INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue X October 2025  
Enhancing university students’ English presentation skills with  
outdoor video tasks  
Airil Haimi Mohd Adnan  
University Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Shah Alam, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia  
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.910000720  
Received: 06 November 2025; Accepted: 12 November 2025; Published: 22 November 2025  
ABSTRACT  
This research paper concerns the use of outdoor video tasks in enhancing presentation skills among  
undergraduate students enrolled in an English oral presentation course. Conducted over three consecutive  
semesters, the research involved 202 first year students from science and technology-based degree programs at  
a Malaysian public university in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. The majority of the participants were female  
at 56%, and all had mixed English language proficiency, averaging Band 4.0 in the Malaysian University  
English Test (MUET). The creatively designed instructional approach required students to leave the classroom  
and record themselves in ‘video production groups’ of four or five and presenting assigned academic topics in  
outdoor settings. This method aimed to foster embodied learning, reduce performance anxiety, and encourage  
spontaneous delivery. Data were collected both quantitatively and qualitatively; for this paper the quantitative  
data are presented, analysed and discussed. The data were collected through a 30-item post-activity survey  
measuring the students’ confidence, anxiety levels, and acquired oral skills based on the own perceptions and  
personal experiences. Findings suggest that the tasks positively influenced students’ self-confidence and  
engagement, particularly among those with lower English proficiency. The sensory and environmental aspects  
of presenting in open spaces appeared to reduce formal speaking anxiety and promote natural expressions in  
English. This study contributes to the body of research on video-based learning (VBL); growing interest in  
creative, experiential pedagogies; and the integration of ‘old-school’ oral traditions with modern smartphones  
to acquire English communication skills.  
Keywords: presentation skills, English language, creative teaching, video-based learning, survey  
INTRODUCTION  
The ability to communicate effectively through oral presentations remains a critical competency for university  
students, particularly in science and technology disciplines where technical expertise must be conveyed to  
diverse audiences (Barrett & Liu, 2016). However, many undergraduates struggle with presentation anxiety,  
overly formal delivery styles, and a disconnect between classroom learning and real-world communication  
contexts (Doyle, 2023). Traditional pedagogy often confines students to sterile classroom environments,  
reinforcing performance anxiety rather than cultivating authentic communication skills (Driscoll & Shapiro,  
2025). Recent scholarship in experiential learning suggests that physical environment and embodied practice  
significantly influence language acquisition and communicative competence (Kosmas & Zaphiris, 2020; Witte,  
2023). When learners engage with learning materials in varied, sensory-rich contexts, they develop more  
flexible and spontaneous communication strategies. Concurrently, video-based learning (VBL) has emerged as  
a powerful pedagogical tool, enabling students to capture, review, and refine their performance whilst  
developing critical self-assessment skills (Adnan, 2020; Adnan et al., 2019, 2020; Mohd Kamal et al., 2019).  
The integration of outdoor contexts with video recording technology offers a particularly promising avenue for  
authentic learning experiences that transcend conventional classroom boundaries.  
This study explores whether outdoor video tasks can serve as an effective pedagogical intervention for  
developing presentation competencies. By requiring first-year students to record academic presentations in  
Page 8753  
www.rsisinternational.org  
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue X October 2025  
outdoor settings using readily available smartphone technology, this research investigates three key  
dimensions: affective factors such as confidence and anxiety; pedagogical mechanisms including spontaneity  
and naturalness of delivery; and student experiences of adaptation and growth. Drawing on survey data from  
202 students across three semesters at a Malaysian public university, the study offers empirical evidence for an  
approach that bridges traditional oral communication training with contemporary digital practices and VBL  
methodologies (see Karim, Adnan, Salim, et al., 2020; Karim, Adnan, Tahir, et al., 2020; May et al., 2023;  
Mustafa Kamal et al., 2019; Shah et al., 2025). The overall findings lend credence to ideas about place-based  
learning and the roles of creative pedagogies, particularly in higher education contexts.  
LITERATURE REVIEW  
The development of effective oral presentation skills in higher education has become increasingly crucial as  
employers and professional contexts demand graduates who can communicate complex ideas with clarity and  
confidence (Moore & Morton, 2017). Yet despite its importance, the teaching of these skills often remains  
trapped within traditional classroom paradigms that may inadvertently reinforce the very anxieties and  
artificiality they seek to ameliorate (Ivanović, 2024; Martin, 2019). This section examines three interconnected  
areas that inform the present study, as they lay the foundation for exploring outdoor video tasks as a creative  
intervention in presentation skills pedagogy.  
Presentation anxiety and confidence in higher education  
Public speaking anxiety represents one of the most pervasive challenges facing university students (Taye &  
Teshome, 2025). This anxiety is particularly acute among students for whom English is an additional language,  
where linguistic insecurity compounds performance fears (Horwitz, 2001; Kianinezhad, 2024). Traditional  
classroom presentations, with their emphasis on formal assessment and peer observation, can inadvertently  
heighten rather than alleviate anxieties, creating a cycle of avoidance and underperformance (Cooper et al.,  
2018). Self-efficacy theory suggests that confidence in one’s abilities develops through mastery experiences,  
vicarious learning, and reduced physiological arousal (Wright et al., 2016).  
However, conventional approaches provide limited opportunities for students to build confidence in lower  
stakes environments. When students perceive presentation contexts as authentic rather than purely evaluative,  
their anxiety levels decrease and engagement increases (Sotardi & Dutton, 2022). Furthermore, research into  
growth mindset frameworks indicates that students who view communication skills as developable rather than  
fixed traits show greater resilience in the face of performance challenges (Zarrinabadi et al., 2022). These  
findings suggest that pedagogical interventions that reduce formality whilst maintaining academic rigour may  
prove particularly effective in addressing presentation anxiety amongst university students.  
Video-based learning (VBL) and creative instructional delivery  
VBL has emerged as a transformative approach in skills-based education, offering unique affordances for both  
instruction and assessment (Yusof et al., 2019; Yousef et al., 2014). The capacity to record, review, and analyse  
one’s own performance enables a form of reflective practice that static classroom presentations cannot provide.  
Students engaging with video recordings of their presentations develop enhanced metacognitive awareness,  
identifying strengths and areas for improvement that might otherwise remain invisible (Ahmad et al., 2019).  
This self-assessment capability is valuable in oral communication pedagogy, where immediate feedback during  
live performance is limited. Research into VBL demonstrates that video recording reduces the high-stakes  
nature of single-performance assessments, allowing students multiple attempts to refine their delivery  
(McTighe & Ferrara, 2021; Shih, 2010). The iterative process of recording, reviewing, and re-recording fosters  
a growthoriented approach to skill development. Moreover, video technology enables peer learning, as students  
can observe and learn from their classmates’ presentations in ways that traditional in-class formats do not  
easily accommodate (Meng et al, 2022).  
The effectiveness of VBL is enhanced when coupled with creative instructional delivery methods that diverge  
Page 8754  
www.rsisinternational.org  
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue X October 2025  
from conventional routines (Adnan, Karim, et al., 2019; Mohd Adnan, 2017). Creative pedagogy emphasises  
student agency, imaginative engagement, and the disruption of predictable learning patterns, all of which  
contribute to deeper cognitive processing and increased motivation (Adnan & Abdullah, 2012). When students  
are challenged to present in unconventional formats or contexts, they develop adaptability and creative  
problem solving skills. The ubiquity of smartphone technology has democratised access to video creation tools,  
making such creative approaches increasingly feasible across diverse educational contexts (Mohd Adnan,  
2020). However, scholars have noted that the effectiveness of VBL and creative instructional approaches  
depends significantly on how tasks are structured and the extent to which students receive guidance in self-  
analysis (Alazmi, 2023; Snoeyink, 2010). Simply recording presentations without supportive frameworks for  
reflection may yield limited benefits. The integration of VBL with other pedagogical innovations appears to  
maximise its potential for developing communicative competence.  
Embodied and place-based learning  
Embodied cognition theory posits that learning is situated in physical experiences and environmental contexts,  
challenging the notion that knowledge acquisition occurs purely through abstract mental processes (Fugate et  
al., 2019). In language learning specifically, research has shown that physical movement, gesture, and spatial  
awareness enhance retention and facilitate natural expressions (Goldin-Meadow & Alibali, 2013). When  
students engage with materials in varied physical environments rather than exclusively in classrooms, they  
develop more flexible cognitive schemas and can transfer knowledge to novel contexts (Choi et al., 2014).  
Place-based learning extends these principles by emphasising the pedagogical value of specific locations and  
their sensory, cultural, and emotional characteristics (Hernandez Gonzalez, 2023). Outdoor environments, in  
particular, have been associated with reduced stress, enhanced creativity, and greater engagement across  
educational levels (Deringer, 2017). The informality and openness of outdoor spaces may disrupt the rigid  
hierarchies and performance pressures associated with traditional classrooms, creating conditions more  
conducive to authentic communication and risk-taking (Yemeni et al., 2025).  
The intersection of embodied learning with oral communication pedagogy remains relatively underexplored  
yet holds considerable promise. When students present in outdoor settings, they must adapt to environmental  
variables such as ambient noise, weather conditions, and public visibility. These are challenges that mirror real  
world communication contexts far more closely than controlled classroom environments. This adaptation also  
requires spontaneity, problem-solving, and resilience, all of which are valuable transferable skills. By  
combining the embodied experience of outdoor presentations with the reflective affordances of video  
recordings, educators may create powerful learning experiences that address both the cognitive and affective  
dimensions of communicative competence.  
Justification for research project  
This research builds upon the three bodies of literature above to explore whether outdoor video tasks that  
integrate VBL, creative instructional delivery, place-based learning, and attention to affective factors can  
enhance university students’ English language presentation skills. Through quantitative survey data, this  
empirical paper examines the mechanisms through which such tasks may influence students’ confidence,  
reduce anxiety, promote spontaneous delivery, and foster holistic skill development. Three research questions  
(RQ) guided the data collection and analysis, and informed the discussion in subsequent sections:  
RQ1: How do outdoor video tasks influence undergraduate students’ self-perceived confidence and anxiety in  
oral presentations?  
RQ2: To what extent do outdoor video tasks promote perceived spontaneity, naturalness, and reduced formality  
in the students’ oral presentation delivery?  
RQ3: How do these students make sense of the learning value of outdoor video tasks in terms of skills  
development, group collaboration, and adaptability?  
Page 8755  
www.rsisinternational.org  
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue X October 2025  
METHODOLOGY  
Research design  
A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was employed to investigate the effectiveness of outdoor video  
tasks in enhancing oral presentation skills among undergraduate students. Data were collected across three  
semesters from 2024 to 2025, from students enrolled in an English oral presentation course at a public  
university. The pedagogical intervention required students to form video production groups of four to five  
members and record their presentations in outdoor campus locations using their smartphones. Following  
completion of the outdoor video tasks, students completed a post-activity survey to explore their perceptions,  
personal and group experiences of the intervention’s impact on their presentation skills, confidence levels, and  
learning experiences. Survey respondents  
The study involved 202 first-year undergraduate students from science and technology-based degree  
programmes. The sample comprised 56% female (n=113) and 44% male (n=89) participants, with ages ranging  
from 19 to 21 years. All respondents had mixed English language proficiency, with an average Malaysian  
University English Test (MUET) Band of 4.0, indicating competent user status. Participation was totally  
voluntary, and they were informed that responses would not affect their course grades. The sample size of 202  
provides adequate statistical power for detecting medium effect sizes (d=0.5) at conventional significance  
levels (α=0.05, power=0.80).  
Survey instrument  
A 30-item post-activity questionnaire was developed to measure the students’ perceptions across three domains  
aligned with the research queries namely affective factors (confidence and anxiety), pedagogical mechanisms  
(spontaneity, naturalness, and formality), and learning experiences (skill development, collaboration, and  
adaptability). All of the items employed a five-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 =  
Neutral, 4 = Agree, 5 = Strongly Agree). Representative items included: “The outdoor video task increased my  
confidence in speaking English publicly” (Q3), “The outdoor setting encouraged me to speak more  
spontaneously and naturally” (Q5), and “This task helped me develop skills beyond just oral presentation”  
(Q26).  
The survey instrument demonstrated strong internal consistency and reliability. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients  
were calculated for each subscale: Affective Factors (10 items, α=0.89), Pedagogical Mechanisms (10 items,  
α=0.87), and Learning Experiences (10 items, α=0.91). The overall instrument reliability was excellent  
(α=0.93), substantially exceeding the minimum acceptable threshold of 0.70 and approaching the optimal  
range of 0.90 for research instruments. Item-total correlations ranged from 0.52 to 0.78, indicating that all of  
the survey items contributed meaningfully to their respective subscales without redundancy. The survey was  
piloted with a smaller group of students in the social sciences field (n=15) prior to main data collection to  
ensure clarity, face validity, and appropriate response time (approximately 8-10 minutes for completion).  
Data analysis  
All responses were analysed using SPSS Statistics (Version 29.0). Descriptive statistics including means,  
standard deviations, standard errors, and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for each of the survey item.  
Distribution characteristics were assessed through skewness values to determine response tendencies, with  
values between -1 and +1 considered acceptable for parametric analysis. Cohen’s d effect sizes were computed  
to evaluate the practical significance of the students’ perceptions, with values of 0.2–0.5 considered small  
effects,  
0.5–0.8 medium effects, and above 0.8 large effects. Frequency distributions were examined to understand  
response patterns across the five-point scale. Last but not least, statistical significance was set at p < 0.05 for  
all analyses.  
Ethics and limitations  
Page 8756  
www.rsisinternational.org  
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue X October 2025  
The students / respondents provided informed written and recorded consent, and all data were anonymised to  
protect confidentiality. That being said, several limitations warrant acknowledgement. First, the reliance on self  
report data introduces potential response bias, as the students may overestimate improvements or provide  
socially desirable responses. Second, the absence of a control group limits causal inferences about the  
intervention’s overall effectiveness. Third, the study captured only immediate post-activity perceptions without  
longitudinal follow-up to assess sustained impact. Finally, the findings are drawn from a single institutional  
context in Malaysia, which may limit generalisability to other cultural or educational settings. Despite these  
limitations, the strong reliability statistics (Cronbach's α>0.87 across all subscales) provide confidence in the  
internal consistency and methodological robustness of the survey instrument employed to complete this  
research effort.  
FINDINGS  
Respondents’ profile  
The study involved 202 first-year undergraduate students enrolled in an English oral presentation course across  
three semesters at a Malaysian public university. Figure 1 presents the demographic characteristics of the  
respondents. The sample comprised 113 females (56%) and 89 males (44%), with ages ranging from 19 to 21  
years. The majority of participants were 20 years old (n=98, 48.5%), followed by 19-year-olds (n=68, 33.7%)  
and 21-year-olds (n=36, 17.8%). Students represented diverse science and technology programmes:  
Engineering (n=68, 33.7%), Computer Science (n=56, 27.7%), Information Technology (n=45, 22.3%), and  
Applied Sciences (n=33, 16.3%). Regarding English language proficiency as measured by the MUET, the  
sample demonstrated mixed competency levels with an average band of 4.0. Specifically, 121 students (59.9%)  
achieved Band 4 (Competent user), 45 students (22.3%) achieved Band 3 (Moderate user), and 36 students  
(17.8%) achieved Band 5 (Good user). Data collection was relatively balanced across the three semesters and  
the students worked in video production groups of either five or four members to finish their outdoor video  
presentation tasks.  
Page 8757  
www.rsisinternational.org  
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue X October 2025  
Figure 1. Respondent demographics information  
The post-activity survey yielded responses across nine key items aligned to the three research questions  
examining affective factors, pedagogical mechanisms, and learning experiences. The findings are presented  
thematically according to each question, with statistical indicators including means (M), standard deviations  
(SD), confidence intervals (CI), and Cohen’s d effect sizes to assess practical significance.  
RQ1: Influence of outdoor video tasks on students’ confidence and anxiety  
The first research question examined how the outdoor video tasks influenced the students’ self-perceived  
confidence and anxiety in oral presentations. The three survey items below addressed this dimension, revealing  
generally positive affective outcomes based on their collective perceptions and experiences.  
The first item is speaking confidence (Q3) as illustrated in Figure 2 (below). When asked whether the outdoor  
video task increased their confidence in speaking English publicly, 65.3% of respondents expressed agreement  
(48.0% agreed, 17.3% strongly agreed), whilst only 10.9% disagreed (2.5% strongly disagreed, 8.4%  
disagreed). The mean score of 3.69 (SD=0.89, 95% CI [3.56, 3.81]) indicated above-midpoint agreement, with  
the distribution showing negative skewness (-0.52), suggesting responses clustered toward the positive end of  
the scale. Cohen’s d of 0.78 represented a medium-to-large effect size, indicating substantial practical impact  
on perceived speaking confidence. This further suggests that the outdoor video format provided an  
environment conducive to building self-assurance in public speaking contexts.  
Figure 2. Outdoor video tasks and confidence level  
This is followed by anxiety reduction (Q8) as depicted in Figure 3. Regarding whether recording outdoors  
made the students feel less anxious compared to traditional classroom presentations, responses were more  
distributed though still leaning positively. A total of 54.5% agreed or strongly agreed (41.6% and 12.9%  
respectively), whilst 16.9% disagreed (4.0% strongly disagreed, 12.9% disagreed), and 28.7% remained  
neutral. The mean of 3.46 (SD=0.98, 95% CI [3.32, 3.60]) reflected moderate agreement, with Cohen’s d of  
0.47 indicating a smallto-medium effect size. The higher proportion of neutral responses and wider standard  
deviation suggest varied experiences with anxiety reduction. Whilst many students found the outdoor setting  
less anxiety-inducing, this benefit was not universally experienced, possibly reflecting individual differences in  
presentation anxiety or comfort with outdoor recording.  
Page 8758  
www.rsisinternational.org  
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue X October 2025  
Figure 3. Outdoor video tasks and anxiety reduction  
The final revealing item relates to self-efficacy (Q12) as shown in Figure 4. The item measuring whether  
students felt more capable of delivering presentations after completing the task yielded the strongest affective  
outcome.  
An impressive 72.3% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed (52.0% and 20.3% respectively), with only  
7.9% expressing disagreement. The mean score of 3.83 (SD=0.83, 95% CI [3.72, 3.95]) was the highest among  
affective measures, and Cohen’s d of 1.00 represented a large effect size. The negative skewness of -0.61  
confirmed the distribution’s rightward shift toward agreement. This suggests that the video tasks enhanced  
students’ belief in their presentation capabilities, suggesting meaningful development in self-efficacy that is  
also a critical factor for sustained skill improvement.  
Figure 4. Outdoor video tasks and task-efficacy RQ2: Impact of outdoor video tasks on spontaneity,  
naturalness, and formality  
The second research question explored how the embodied learning environment of outdoor settings affected  
the students’ perceptions of spontaneity, naturalness, and formality in their presentation delivery. Based on  
their shared perceptions and experiences the key findings are illustrated next.  
With reference to spontaneous speech (Q5), when asked whether the outdoor setting encouraged more  
spontaneous and natural speech, 59.9% of students agreed or strongly agreed (43.6% and 16.3% respectively),  
whilst 13.9% disagreed and 26.2% remained neutral. The mean of 3.59 (SD=0.95, 95% CI [3.46, 3.73])  
indicated moderate-to-strong agreement, with Cohen’s d of 0.62 representing a medium effect size. The  
negative skewness (-0.44) suggested a tendency toward positive perceptions. The results imply that the outdoor  
environment promoted less scripted, more authentic communication for the majority of students, though  
approximately one quarter found the impact neutral. Figure 5 (below) visualises these findings.  
Page 8759  
www.rsisinternational.org  
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue X October 2025  
Figure 5. Outdoor video tasks and spontaneous speech  
The next survey item investigates the topic of environmental engagement (Q14) as shown in Figure 6. The  
item examining whether being outdoors helped students to connect physically with their presentation content  
received the most varied responses. Whilst 48.5% agreed or strongly agreed (38.1% and 10.4% respectively), a  
substantial 31.2% remained neutral and 20.3% disagreed. The mean of 3.33 (SD=1.02, 95% CI [3.19, 3.47])  
was the lowest across all items, and Cohen’s d of 0.32 indicated only a small effect size. The near-symmetrical  
distribution (skewness=-0.18) and high standard deviation reflect considerable variation in how students  
experienced the embodied learning aspects of outdoor presentation. This implies that physical connection with  
content may require additional pedagogical scaffolding or may depend on content types or individual  
preferences.  
Figure 6. Outdoor video tasks and environmental engagement  
The last illuminating finding relates to reduced formality (Q18), as illustrated in Figure 7. Students responded  
most positively to the proposition that outdoor video format reduced the formality typically associated with  
presentations. Two-thirds of respondents (66.3%) agreed or strongly agreed (46.5% and 19.8% respectively),  
with only 11.4% disagreeing. The mean score of 3.73 (SD=0.91, 95% CI [3.60, 3.86]) indicated strong  
agreement, and the Cohen’s d of 0.80 represented a large effect size. The negative skewness (-0.58) confirmed  
the distribution’s positive lean. This suggests that the outdoor setting successfully disrupted the formal, high  
stakes atmosphere often associated with classroom presentations, creating a more relaxed environment that  
may facilitate more natural expression and reduced performance pressure.  
Page 8760  
www.rsisinternational.org  
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue X October 2025  
Figure 7. Outdoor video tasks and environmental engagement RQ3: Students’ perceptions of learning  
value with respect to outdoor video tasks  
The third research question investigated how students perceived the learning value of outdoor video tasks in  
terms of skill development, group collaboration, and adaptability. Again, based on their personal perceptions  
and experiences the most significant findings are explained below.  
Figure 8. Adapting to challenges related to outdoor video tasks  
With regards to adapting to challenges (Q7), when asked whether they successfully adapted to outdoor  
recording challenges such as noise, weather, and distractions, 58.5% of students agreed or strongly agreed  
(44.6% and 13.9% respectively), whilst 15.9% disagreed and 25.7% remained neutral. The mean of 3.52  
(SD=0.99, 95% CI [3.38, 3.66]) indicated moderate-to-strong agreement, with Cohen’s d of 0.53 representing a  
medium effect size. The results suggest that whilst most students developed effective coping strategies for  
environmental obstacles, approximately one-quarter found adaptation challenging or were uncertain about their  
success. The ability to navigate unpredictable conditions represents a valuable transferable skill, though some  
students may benefit from additional guidance. The data are visualised in Figure 8 (above).  
Page 8761  
www.rsisinternational.org  
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue X October 2025  
Figure 9. Group collaboration in carrying out outdoor video tasks  
The next item is group collaboration (Q21), as depicted in Figure 9. The students responded very positively to  
working in their video production groups, with 67.3% agreeing or strongly agreeing (49.0% and 18.3%  
respectively) that group work enhanced their learning experience. Only 10.9% disagreed, whilst 21.8%  
remained neutral. The mean of 3.72 (SD=0.93, 95% CI [3.59, 3.85]) reflected strong agreement, and Cohen’s d  
of 0.77 indicated a medium-to-large effect size. The negative skewness (-0.55) confirmed the positive  
distribution. This finding underscores the value of collaborative learning especially in carrying out the outdoor  
video task, suggesting that peer support and shared responsibility contributed meaningfully to students’ overall  
experience and skill development.  
Figure 10. Outdoor video tasks and holistic skills development  
The last item relates to personal growth (Q26), as visualised in Figure 10. The item measuring whether the task  
helped develop skills beyond oral presentation (such as creativity and problem-solving) yielded the strongest  
response across all items. An impressive 74.8% of students agreed or strongly agreed (51.0% and 23.8%  
respectively), with only 6.4% disagreeing. The mean score of 3.91 (SD=0.80, 95% CI [3.80, 4.02]) was the  
highest recorded, and the Cohen’s d of 1.14 represented a very large effect size, incidentally the largest in the  
dataset. The substantial negative skewness (-0.68) indicated strong clustering toward agreement. This implies  
that outdoor video tasks facilitated holistic skill development, with students recognising growth in areas such  
as creativity, adaptability, technological competence, and problem-solving, which are all competencies that are  
highly valued in professional contexts.  
DISCUSSION  
Affective transformation through environmental disruption  
Outdoor video tasks exert the strongest influence on the students’ reported self-efficacy and confidence rather  
than on anxiety reduction per se. The large effect size for self-efficacy (Cohen’s d=1.00) alongside the  
mediumto-large effect for confidence (Cohen’s d=0.78) suggests that the intervention operates primarily by  
building positive beliefs about capability rather than alleviating negative emotions. This distinction is quite  
pedagogically significant. Whilst anxiety reduction showed only a small-to-medium effect (Cohen’s d=0.47),  
the substantial gains in self-efficacy indicate that the students developed a more robust sense of competence  
that may prove more durable than situational anxiety relief (Jiang et al., 2024; Kalyuga, 2015).  
The outdoor environment’s capacity to reduce formality (Cohen’s d=0.80) appears central. By disrupting the  
classroom hierarchy and its associated performance pressures, outdoor settings may create psychological  
distance from evaluative contexts that trigger presentation anxiety (Yemini et al., 2025). Students who might  
struggle in formal classroom environments can reframe the task as creative production rather than high-stakes  
performance, thereby accessing a different psychological stance toward public speaking. This reframing likely  
contributes to the enhanced confidence and self-efficacy observed.  
Page 8762  
www.rsisinternational.org  
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue X October 2025  
Pedagogical mechanisms and variability in embodied learning  
The pedagogical mechanisms underlying outdoor video tasks demonstrate notable variability in their  
effectiveness. Whilst reduced formality and spontaneous speech showed medium-to-large effects, the weak  
effect for environmental engagement (Cohen’s d=0.32) warrants closer examination. The substantial neutral  
responses (31.2%) and high standard deviation (SD=1.02) suggest that physical connection with content is not  
automatically achieved simply by relocating outdoors. This challenges simplistic assumptions about embodied  
learning, indicating that place-based pedagogy requires intentional design to realise its potential (Bates et al.,  
2019; Deringer, 2017; Vander Ark, et al., 2020).  
Students may need explicit guidance on how to leverage outdoor environments meaningfully, for instance, by  
selecting locations that thematically connect to presentation content or by incorporating environmental features  
into narratives. Without such scaffolding, the outdoor setting risks becoming merely a different backdrop rather  
than an integral component of embodied learning. Future implementations might benefit from structured  
reflection activities that help students articulate connections between physical spaces and conceptual contents  
(Fay & Kim, 2017; Khan et al., 2020; Paniagua & Istance, 2018).  
Holistic skill development and transferable competencies  
Perhaps the most striking finding is the large effect size for personal growth beyond oral presentations  
(Cohen’s d=1.14). The students genuinely believed that the outdoor video tasks cultivated creativity, problem-  
solving, adaptability, and technological competence which are precisely the transferable skills demanded in  
professional contexts (Marawar & Chaudhari, 2024; Xinming, 2023). The holistic development likely stems  
from the authentic challenges inherent in outdoor recording: negotiating environmental unpredictability,  
collaborating under less controlled conditions, and making creative decisions about framing, audio, and visual  
composition.  
The strong positive response to group collaboration (Cohen’s d=0.77) further underscores the social  
dimensions of learning. Video production groups provided the peer support that may have buffered against  
individual anxiety whilst distributing the cognitive load of managing technical and environmental challenges  
(Hawes & Arya, 2023; Jiang & Yu, 2025). This collaborative structure aligns with sociocultural theories of  
learning, wherein shared activities within authentic contexts promote deeper engagement and skill transfer. The  
integration of VBL with outdoor pedagogy thus creates a multidimensional learning experience that extends  
well beyond traditional presentation training, preparing students for the complex, collaborative communication  
demands of their upcoming professional lives (see Mohd Adnan, 2025a, 2025b).  
CONCLUSION  
This study provides empirical evidence that creative outdoor video tasks represent an effective pedagogical  
intervention for enhancing university students’ oral presentation skills. Through quantitative analysis of 202  
first-year students’ post-activity perceptions, the effort demonstrates positive effects on self-efficacy,  
confidence, and holistic skill development, alongside moderate benefits for reducing presentation formality  
and promoting spontaneous speech delivery. The findings reveal two particularly noteworthy outcomes. Firstly,  
the intervention’s strongest impact lies in building students’ self-efficacy and beliefs in their presentation  
capabilities (Cohen’s d=1.00) rather than merely alleviating situational anxiety. This implies that outdoor video  
tasks foster durable psychological resources that extend beyond the immediate learning context. Secondly,  
students recognised that the tasks cultivated transferable competencies such as creativity, problem-solving, and  
adaptability (Cohen’s d=1.14), which are the skills demanded in contemporary workplaces. These benefits  
exceed traditional training outcomes, indicating that the integration of place-based learning with video-based  
pedagogy creates synergistic effects.  
However, the variability in environmental engagement outcomes shows that simply relocating outdoors does  
not produce embodied learning. Instructors must intentionally design tasks that help students forge connections  
between physical environments and conceptual contents, supported by structured reflection. For higher  
Page 8763  
www.rsisinternational.org  
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue X October 2025  
education practitioners seeking to innovate oral communication pedagogy, outdoor video tasks offer a readily  
implementable approach that leverages smartphone technology whilst disrupting conventional classroom  
constraints. In addition, the collaborative group format provides peer support that enhances learning  
experiences and outcomes. As universities increasingly prioritise graduate employability and transferable skill  
development, creative outdoor video tasks present a promising pathway for preparing students to communicate  
in diverse professional contexts whilst simultaneously building the confidence and adaptability essential for  
professional growth.  
REFERENCES  
1. Adnan, A. H. M. (2020). From interactive teaching to immersive learning: Higher Education 4.0 via  
360degree videos and virtual reality in Malaysia. IOP Conf. Ser.: Mater. Sci. Eng., 917, 012023.  
2. Adnan, A. H. M., & Abdullah, H. (2012). Communicative Language Teaching: misconstructions and  
misunderstandings in the Malaysian context. English Language Journal, 5, 79-93.  
3. Adnan, A. H. M., Ahmad, M. K., Yusof, A. A., Mohd Kamal, M. A., & Mustafa Kamal, N. N. (2019).  
4. English Language Simulations Augmented with 360-degrees spherical videos (ELSA 360°- Videos):  
‘Virtual Reality’ real life learning! In MNNF Publisher (Ed.), Leading Towards Creativity &  
Innovation (Series 1) (pp. 82-88). MNNF Publisher.  
5. Adnan, A. H. M., Karim, R. A., Tahir, M. H. M., Kamal, N. N. M., & Yusof, A. M. (2019). Education  
4.0 technologies, industry 4.0 skills and the teaching of English in Malaysian tertiary education. Arab  
World English Journal, 10(4), 330-343.  
6. Adnan, A. H. M., Ya Shak, M. S., Karim, R. A., Tahir, M. H. M., & Shah, D. S. M. (2020). 360-degree  
videos, VR experiences and the application of Education 4.0 technologies in Malaysia for exposure  
and immersion. Adv. Sci. Technol. Eng. Syst. Journal, 5(1), 373-381.  
7. Ahmad, M. K., Adnan, A. H. M., Azamri, N. M., Idris, K. B., Norafand, N. N., & Ishak, N. I. (2019).  
Education 4.0 technologies for English language teaching and learning in the Malaysian context.  
Paper presented at the International Invention, Innovative & Creative Conference (InIIC Series  
2/2019), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  
8. Alazmi, H. S. (2023). The value of systematic, iterative, video-based reflection analysis on preservice  
teacher actions in Kuwait: A preservice social studies teacher example. Teaching and Teacher  
Education, 121, 103910.  
9. Barrett, N. E., & Liu, G. Z. (2016). Global trends and research aim for English academic oral  
presentations: Changes, challenges, and opportunities for learning technology. Review of Educational  
Research, 86(4), 1227-1271.  
10. Bates, K., Teudt, M., & Collier, J. (2019). Mapping points for a place-based pedagogy of practice.  
Curriculum Perspectives, 39(1), 91-96.  
11. Choi, H. H., Van Merriënboer, J. J., & Paas, F. (2014). Effects of the physical environment on  
cognitive load and learning: Towards a new model of cognitive load. Educational Psychology Review,  
26(2), 225244.  
12. Cooper, K. M., Downing, V. R., & Brownell, S. E. (2018). The influence of active learning practices  
on student anxiety in large-enrolment college science classrooms. International Journal of STEM  
Education, 5(1), 23.  
13. Deringer, S. A. (2017). Mindful place-based education: Mapping the literature. Journal of Experiential  
Education, 40(4), 333-348.  
14. Doyle, T. (2023). Helping students learn in a learner-centered environment: A guide to facilitating  
learning in higher education. Taylor & Francis.  
15. Driscoll, A., & Shapiro, D. (2025). Transforming Traditional Teaching for Today’s College Students:  
Strategies for Cultivating Relationships and Community. Taylor & Francis.  
16. Fay, L. L., & Kim, E. Y. (2017). Transformative Design Pedagogy: A Place-Based and Studio-Based  
Exploration of Culture. Journal of Learning Spaces, 6(2), 28-38.  
17. Fugate, J. M., Macrine, S. L., & Cipriano, C. (2019). The role of embodied cognition for transforming  
learning. International Journal of School & Educational Psychology, 7(4), 274-288.  
18. Goldin-Meadow, S., & Alibali, M. W. (2013). Gesture’s role in speaking, learning, and creating  
language. Annual review of Psychology, 64(1), 257-283.  
Page 8764  
www.rsisinternational.org  
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue X October 2025  
19. Hawes, D., & Arya, A. (2023). Technology solutions to reduce anxiety and increase cognitive  
availability in students. IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies, 16(2), 278-291.  
20. Hernandez Gonzalez, F. (2023). Exploring the affordances of place-based education for advancing  
sustainability education: The role of cognitive, socio-emotional and behavioural learning. Education  
Sciences, 13(7), 676.  
21. Horwitz, E. (2001). Language anxiety and achievement. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 21,  
112126.  
22. Ivanović, I. (2024). Game-based learning and underachieving students: Replacing the traditional  
paradigm in Montenegro? Education and Information Technologies, 29(16), 21965-21993.  
23. Jiang, X., & Yu, Z. (2025). Exploring the impact of learner-and peer-help seeking strategies on  
cognitive load reduction and self-regulated learning skills enhancement. Interactive Learning  
Environments, 33(6), 4062-4081.  
24. Jiang, X., Mueller, C. E., & Paley, N. (2024). A systematic review of growth mindset interventions  
targeting youth social-emotional outcomes. School Psychology Review, 53(3), 251-272.  
25. Kalyuga, S. (Ed.). (2015). Instructional guidance: A cognitive load perspective. IAP.  
26. Karim, R. A., Adnan, A. H. M., Salim, M. S. A. M., Kamarudin, S., & Zaidi, A. (2020). Education  
innovations through mobile learning technologies for the Industry 4.0 readiness of tertiary students in  
Malaysia. IOP Conf. Ser.: Mater. Sci. Eng., 917, 012022.  
27. Karim, R. A., Adnan, A. H. M., Tahir, M. H. M., Adam, M. H. M., Idris, N., & Ismail, I. (2020). The  
application of mobile learning technologies at Malaysian universities through mind mapping apps for  
augmenting writing performance. Adv. Sci. Technol. Eng. Syst. Journal, 5(3), 510-517, 2020.  
28. Khan, M., Bell, S., & Wood, J. (Eds.). (2020). Place, pedagogy and play: Participation, design and  
research with children. Routledge.  
29. Kianinezhad, N. (2024). Foreign language anxiety in education. JELITA, 5(1), 123-143.  
30. Kosmas, P., & Zaphiris, P. (2020). Words in action: investigating students’ language acquisition and  
emotional performance through embodied learning. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching,  
14(4), 317-332.  
31. Marawar, A. A., & Chaudhari, A. D. B. (2024). The future of learning: Innovations In education.  
Academic Guru Publishing House.  
32. Martin, S. M. (2019). Artificial intelligence, mixed reality, and the redefinition of the classroom.  
Bloomsbury Publishing.  
33. May, L. S., Adnan, A. H. M., & Rosly, R. (2023). Virtual Students Mobility and Exchange Programs:  
Case Study of Malaysia. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and  
Development, 12(3), 2264-2277.  
34. McTighe, J., & Ferrara, S. (2021). Assessing student learning by design: Principles and practices for  
teachers and school leaders. Teachers College Press.  
35. Meng, X. H., Xu, X. Y., Chen, H. L., & Zhang, L. (2022). The effectiveness of combining e-learning,  
peer teaching, and flipped classroom for delivering a physiology laboratory course to nursing  
students. Advances in Physiology Education, 46(1), 21-26.  
36. Mohd Adnan, A. H. (2017). Learning English (and Arabic) in Malaysian Islamic Schools: Language  
use and the construction of identities. Arab World English Journal, 8(3), 407-420.  
37. Mohd Adnan, A. H. (2020). Immersion, exposure and learner driven learning through 360-degree  
videos and VR experiences: Education 4.0 for English Teaching. International Journal of e-Learning  
and Higher Education, 12(1), 61-82.  
38. Mohd Adnan, A. H. (2025a). Teaching Arabic as a third language with Higher Education 5.0  
technologies. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 9(10), 3868-3882.  
39. Mohd Adnan, A. H. (2025b). Video-based Learning for Higher Education 5.0 exposure and  
immersion. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 9(10), 4784-4798.  
40. Mohd Kamal, M. A., Adnan, A. H. M., Mustafa Kamal, N. N., Ahmad, M. K., & Yusof, A. A. (2019).  
60 seconds ‘Video-based Learning’ to facilitate Flipped Classrooms and Blended Learning at a  
Malaysian university. In MNNF Network (Ed.), Proceedings of the International Invention,  
Innovative & Creative (InIIC) Conference, Series 1/2019 (pp. 118-127). MNNF Network.  
41. Moore, T., & Morton, J. (2017). The myth of job readiness? Written communication, employability,  
and the ‘skills gap’ in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 42(3), 591-609.  
Page 8765  
www.rsisinternational.org  
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)  
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue X October 2025  
42. Mustafa Kamal, N. N., Adnan, A. H. M., Yusof, A. A., Ahmad, M. K., & Mohd Kamal, M. A. (2019).  
‘Immersive Interactive Educational Experiences’ – adopting Education 5.0, Industry 4.0 learning  
technologies for Malaysian universities. In MNNF Network (Ed.), Proceedings of the International  
Invention, Innovative & Creative (InIIC) Conference, Series 1/2019 (pp. 190-196). MNNF Network.  
43. Paniagua, A., & Istance, D. (2018). Teachers as Designers of Learning Environments the Importance  
of Innovative Pedagogies. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).  
44. Shah, D. S. M., Adnan, A. H. M., Salim, M. S. A. M., & Salim, M. N. F. M. (2025). Deploying  
Educational Chatbots as Virtual Assistants for Language Teaching and Learning in Malaysian Tertiary  
Education. Journal of Advanced Research in Computing and Applications, 39(1), 206-211.  
45. Shih, R. C. (2010). Blended learning using video-based blogs: Public speaking for English as a  
second language student. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 26(6), 883-897.  
46. Snoeyink, R. (2010). Using video self-analysis to improve the “withitness” of student teachers.  
Journal of Computing in Teacher Education, 26(3), 101-110.  
47. Sotardi, V., & Dutton, H. (2022). First-year university students’ authentic experiences with evaluation  
anxiety and their attitudes toward assessment. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 47(8),  
13171329.  
48. Taye, T., & Teshome, G. (2025). The Practices and Challenges Associated with Speaking Skills  
Among Undergraduate Students. Journal of Social and Educational Research, 4(1), 43-60.  
49. Vander Ark, T., Liebtag, E., & McClennen, N. (2020). The power of place: Authentic learning through  
place-based education. ASCD.  
50. Witte, A. (2023). Bringing the body into play: The corporeal aspect in second language acquisition.  
The Modern Language Journal, 107(3), 693-712.  
51. Wright, B. J., O'Halloran, P. D., & Stukas, A. A. (2016). Enhancing self-efficacy and performance: an  
experimental comparison of psychological techniques. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport,  
87(1), 36-46.  
52. Xinming, Z. (2023). Research on cultivating innovation and practical skills in higher vocational  
education. Frontiers in Educational Research, 6(26), 29-36.  
53. Yemini, M., Engel, L., & Ben Simon, A. (2025). Place-based education - systematic review of  
literature. Educational Review, 77(2), 640-660.  
54. Yousef, A. M. F., Chatti, M. A., & Schroeder, U. (2014). The state of video-based learning: A review  
and future perspectives. Int. J. Adv. Life Sci, 6(3/4), 122-135.  
55. Yusof, A. A., Adnan, A. H. M., Mustafa Kamal, N. N., Mohd Kamal, M. A., & Ahmad, M. K. (2019).  
Education 4.0 immersive learning with Spherical Videos (360°) and Virtual Reality (VR) experiences.  
Paper presented at the International Invention, Innovative & Creative Conference (InIIC Series  
2/2019), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  
Page 8766  
www.rsisinternational.org