Indiana Students Practice Public Speaking Skills in Virtual Reality

Students walk to and from classes on the Indiana University campus, Oct. 14, 2021, in Bloomington, Ind.

All students at Indiana University are required to take a public speaking course. Now, they can practice their oratory in front of a simulated audience using a headset.

The software judges the student’s skills, and the “audience” responds accordingly with boredom or interest.

Ashley Mowreader breaks down the program in Inside Higher Ed. (July 2023)