We at MySpeaker Rhetorich are thrilled to share that a leading American journal, Communication Teacher, has published a peer reviewed article on Rhetorich AI. The published research has been conducted by our colleagues Isotalus, P., Eklund, M. and Karppinen, K. (2024) at Tampere University confirming the education effectiveness of the Rhetorich platform and methodology.

The Rhetorich AI was used in a public speaking course at Tampere University in 2023 and already then got excellent reviews from participants in the course. We additionally, received incredibly valuable feedback and have since taken leaps to improve the Rhetorich platform and AI to better meet user needs.

Read a summary of the article below:

Artificial intelligence as a feedback provider in practicing public speaking

Pekka Isotalus , Marja Eklund and Karoliina Karppinen

Faculty of Information Technology and Communication, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland

The article “Artificial intelligence as a feedback provider in practicing public speaking” by Pekka Isotalus, Marja Eklund, and Karoliina Karppinen from Tampere University explores the effectiveness of AI in public speaking training, particularly through the MySpeaker Rhetorich platform. Traditionally, public speaking courses rely heavily on feedback to enhance students’ skills. The study examines how AI-powered feedback compares to peer feedback in helping students develop their public speaking abilities and assesses student perceptions of the AI feedback experience.

Introduction and Background

Public speaking training typically involves feedback from instructors or peers. However, time constraints in educational settings limit opportunities for personalized feedback. AI has been introduced to offer timely and unbiased feedback in various learning contexts, such as writing and language studies. AI-powered speech coaches like MySpeaker Rhetorich provide evaluations on aspects like pacing, filler words, and facial expressions. This study explores whether AI feedback can be an effective complement or alternative to traditional feedback methods in a university public speaking course.

Methodology

The course, offered on a voluntary basis at a Finnish university, used MySpeaker Rhetorich as the primary feedback provider. Over an eight-week period, students recorded speeches and received both AI and peer feedback. The AI evaluated various aspects of delivery, including voice modulation, facial expressions, and speech content. Additionally, the AI rated students based on public-speaking traits such as credibility, likeability, and presence. Students also provided peer feedback by evaluating each other’s speeches.

Two questionnaires were used to gather student feedback: one at the start and one at the end of the course. The first questionnaire assessed students’ attitudes toward public speaking and AI, while the second evaluated their experiences with the course, AI feedback, and peer feedback.

Findings

Overall, students responded positively to the course, with most reporting improvements in their public speaking skills. The majority appreciated the flexibility of an online, AI-powered course, which allowed them to practice without time and location constraints. Many students found AI feedback useful, particularly because it felt neutral and unbiased, unlike peer feedback, which was seen as more subjective. However, some students noted limitations in AI feedback, such as its lack of context and inability to assess the audience or content of the speech. Additionally, feedback on certain features, like voice pitch, raised concerns about reinforcing gender stereotypes.

Peer feedback was seen as valuable, but some students found it inconsistent, with conflicting evaluations from different peers. While peer feedback was more detailed and context-aware, it was sometimes overly positive or lacking in constructive criticism.

Conclusion

The study concludes that AI-powered feedback can be a helpful tool for public speaking training but is not sufficient on its own. AI feedback is perceived as neutral and objective, which makes it easy to accept, but it lacks the nuanced understanding of speech context that human instructors or peers can provide. Combining AI feedback with peer evaluations and teacher-guided reflection would likely offer a more comprehensive learning experience. The use of AI in public speaking courses is promising but should be complemented with additional instructional methods to ensure students develop well-rounded communication skills.