Page 4 - MAVR Newsletter Volume 1, Issue 1 (November 2017)

2.​​ ​​ ​​ ​​VR​ ​App​ ​for​ ​Cool​ ​Teachers

by​ ​Chris​ ​and​ ​Josh

VirtualSpeech​ ​-​ ​VR​ ​Training​ ​for​ ​Public​ ​Speaking
https://virtualspeech.com/product

The​ ​VirtualSpeech​ ​app​ ​allows​ ​users​ ​to​ ​practice​ ​public​ ​speaking​ ​skills​ ​for​ ​presenting,
interviewing​ ​and​ ​networking​ ​in​ ​360​ ​degree​ ​virtual​ ​environments.​ ​The​ ​environments
range​ ​from​ ​large​ ​public​ ​speaking​ ​events​ ​(picture​ ​a​ ​TED​ ​presentation​ ​setting),​ ​to
medium​ ​sized​ ​auditoriums,​ ​to​ ​more​ ​intimate​ ​locations​ ​at​ ​a​ ​large​ ​table.​ ​A​ ​main​ ​feature​ ​is
being​ ​able​ ​to​ ​rehearse​ ​presentations​ ​in​ ​front​ ​of​ ​virtual​ ​audiences,​ ​with​ ​users​ ​inputting
their​ ​own​ ​presentation​ ​slides​ ​into​ ​the​ ​virtual​ ​environment​ ​to​ ​allow​ ​for​ ​realistic​ ​practice.
Another​ ​useful​ ​feature​ ​are​ ​the​ ​virtual​ ​interview​ ​scenarios.​ ​The​ ​app​ ​places​ ​you​ ​in​ ​front​ ​of
a​ ​panel​ ​of​ ​interviewers​ ​and​ ​has​ ​questions​ ​pre-installed​ ​that​ ​are​ ​commonly​ ​asked​ ​at
major​ ​corporations​ ​like​ ​Google,​ ​Tesla,​ ​Microsoft​ ​and​ ​more.​ ​In​ ​addition​ ​to​ ​public
speaking​ ​and​ ​job​ ​interviews,​ ​another​ ​feature​ ​allows​ ​you​ ​to​ ​stand​ ​in​ ​front​ ​of​ ​a​ ​virtual
classroom​ ​and​ ​practice​ ​giving​ ​a​ ​lesson​ ​-​ ​perfect​ ​for​ ​new​ ​teachers​ ​or​ ​current​ ​instructors
who​ ​want​ ​to​ ​practice​ ​before​ ​real​ ​courses.

Activity​ ​Description

This​ ​interview​ ​training​ ​activity​ ​would​ ​be​ ​suitable​ ​either​ ​as​ ​independent​ ​practice​ ​or

in-class​ ​practice​ ​for​ ​intermediate​ ​and​ ​above​ ​English​ ​learners.​ ​Since​ ​the​ ​app​ ​is​ ​providing
realistic​ ​environments​ ​to​ ​practice​ ​speaking​ ​skills,​ ​and​ ​recordings​ ​of​ ​questions,​ ​rather
examples​ ​of​ ​how​ ​to​ ​respond​ ​to​ ​interview​ ​questions,​ ​it​ ​would​ ​be​ ​best​ ​put​ ​to​ ​use​ ​after​ ​a
class​ ​or​ ​unit​ ​on​ ​interviewing​ ​skills.​ ​The​ ​main​ ​advantage​ ​of​ ​using​ ​the​ ​app​ ​for​ ​interview
practice​ ​is​ ​the​ ​realistic​ ​psychological​ ​pressure​ ​it​ ​puts​ ​on​ ​the​ ​user​ ​by​ ​immersing​ ​them​ ​in