Enhancing English Oral Skills among Malaysian Rural School Students through the Implementation of Virtual Reality (VR)

Abstract

This research aims to determine the perception of rural secondary school students on the implementation of virtual reality (VR) as an alternative to the traditional classroom setting, more specifically in the setting of an oral skill lesson. In addition, the perception of the students includes the general perception, motivation levels, interest as well as the skill development of the students when subjected to a VR classroom and their effects on the mentioned aspects. A total of 39 respondents from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Desa Kencana were involved in this research. This study employed a multi-method research design. Based on the results, it is found that the perception of the respondents was generally quite positive and a majority preferred a VR environment compared to a traditional setting in the context of learning speaking skills. Respondents have stated that the interactivity and new experience presented with the VR environment brings new light to their motivation and interest and they showed a keen interest in learning English compared to traditional settings. However, there are several subjects who view the implementation in a negative light, as would be portrayed in the data findings. In conclusion, both research objectives were answered, and several implications were discovered. Several suggestions are recommended in order to further this topic at the end of the research. In conclusion, this research believes that the implementation of VR would be able to increase the motivation, interest and skill development of ESL learners, specifically in speaking skills and therefore investigate whether VR classrooms appear as a better alternative to our current learning environment.