Students’ Perceptions of Nonverbal Communication in Oral Presentations: Kinesics and Vocalics

Abstract

Speaking skills, particularly oral presentation skills, are essential for effective communication. At the tertiary level, students are required to deliver oral presentations as part of the learning process and assessment. Therefore, awareness of oral presentation skills is important to help students communicate their ideas effectively. This study aims to explore students’ perceptions of the use of kinesics and vocalics in oral presentations. A quantitative survey approach was employed using a questionnaire consisting of four sections: demographic profile, kinesics, vocalics, and open-ended responses. A total of 42 undergraduate students from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Malaysia, were purposively selected and invited to complete an online survey. In terms of kinesics, the findings indicated that students commonly used hand gestures to emphasize their points and frequently referred to slides, notes, the whiteboard, or the computer during their presentations. Regarding vocalics, students reported increasing their pitch when they were excited and using different tones to express their emotions during presentations. These findings provide students with greater awareness of their presentation skills and encourage them to improve their oral presentation performance. The findings also provide instructors with insights to better guide students in enhancing their presentation abilities and developing more effective oral presentation practices.