Virtual Context Research Articles

Navigating Challenges in Remote Speaking Tasks: Unveiling Technical and Non-Technical Problems Faced by Students

In today’s digitally driven era marked by widespread remote communication, individuals grapple with diverse challenges when undertaking speaking tasks from a distance. Despite extensive research on communication dynamics in virtual contexts, the specific hurdles associated with remote speaking tasks remain understudied. This research addresses this gap by qualitatively exploring the complexities of such challenges and proposing practical strategies for effective communication in virtual environments. Employing a qualitative research approach, a survey with open-ended questions was administered to 19 students in the English Education program, and NVivo 12 was used for analysis. The findings highlight technical and non-technical challenges in remote speaking tasks, emphasizing the critical role of digital proficiency and a stable technical infrastructure. The study underscores the need to address personal and social aspects, suggesting solutions that encompass a precise and adaptive approach, including ensuring a reliable Internet connection, strategic use of digital resources, enhancement of technical skills, and a holistic strategy to tackle both technical and non-technical challenges. This research implies that educators should prioritize developing students’ digital proficiency and adopt a comprehensive approach that tackles both technical and psychological challenges, aiming to boost confidence and interpersonal skills in virtual learning environments.

The equivalence of a high-stakes objective structured clinical exam adapted to suit a virtual delivery format.

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated rapid adaptation of clinical competence assessments, including the transition of Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE) from in-person to virtual formats. This study investigates the construct equivalence of a high-stakes OSCE, originally designed for in-person delivery, when adapted for a virtual format. A retrospective analysis was conducted using OSCE scores from the Internationally Educated Nurse Competency Assessment Program (IENCAP®). Data were collected from 15 exam administrations between January 2018 and June 2022, encompassing 2021 examinees (1936 in-person, 85 virtual). The Many-Facet Rasch Measurement (MFRM) model was employed to analyze the invariance of examinee ability, case difficulty, and criteria difficulty across in-person and virtual formats. Results revealed overall examinee ability estimates remained invariant regardless of the OSCE format, while invariant violations were identified in only three of the 15 cases (N = 20%) adapted to suit the virtual format. The most significant adaptation, namely the use of a verbal physical examination to suit the virtual context achieved equivalence to its hands-on in-person counterpart given evidence of invariance across criteria estimates. Interestingly, criteria scores in invariant violated cases displayed a higher level of stability or consistency across the virtual OSCE formats versus their in-person counterpart highlighting a potential benefit of the virtual versus in-person format and potentially linked to the verbal physical examination. The study found that while examinee ability and case difficulty estimates exhibited some invariance between in-person and virtual OSCE formats, criteria involving physical assessments faced challenges in maintaining construct equivalence. These findings highlight the need for careful consideration in adapting high-stakes clinical assessments to virtual formats to ensure fairness and reliability.

Contributions of Lesson Study to the reconstruction of teachers' practical knowledge within a virtual setting context. Case study at Universidad Nacional de Educación (Ecuador)

PurposeThis article examines the training of nine practising teachers and the development of their practical thinking through Lesson Study (LS) at Universidad Nacional de Educación (UNAE). The study therefore aims to describe and understand how this group of teachers might reconstruct their practical knowledge while engaging in the LS experience in a virtual setting.Design/methodology/approachA case study was conducted with (virtual) field immersion, qualitatively collecting and analysing data through observations, interviews, a focus group and written outputs.FindingsReconstructions and reinforcements were evident in each of the five dimensions of practical thinking (Soto et al., 2019; Pérez-Gómez, 2022) and in certain knowledge and values, in addition to various skills, attitudes and emotions. The main findings of the study relate to the importance of planning to avoid improvisation, viewing the teaching methodology as a flexible process, developing student autonomy, understanding and managing technological and digital tools and being prepared for uncertain situations.Originality/valueIt is understood that Lesson Study is a strategy that strengthens and enhances understanding of teachers’ knowledge, even in the virtual context and should therefore be considered for the ongoing professional development of teachers in Ecuador.

Alone Together, Together Alone: The Effects of Social Context on Nonverbal Behavior in Virtual Reality

Abstract Social virtual reality (VR), by definition, focuses on people using networked VR systems to bring avatars together. Previous studies have examined how different factors affect social interaction, in small groups such as dyads or triads. However, in a typical social VR scene there tends to be dozens of avatars, even those not directly interacting with a given user. Furthermore, beyond the virtual environment, VR users are also situated in various immediate physical social contexts. In two field experiments, we investigate how the presence of virtual and physical people contextualize and influence nonverbal behaviors. Study 1 examines virtual context and asks how interacting with others in a private or public virtual environment influences nonverbal outcomes during interactions in a social VR platform. Across two sessions, participants (n = 104) met either in a private virtual environment with their group members alone or in a public environment surrounded by four other groups. Results showed that participants moved their avatars slower and stood closer to group members in public versus private environments. Study 2 examines physical context and asks how interacting with virtual others while physically together or alone influences nonverbal behaviors. Participants (n = 61) met in virtual environments while they were in either a shared physical environment or separated physical environments. Results showed that, compared to remote participants, participants who were physically together moved their bodies more slowly, but their avatars faster. Moreover, there was more mutual gaze among remote participants. We discuss implications to theories of social influence in VR.

Virtual expatriate assignments and host country national support: The role of higher-level construals in social categorization processes

Although extant research on expatriate management has explored the drivers of host country nationals’ (HCNs’) support for expatriates in traditional physical work environments, there is limited understanding in the context of virtual expatriate assignments. This necessitates further theorizing that departs from the presupposition that HCNs and expatriates interact physically. It integrates the particularities of working virtually to understand if and how the virtual context affects the provision of HCN support for expatriates, and whether related social categorization and identification processes work differently as part of virtual assignments. We draw on social identity and construal level theory and develop a conceptual model explaining the emergence of three types of HCN support that virtual assignees can receive, i.e., emotional support, appraisal support, and informational job support. We focus on the interplay between social categorization mechanisms and higher-level construals and, thus, more interpersonal neutrality and social disengagement originating from the virtual work context. We contribute by deriving a set of propositions that outlines the varied consequences of performing the expatriate job role virtually, with a particular focus on the provision of different types of support for expatriates by HCN co-workers.

Applying the Barker School concept of 'behaviour settings' to virtual contexts.

People are spending more and more time interacting with virtual objects and environments. We argue that Roger Barker's concept of a 'behaviour setting' can be usefully applied to such experiences with relatively little modification if we recognize subjective aspects of such experiences such as presence and immersion. We define virtual behaviour settings as virtual environments where the partly or fully digital milieu is synomorphic with and circumjacent to embodied behaviour, as opposed to the fragmented behaviour settings of much-mediated interaction. We present two tools that can help explain and predict the outcomes of virtual experiences-the behaviour setting canvas (BSC) and model-and demonstrate their utility through examples. We conclude that the behaviour setting concept is helpful in both designing virtual environments and understanding their impact, while virtual environments offer a powerful new methodological paradigm for studying behaviour settings. This article is part of the theme issue 'People, places, things, and communities: expanding behaviour settings theory in the twenty-first century'.

Real Classroom vs. Virtual Classroom: Volunteer Subtitle Translators’ Website as an Example of a Social Constructivist Approach to Translator Education

This descriptive study explores an interrelation between online volunteer subtitle organization and a social constructivist approach in translation training from a pedagogical point of view. The study sets out to test the hypothesis that technology-enabled online volunteer translators’ communities stand as an example of a social constructivist approach to translator training in a virtual context. Through an analysis of the forum section of the website as well as the workflow, similar characteristics of both the online platform and a Social Constructivist Approach in translator training by Kiraly are extracted. The study thus aims to identify if volunteer translator organizations can be an example of a Social Constructivist Approach to translator training in subtitle translation. The case study focuses on an online volunteer translators’ website named www.turkcealtyazi.org. The empirical data collected is based on the analysis of selected samples from the forum section of the website. The data derived is then compared with the model of the social constructivist approach in translator education to discover the similarities in terms of the relations between members, the workflow, the distribution of tasks, etc. The findings map how the online volunteer organization is similar to a social constructivist model applied in translator training in a classroom setting.

Symposium 4: Reflections on Hybridity in the Malta Networked Learning Forum 2021

This paper discusses the practicality, successes and possible failures of the Malta Networked Learning (NL) Forum held in May 2021. The forum was held in a hybrid synchronous face-to-face and virtual context, with a wide range of international participants, planned at short notice due to continuing uncertainty of Covid-19 restrictions. The paper outlines contexts and understandings of hybridity in both events and pedagogical approaches, noting varying definitions and concepts that may utilise this term to indicate forms of barrier breaking, overcoming limitation or supporting flexibility. Further context highlights recent literature concerning other digitally hybrid conference events, the need for which have been accelerated in light of the Covid-19 pandemic and additional considerations of climate change for reducing the carbon footprint of academic communities. Discussion leads to the type of hybridity implemented for the Malta NL Forum in May 2021, where pandemic international travel restrictions, local regulations and participant planning uncertainty required the adoption of a face-to-face and virtual synchronous event. The local organising team (authoring this paper) provides commentary to critically reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of the modality adopted. Emphasis is placed on designing for hybridity in future events, to improve planning and organisation for flexible and agile awareness to support the full range of participants in hybrid contexts and activities. The paper attempts to support those whose role is to convene and host similar events aiming to foster rewarding engagement for those participating, both presenting as well as attending.

Incidence of Metaphorical Virtual Classrooms and Interactive Learning Objects in the Interaction of Online Students: An Ecuadorian Case Study

This study explored the incidence of metaphorical virtual classrooms and interactive learning objects in the interaction of students in online mode. The main objective was to analyze how these digital tools, driven by a set of strategies to promote their use, affect the interaction of students in the virtual classroom system and their derived effects. To this end, the latest version of Moodle was implemented in conjunction with gamification plugins and interactive tools in the higher education institution used as a case study. The methodology consisted of data collection through ordinal instruments applied to the teachers and student performance metrics gathered using a plugin developed to extract accurate metrics of each student’s usage and performance through direct queries to the Moodle database and its processing through a neural network. This facilitated the collection of standardized data on the actual metrics of each virtual classroom at the end of the teaching of each subject from both the previous LMS and the newly implemented one. This data was then analyzed using advanced statistical techniques, including Mahalanobis distances, confirmatory factor analysis, and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. These methods provided a compelling comparison between the old and new systems, revealing significant improvements in the metrics and factors evaluated. The results showed a significant improvement in teachers’ perceptions of the usability of the virtual classroom system and an increase in students’ academic performance, interaction, progress, and time spent learning in virtual contexts. These results provide solid empirical evidence of the added value of these educational tools as effective strategies for improving student interaction, performance, and motivation in online education.

Issues Related to the Use of Visual Social Networks and Perceived Usefulness of Social Media Literacy During the Recovery Phase: Qualitative Research Among Girls With Eating Disorders.

The patient-centered approach is essential for quality health care and patient safety. Understanding the service user's perspective on the factors maintaining the health problem is crucial for successful treatment, especially for patients who do not recognize their condition as clinically relevant or concerning. Despite the association between intensive use of visual social media and body dissatisfaction and eating disorders, little is known about the meanings users assign to posting or searching for edited photos and the strategies they use to protect themselves from digital risks. This study aims to examine how young women recovering from eating disorders in Northern Italy perceive the health risks and potential benefits associated with visual social networks (ie, Instagram and Snapchat). The literature has found these platforms to be detrimental to online body comparisons. It also explores the perceived usefulness, willingness, and personal interest in coconstructing social media literacy programs with girls recovering from eating disorders. A total of 30 semistructured interviews were conducted with adolescent girls aged 14-17 years at the end of their treatment for eating disorders. The following areas of research were addressed: (1) the meanings associated with the use of Instagram and Snapchat; (2) the investment in the photographic dimension and feedback; (3) the impact of visual social networks on body experiences; (4) the potential and risks perceived in their use; (5) the importance of supporting girls undergoing treatment for eating disorders in using social networks; and (6) the usefulness and willingness to co-design social network literacy programs. Content analysis was applied. A total of 7 main contents emerged: active or passive role in using social networks, the impact of online interactions on body image, investment in the photographic dimension, effects on self-representation, perceived risks, self-protective strategies, and potential benefits. The findings highlight a strong awareness of the processes that trigger body comparisons in the virtual context, creating insecurity and worsening the relationship with oneself. The self-protective behaviors identified are the development of critical thinking, the avoidance of sensitive content, increased control over social networking site use, and a certain skepticism toward developing antagonistic ideologies. All these topics were considered fundamental. The findings provide important insights for health professionals working with youth in preparing media literacy programs. These programs aim to reduce potential risks and amplify the positive effects of online resources. They underscore the importance of addressing this issue during hospitalization to develop skills and critical thinking aimed at changing small habits that perpetuate the problem in everyday life. The inherent limitations in current service practices, which may not adequately address individual needs or impact posttreatment life, must also be considered.

Countering technostress in virtual work environments: The role of work-based learning and digital leadership in enhancing employee well-being

Virtual work has been highlighted as an important business trend nowadays. Technostress caused by information and communication technology threatens employee well-being in a virtual context. We integrate insights from the Job Demands-Resources theory to explore the impact of technostress on employee well-being and examine work-based learning and digital leadership capability as buffers of this negative impact via the attenuating effect of work exhaustion. We collected multi-wave survey data from 300 virtual employees to test the theoretical model. Results revealed a significant negative impact of technostress on employee well-being. However, work-based learning and digital leadership capability buffered employees' well-being from this negative effect by reducing their work exhaustion. Our findings extend our understanding of work design and shed light on how to cope with virtual work demands.

Repercussions of plagiarism on University degrees in the virtual context

Repercussions of plagiarism on University degrees in the virtual context

Examining measurement invariance of a managerial coaching scale across traditional and virtual employee groups: implications for expanding managerial coaching research

ABSTRACT Managers and human resource development (HRD) professionals are increasingly interacting with employees who work remotely and on-site at the office. These workers also span across multiple generations, each of which is unique in their needs for growth, learning, development, performance improvement, and fulfiling their career aspirations. Managerial coaching is a well-established approach that can develop, support, and improve work-related outcomes for employees. Yet, studies focusing on managerial coaching in virtual contexts are limited. To advance research on managerial coaching in virtual contexts, it is important to use rigorously tested and psychometrically verified scales. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to test measurement invariance and assess latent mean differences between virtual and traditional groups with data collected with one of the most widely used managerial coaching instruments. Data were obtained via MTurk in this cross-sectional, multi-survey design. Methodologically this study is unique in HRD because groups were equated with Propensity Score Matching before data analysis. Results indicate full scalar invariance between groups. Furthermore, traditional employees perceived that their managers exhibited more coaching behaviours than those perceived by virtual employees. Findings from this study provide support for the psychometric properties of this scale for these groups. Implications for research and practice and future research directions are discussed.

Off-camera gaze decreases evaluation scores in a simulated online job interview

During the pandemic, digital communication became paramount. Due to the discrepancy between the placement of the camera and the screen in typical smartphones, tablets and laptops, mutual eye contact cannot be made in standard video communication. Although the positive effect of eye contact in traditional communication has been well-documented, its role in virtual contexts remains less explored. In this study, we conducted experiments to gauge the impact of gaze direction during a simulated online job interview. Twelve university students were recruited as interviewees. The interview consisted of two recording sessions where they delivered the same prepared speech: in the first session, they faced the camera, and in the second, they directed their gaze towards the screen. Based on the recorded videos, we created three stimuli: one where the interviewee’s gaze was directed at the camera (CAM), one where the interviewee’s gaze was skewed downward (SKW), and a voice-only stimulus without camera recordings (VO). Thirty-eight full-time workers participated in the study and evaluated the stimuli. The results revealed that the SKW condition garnered significantly less favorable evaluations than the CAM condition and the VO condition. Moreover, a secondary analysis indicated a potential gender bias in evaluations: the female evaluators evaluated the interviewees of SKW condition more harshly than the male evaluators did, and the difference in some evaluation criteria between the CAM and SKW conditions was larger for the female interviewees than for the male interviewees. Our findings emphasize the significance of gaze direction and potential gender biases in online interactions.

ANALISIS PERSEPSI MASYARAKAT DUNIA TERHADAP VIRTUAL YOUTUBER YANG MENAWARKAN PENGALAMAN KEKASIH

This research investigates the global public's perception of the phenomenon of Virtual YouTubers (VTubers) who offer romantic experiences such as "boyfriend" or "girlfriend experience." Involving sentiment analysis, this study collected and classified 1623 comments from social media platforms using the Microsoft Azure algorithm. The analysis results indicate that the majority of the public holds a negative view of such relationships, depicting the complexity of social interactions in the digital world. These findings underscore the importance of understanding the impact of VTubers' phenomenon in the context of parasocial relationships. The research recommends increased discussions through other social platforms and the development of more advanced sentiment analysis models for a deeper understanding of this phenomenon. The research findings emphasize the relevance and complexity of VTubers' phenomenon in today's digital culture, highlighting the importance of developing social understanding of human interactions in a virtual context.

How Compliments and Compliment Responses Differ for American and Chinese People on Instagram

This paper reports a qualitative study on complimenting behaviors and response strategies of American English speakers (AES) and Chinese speakers (CS). It explores how the two speech groups differ in their patterns of compliment and response behaviors on Instagram. There are 26 participants who have answered a questionnaire that asks them to rate certain statements and let them give examples of compliments and responses. This paper will discuss the interpretations of the questionnaire and link them to linguistic politeness in virtual contexts and second language learning. Some limitations regarding each step of the research are that the sample size is too small to generalize the result to a greater population and that some questions in the questionnaire were not carefully designed. Future research should take note of the limitations and avoid them as much as possible.

Building sustainable organizations online: How leaders embed sustainability into organizational culture in virtual contexts

AbstractBusiness organizations may provide significant contributions toward sustainable development, and their leaders have a critical responsibility in incorporating sustainability into their organizational cultures. However, virtual collaboration creates specific challenges in this task. Although existing literature explores how sustainability is integrated into corporate culture in onsite contexts, a gap exists regarding this process in online teams. As such, this study explores how leaders embed sustainability into organizational culture in virtual contexts. Using thematic analysis on data gathered from interviews with 12 participants, this study suggests that leaders exhibit particular behaviors in this undertaking, including recognizing challenges, engaging employees, role modeling, crafting strategy and planning, monitoring and assessing performance, developing partnerships and activating internal communities, and aligning personal and organizational values. These may be further categorized into intrapersonal, interpersonal and functional leader behaviors, which remain salient in the new normal as organizations balance their virtual and face‐to‐face modes of interaction.

The Aural Eye

Human aural experience can be equally considered along spatial and temporal continuums. We hear at all times of the day and night, and within all places and spaces: built, natural, public, private and virtual. The territory – both physical and philosophical – between music composition for interior listening and traditional sound based research within environmental acoustics is gradually being occupied by the listener-centred approach of soundscape studies. Soundscape design is emerging as an interdisciplinary field within design education, and one that not only challenges the ocular-centric nature of most design education, but one that could provide a useful mode through which to investigate the coincidences between different design disciplines. This paper draws on the author’s own practice as a sound designer in a variety of spatial sound projects in built and virtual contexts to discuss ideas of landscape, interiority, space and place as experienced through listening. This will include aspects of Canopies: chimerical acoustic environments for the Southgate soundscape system, Ecstasis: human presence in digital environments for an interactive VR system and stereoscopic projections, and The Occupation of Space: Soundsites project with the Melbourne blind community.2 The ideas and technologies underpinning these projects also form the basis of a new pedagogy of sound and listening housed in the Spatial Information Architecture Laboratory’s (SIAL) Sound Studios at RMIT University. The place and role of the Sound Studio’s program in providing an aural perspective that compliments the visual methodologies of co-located design disciplines is discussed.

Multilingual practices of Algerian EFL learners in digital environments: A functional approach

The recent academic discourse has been prominently centred on the scrutiny of the intricate relationship between language and emerging technologies. In this regard, the present study sets out to explore the multilingual practices of Algerian EFL learners in digital environments, taking students at Mouloud Mammeri University of Tizi-Ouzou as a case in point. The study targets three main objectives. First, it attempts to scrutinise the participants’ use of different languages to fulfil different communicative functions. Second, it seeks to bring to light their motives for making choices among their linguistic repertoire. Third, it delves into the utilization of English as a foreign language within virtual environments. This case study draws on a theoretical framework of the sociology of language choice from a functional specialisation perspective (Jacobson, 1960; Halliday et al., 1964; Appel & Muysken, 2005). To this end, the mixed-methods research is adopted. A questionnaire was designed to collect data, which were analysed using descriptive statistical techniques and interpretive analysis. Findings highlight participants’ subconscious language choice across different situations, indicating the transfer of their face-to-face communication skills to virtual contexts. Additionally, the findings suggest that social media platforms have a beneficial effect on the adoption of English within digital learning settings.

Enhancing Team Performance in The Digital Age: Impact of Technologically Moderated Communication in The Interplay of E-Leadership & Trust

As the COVID-19 pandemic concluded, anticipating future health crises underscores the urgency of effective management and adaptable organizations. This paper draws from existing literature on e-leadership, virtual teams, and organizations, and conceptualizes a foundation to explore e-leadership challenges in virtual contexts. Emphasizing the pivotal role of e-leadership competencies in bridging technology-mediated interactions and effective leadership, the study addresses communication, trust, and coordination issues within virtual teams. It illuminates the impact of technology and assesses how diversity shapes the link between employee engagement and performance. The paper contributes to theoretical knowledge in the field, highlighting the importance of trust-building, relationship cultivation, and clear communication. Moreover, its practical implications offer insights into organizational practices and guide leaders in navigating challenges and opportunities posed by virtual teams and organizations.