are keen on the tool. The transition from the traditional method to this tool is overwhelming and might take time to acclimate. As for question 4: Using 360-degree videos is more valuable than the conventional method of teaching and learning, the same phenomenon occurs with a neutral response at 36. This shows that maybe they feel that these videos have pros and cons. Perhaps learning the traditional way might yield better results.

In short, the participants' perception shows positive feedback in the use of these 360-degree videos in enhancing their speaking skills.

Table 2 shows descriptive statistics where the median will be seen as the most likely answer of the respondents with respect to the questions posed. In support of research findings, in summary, the participants answered mostly agree (4), followed by strongly agree (5) and neutral (3). The interquartile range is seen as how clustered their responses are. The smaller the number, the more clustered they become and not polarized. In this case, the score is 1 and 2. Therefore, it means that the responses are flocked together amongst the participants.

Table 3 depicts the questionnaire data collected for Section C. It is revealed that the highest recorded factor in terms of its percentage would be self-motivation and availability of technological enhancements, with both at 76-recorded frequency respectively. Meanwhile, the lowest contributing factor is family income at 63.

Table 4 shows the median results for Section C in support of research findings. It is a clear sweep with a score of 4. The participants do agree for all the factors influencing their perceptions of using 360-degree videos to enhance speaking skills, as mentioned in the questionnaire. In terms of interquartile range is concerned, it is fair to say that their responses are all clustered and not contrasted.

Conclusion

As a summary to this research, it can be concluded that the technological usage of 360-degree videos is crucial amongst tertiary students nowadays. The findings revealed that the participants are on board with the idea of using this tool to enhance their speaking skills. The participants’ perceptions of the tool yielded positive results. On the other hand, the factors influencing their perceptions are highest for self-motivation and availability of technological enhancements.

The participants fully agree that these videos can enhance their speaking proficiency. The selling point of these videos is that they are a beneficial tool for anyone to gain access anytime and anywhere. There shall be no more excuses for students not to practice and improve their speaking skills in today's complex world because everything is literally at their fingertips. This statement is supported in research conducted by Singh (2003), stating that educators can make wonders of this technology. The video content possibilities pertaining to speaking skills are endless. Brooks and Ketterl (2011) supported this matter by stating, the use of video-based learning is limitless and modern. The said video content could be an interview, a presentation, a meeting, and the list goes on. Video-based learning is implemented. Therefore, students can watch these videos in their leisure time and practice their speaking skills with their peers. Subconsciously, with practice, their personality traits such as timidity or self-confidence can be moulded, according to Latha and Ramesh (2012).

The participants agree that the introduction of these videos offers a reality in which they can view the surroundings in a 360-degree manner. In addition, students do not need to imagine situations anymore. Instead, the atmosphere, settings, and environment will come to them. Traphagan et al. (2010) mentioned in their study that learners see video lectures as enjoyable, satisfying, motivating, and effective. When students watch these educational videos, they can imitate the words or pronounce them. For instance, if they got their speech and pronunciations incorrect, they can simply pause the video to write down notes. In an interview setting, specific questioning and answering techniques will be present. With this technology, all of this can be achieved with relative ease. With practice and determination, the concept is that they will be ready for the natural world-speaking realm.

Since self-motivation became a factor to influence their perceptions on 360-degree videos, Erben et al. (2008) claimed the use of video in speaking teaching makes the cycle of teaching-learning more vibrant than before. In support of this statement, their work is an essential strategy for developing students' speaking skills and motivation to join the speaking practice. Students are encouraged to practice the skill through these videos. It draws the students' attention, and they are more eager to join the debate. Reyna (2018) stated that the availability of these videos is ceaseless, primarily through YouTube. In this modern age, most students are more than aware of such sites, and they should be utilizing them to improve their speaking skills. However, as for the findings which yielded high neutral responses, several factors may come into place. Firstly, their perceptions are such because not all families are privileged to have gadgets and high-speed Internet connections. Secondly, adopting and adapting to a new learning method might be overwhelming. Perhaps they prefer the traditional method where they may directly address any inquiries to the educator. These videos cannot achieve the same thing as they work in one-way communication. Nevertheless, the findings concluded that the perceptions of using 360-degree videos to enhance speaking skills are positive and convincing. The data from this research may create branches for future studies for those interested in using the same technological tool.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to extend their utmost gratitude to every single person who made this study possible. This includes our fellow mentors, colleagues and most importantly every one of the respondents who, without their feedback, we would not have completed this study.

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