Readiness for virtual reality-supported French oral production: Perceptions of students and lecturers in a Ghanaian public university

This study examined readiness for virtual reality (VR)-supported French oral production in a bachelor’s programme at a Ghanaian public university. It documented students’ oral production difficulties and current speaking opportunities, examined students’ and lecturers’ perceptions of the usefulness, acceptability, and feasibility of VR-supported activities, and identified activity types and implementation conditions considered suitable for the setting. A cross-sectional convergent mixed-methods design was used. Data were collected between August and September 2025 through a questionnaire completed by 69 students, semi-structured interviews with two oral-production lecturers, and observations of three oral-production classes. Questionnaire data were analysed descriptively, while open-ended responses, interview data, and observation notes were analysed thematically and integrated during interpretation. Lack of practice was the most frequently reported difficulty, followed by limited vocabulary and low confidence when speaking. Students expressed strong interest in using VR and preferred real-life scenarios, interaction with virtual French speakers, pronunciation practice, and role-play. Lecturers also saw potential value in simulated, response-oriented activities, but identified cost, infrastructure, technical support, and training as important constraints. Classroom observations showed that oral activities were already present, although participation and the duration of speaking opportunities varied across lessons. The study therefore provides evidence of perceived value and preliminary readiness, not evidence of learning effectiveness. It supports a small, syllabus-aligned pilot that tests usability, task design, classroom integration, and institutional capacity before wider implementation.