Exploring the perceived benefits of self-produced videos for developing oracy skills in digital media environments

This research provides insight into Spanish English for Specific Purposes (ESP) engineering students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of video production for developing their digital oracy skills versus the effectiveness of in-class presentations for developing their public speaking skills. In addition, the authors discuss students’ preferences regarding the two communication modes. Ninety-seven students from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (Spain) took part in the study. A 12-item quantitative questionnaire using a four-point Likert scale and an open-ended qualitative questionnaire were used. The results showed that students considered self-created videos to be effective tools for developing their oracy skills. However, results were not conclusive for students’ preferences regarding mode of communication. Contrary to our expectations, a considerable number of students did not feel confident in their use of video presentations and felt intimidated by the cameras. This suggests that a greater emphasis should be put on the development of digital communication skills to prepare our students for the new communication reality.