Factors Affecting Effective Online Presentations as Perceived by Undergraduate and Graduate Students in Indonesia

Abstract

This study aimed to explore factors affecting the effectiveness of online presentations as perceived by undergraduate and graduate students in Indonesia. The issue discussed was online public speaking. Data were collected through an online questionnaire filled out by 359 undergraduate and graduate students of two private universities in Indonesia. The questionnaire addressed five main dimensions as follows, the voice, the media used, delivery, the materials and language used along with 16 factors. Overall, the analysis concluded that these five dimensions strongly affect the effectiveness of online presentations in this specific context. In addition to the above, the dimension of sound appears to be the key dimension, together with five specific factors, namely voice clarity, the use of an appropriate intonation, of an appropriate pace, the production of an easy-to-understand presentation, and the use of a reliable video conferencing tool. Results of the study stress the importance for online speakers to pay attention to these dimensions and factors to ensure the effectiveness of online presentations.