Oral Assessment Design and Checklist

Oral Assessment Design and Checklist

Practical tips to implementing oral assessments

Design Considerations

Type of Assessment

There are many types of oral assessments such as presentations, interviews, simulations, oral defences. For ideas on oral assessments see our resource on Types of Oral Assessments which includes GenAI prompts that will generate ideas for your course.

In-Person / Online

In-person oral assessments can enhance relationship building. Logistical requirements for both students and markers need to be considered.

Online oral assessments offers the benefit of reduced resource requirements, as there is no need to book suitable spaces, and Zoom provides an easy way to record the assessment. However, equity implications of online assessment need to be considered (such as internet or private space availability).

Oral assessments may also include pre-recorded presentation style elements for asynchronous submission. To be considered a secure oral assessment, asynchronous submissions should be coupled with live (in person or online) and interactive components. However, it should be considered whether this approach is authentic to your course and if it allows for timely interactions.

Consider that online assessments can be less secure due to recent developments in GenAI.

Individual / Group Assessment

The decision to assess individually or in groups should align with your learning outcomes, marking capacity, and the authenticity of the task in relation to future professional contexts.

Individual oral assessments allow for a targeted evaluation of individual achievement and reduces the risk of unequal contribution. However, they can be more time-intensive to schedule and assess for large cohorts.

Group oral assessments can encourage teamwork, collaboration and peer learning. They may also reduce anxiety for some students by sharing responsibility. As with all group assessments students must be provided with guidance on participation and group conduct.

Students may be marked individually or as a group, or a combination of both, for all or part of the assessment. The goals for equitable mark distribution versus learning outcome achievement should be considered. Peer marking may also contribute up to 10% of final grades.

For additional guidance on group work in assessment refer to Section 2 of the Course Assessment and Grading Manual.

Feedback and Marking

You will need to determine:

  • who and how many observers will be present,
  • who may provide feedback, and
  • who will do the marking.

Consider the impact of these choices on student anxiety and how you will prepare the student for the assessment conditions. Options include:

  • Tutors and Course Coordinators (or other educators)
  • Single marker or multiple markers
  • Industry Contacts and External Experts: feedback as non-markers on a panel
  • Peer Feedback: feedback from classmates. Beneficial for both the giver and receiver. Students need to be supported in providing appropriate and professional feedback
  • Self-assessment: students to reflect on their performance as part of the assessment.

Preparing Students for Oral Assessment

Scaffolding

  • You will need to provide clear guidelines and expectations.
  • It is good to offer opportunities to practice. For example, an in-class example where students can practice preparing for and participating in an oral assessment. Or in small groups where students can play the roles of assessor and student being assessed, while others observe and provide feedback using the provided rubric.

Rubrics

  • Need to clearly describe the assessment requirements to clarify expectations for students,
  • Need to guide students on whether it is their communication skills, interpersonal skills, knowledge, or problem-solving abilities that are being assessed.
  • Ensure criteria is necessary and not unintentionally ableist or discriminatory – e.g., criteria that assesses eye contact and body language are unnecessary if they do not relate to the learning outcomes.

Reasonable Adjustments

  • These may include adjustments such as providing extra time for reading questions, extra time for oral component, alternative location with fewer observers, or an alternative assessment.

Logistics

Moderation

Oral assessments are often marked simultaneously. Pre marking and post marking moderation is recommended to so ensure markers are clear on the requirements.

Recordings

Will the session be recorded, and by who? If recordings are to be made, the responsibility may be placed on students. If the tutor or academic is to record the assessment, consider how the recordings will be made, what equipment will be used, and how the files will be securely stored.

Scheduling

Course coordinators need to schedule oral assessments at times when both markers and students are available. There are a few options for how to schedule oral assessments:

  • In class, in random order or ask for volunteers.
  • Teacher writes a schedule with dates, times, and students’ names and posts this list to Canvas.
  • Canvas Scheduler – Course Coordinator and tutors can schedule time slots that allow students to book in at a suitable time. This allows students some flexibility over the time of their assessment. For information on how to schedule time slots in Canvas see the Guide to Scheduling Appointments or contact our Learning Technology support team to be guided through the process.
  • Microsoft Bookings – Similar to Canvas Scheduler, time slots are offered that allow students to book in at a suitable time. Guidance on using Microsoft Bookings is available on the Microsoft website. For support on using this tool contact the University’s Digital Technology Solutions team via ServiceNow or on +61 2 492 17000.

Room Bookings and Resources

Ensure any room bookings required have sufficient space and the necessary equipment for your specific assessment.

Oral Assessment Checklist

Design Decisions

  • Types of Oral Assessment - eg. Role play, simulation, Q&A Session, etc.
  • Online/In-Person - Consider academic integrity and logistics.
  • Feedback and Marking - Who (tutors, peers, other teaching staff or industry contacts), how, and when is feedback given.

Preparing Students

  • Scaffolding  - Support to prepare students for and to practice oral assessment.
  • Rubric  - What is being assessed - communication skills, interpersonal skills, knowledge, or problem-solving abilities? Review rubric in class.
  • Reasonable Adjustments  - Consider adjustments you may need to make (time extensions, alternative environment, fewer observers or an alternative assessment).

Logistics

  • Moderation  - Prepare markers for consistent marking, prompting and questioning.
  • Recordings  - Will you or the student responsible for recording the oral assessment, if at all? How will it be stored?
  • Scheduling  - How will scheduling be done? In or out of class times, determined by convenor or students, or via Canvas Scheduling?
  • Room Bookings and Resources  - Ensure you have all the resources you need for the assessment including room bookings.