Tech & I: Immersive Learning Technologies as Antidotes to Speaking Anxiety, Dr Prajna Pani

Dr. Prajna Pani, a professor of English at Centurion University of Technology and Management in India, discusses the use of immersive learning technologies to help reduce speaking anxiety. She begins by acknowledging the prevalence of glossophobia, or the fear of public speaking, and then defines immersive technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). Dr. Pani explains the science behind how these technologies can help reduce anxiety, including exposure therapy, neuroplasticity, and cognitive restructuring. She then provides several examples of platforms that can be used for practice, such as virtual speech.com, ml.com VR, and meetingvr.com. Finally, Dr. Pani discusses pedagogical approaches for integrating these technologies into the classroom, such as role-playing, virtual tours, and immersive narratives. She concludes by emphasizing the importance of collaboration and co-learning between teachers and students in order to effectively implement these technologies in the future of English language teaching.