The paper titled "The Impact of Online Presentations on Reducing the Introverted EFL Learners' Stress and Anxiety" primarily focuses on the relationship between online presentations and the reduction of stress and anxiety among introverted English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. The research question explores whether online presentations can serve as an effective tool in mitigating the anxiety experienced by introverted students during traditional, in-person presentations.
The purpose of the study is to investigate the potential benefits of online presentations for introverted EFL learners, specifically in terms of reducing their anxiety and stress. The study aims to understand whether the shift to online presentations during the COVID-19 pandemic, which necessitated remote learning, had a positive impact on these students' performance and psychological well-being.
The study adopts a quantitative research methodology, utilizing an online questionnaire distributed to 239 female undergraduate students from the English Department at King Khalid University in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire, designed with 15 Likert-type questions, was administered in both English and Arabic to accommodate the participants' linguistic preferences.
Key findings from the research indicate that online presentations significantly reduce anxiety and stress levels among introverted students. The results show that a large majority of the participants reported feeling less stressed and more confident during online presentations compared to traditional face-to-face presentations. This reduction in anxiety was attributed to the absence of direct eye contact, the ability to control their environment, and the lack of immediate feedback from peers and instructors during online presentations.
The study concludes that online presentations are a valuable tool for reducing anxiety in introverted EFL learners and suggests that educators and policymakers should consider incorporating online presentations as a permanent assessment method, even after the return to traditional classroom settings. The findings highlight the importance of adapting assessment methods to accommodate the diverse needs of students, particularly those with introverted personalities.
The implications of this study are significant, suggesting that online presentations can enhance the learning experience for introverted students by providing a less stressful environment that encourages participation and reduces anxiety. The study also calls for further research with a larger and more diverse sample to explore the long-term benefits of online presentations across different educational contexts.