Evaluative conversations: Unlocking the power of viva voce assessment for undergraduate students

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

Viva voce assessments are widely adopted for the appraisal of doctoral dissertation studies, but they appear underused at undergraduate level. In a period of transition from closed-book written examinations to more innovative forms of assessment, I suggest that viva voce examinations represent an authentic and transformative learning opportunity that should be extended to undergraduate students. The argument builds on a case study detailing the successful introduction of ‘evaluative conversations’ within a year two undergraduate module in History of Economic Thought at the University of East Anglia, UK. A preliminary evaluation highlights barriers to and enablers of embedding viva voce sessions within assessment design, concluding with considerations over quality assurance, scaffolding and scalability, as well as plans for future developments.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationAssessment and Feedback in a Post-Pandemic Era
Subtitle of host publicationA Time for Learning and Inclusion
EditorsPatrick Baughan
Place of PublicationLondon
PublisherAdvanceHE
Pages47-56
Number of pages10
ISBN (Electronic)978-1-9163593-5-2
Publication statusPublished - 8 Jul 2021

Cite this