In July 2021, the lead researcher Dr Rob Grieve and academic colleagues Dr Stephen Hunt, Alison McKay and Dr Julie Woodley published a qualitative survey on student fears of oral presentations and public speaking in higher education in the Journal of Further and Higher Education (JFHE). The research study is now the most read paper of all time in JFHE with just over 163K downloads and rising.
Oral presentations and public speaking are an important aspect of the student experience in UK higher education and oral presentations are a commonly used a form of assessment. Previous research evidence has indicated that many students experience a fear in public speaking. The aims of this qualitative survey were two-fold. First, it sought to gather further insight into the fears experienced and strategies used by students who fear public speaking, including oral presentations. The second objective was to determine whether their fear affected their overall experience of higher education.
The main findings from this qualitative survey have clearly indicated that for those students with a fear of public speaking and oral presentations, public speaking tasks have an overall negative effect on learning and the student experience. Specifically, the findings have indicated that many students’ main fears are associated with being judged, uncertainty about the topic and physical symptoms. This survey also clearly indicated that most of the students in this study, although fearful of public speaking, were aware of the importance of practice and preparation. The findings clearly identified the lack of and need for further comprehensive support for students with a fear of public speaking.
Many of the findings from the study have informed the “Student Voices” in Rob Grieve’s book “Stand Up and Be Heard: Taking the Fear Out of Public Speaking at University” (Sage Publishing).