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Oral Group Exam

Mini-seminar6 June 2013

Hanne Leth Andersen ha@ruc.dkProrector, Roskilde University

Assessment forms and learning cultures

Legislation: Exam types

• Oral, written and practice related assignments• Participation in teaching, courses, seminars, ...• Combinations of 1-2• Practice

Danish University act, Examination order, §3,2

Exam typology: Parameters

• oral – written – combination Medium• set questions – free – combination Control• problem based – syllabus basedApproach• none, certain, notes, allMaterials allowed• without – with (+ time)Preparation• minuts / hours / daysExamination time• individual – groupNumber of students• teacher – co-examiner – studentEvaluator• process/product/presentation orientationFocus

Document knowledge, skills, and competences

Why exams?

Set standards and levels

Focus learning

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Teaching methods

Learning objectives

Types of assessmen

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Criteria in selecting exam forms

Validity• Alignment between the formulated

objectives, the operational demands at exams and the assessment criteria

Reliability • Precise and consistent (fair) evaluation

Authenticity • Authentic work form for the students

in their future work

Project workProject exams

• Problem based learning: Within a restricted area be able to formulate a problem that makes sense, and select methods to solve it.

• Beyond declarative knowledge: Focus on functional knowledge• Specific knowledge directed towards practice• Explicitly include development of personal and social

competences• Autonomy • Project management

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What characterizes a good exam?

• Engaged discussions where everybody is equally active• Covers the essential parts of the project and goes

further• Students at the centre, with a story and a message• Dialogue• Everybody experiences fairness in the process and the

assessment• Adrenalin/excitement/release

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Challenges at oral exams?

• Unclear roles (censor, examinator, and group)• Silent students with very talkative students• Negative interpretation of questions • Different understandings of level – students with

unrealistic expectations• Anxiety• Bad preparation

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Group perspectives

What if the interaction doesn’t work? The most important points in the project might not be clear

We might find it hard to stick to the point, with so many participants How do you deal

with big differences in knowledge and competences in the group?

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Reflection 1: Group exam as a tool for learning

1. Which competences can you and your group develop through oral group exam?

2. How can you and your group discuss your project in order to prepare for the dialogue at the actual exam?

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How can you make sure as a group that everybody gets to talk and show their best?

Students’ answers before first oral group exam (2005) 1. I am worried about not saying enough, not getting time

and room for expressing myself properly2. I may not get to say something in my strongest areas3. The other group members may undermine what I have

said4. I may have to answer questions because nobody else does5. I may be too nervous to speak properly, and I may forget

what I wanted to say6. I am afraid I cannot live up to my own and my group’s

expectations

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From group work to oral exam

• Doubts about the basis of the assessment at the exam.• The supervisor’s role as examinator, and his or her expectations

to your activity at the exam.• How does the supervisor expect the censor to take part?• Share your experiences from this project and from earlier exam

situations. Maybe some of you feel anxious or nervous at exams. Discuss with your supervisor how you can establish a safe exam situation.

At your final meeting with your supervisor, these points might be important to discuss

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The Ideal Presentation

• How choose and divide presentations internally in the group?• How coordinate presentations, in which order?• How prepare a presentation?• How do you intend to use the group in this connexion?

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How prepare an oral group exam?

• What do you read and how?• How can you work as a group?• How can you and the group deal with anxiety

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At first, I was frightened about it and while waiting for my turn I was rather nervous. If that wasn’t enough, my partner hadn’t arrived yet.

My teacher was waiting with me, and advised me to breathe deeply, think about other things and be confident about myself.

If I were you I’d do the same, because it really helped me. If that is not enough I would recommend you to practice a little bit with your partner.

Finally, he came just in time to start the test and I was quite relaxed. Once I entered the room and greeted the examiners I felt quite comfortable and did my best. Then, when you are relaxed and confident doing the speaking everything goes better.

In conclusion the most important thing in an oral exam, is to be relaxed and confident about yourself. Good luck!

By Alvaro Azofra

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Test Exam Model for Group Exams

Challenge• Dominant pattern in ways to discuss, initiate, be dominant, be more silent or

passive, give answers, be critical, write notes etc. • The communication pattern at group meetings may not be appropriate for

oral exams

Solution• A tool to help you transform the dominant pattern of the meetings into a

well-functioning exam dialogue• Show knowledge, skills and competences, share and discuss in a constructive

and qualified way, focus on a high level of reflection and dialogue with the examinator and the censor about the project paper and the project work

Developed by Arno Kaae, pedagogical consultant, aik@ruc.dk, UniPæd, RUC, December 2012

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Exam question preparation

Questions help the group and each group member show their competences.

What would be good and relevant questions? • Questions which challenge the project, at the border of what you expect from

the group on the basis of the project report.• Questions which address the understanding of the central parts of the

project, theories, method, design, conclusion…• Questions which open a dialogue with the group and its members, in areas

where they feel really comfortable.

Write each of the questions you develop, on a piece of paper. On one side you write the question, and on the other a reference which shows what subject or part of the project it refers to. Questions which refer out of the project, could be marked “external”.

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Group Meeting: Test Exam

• Divide the test exam into as many rounds as the number of participants in the group. Every round starts with a member’s presentation, while another member takes the role of the examinator. The rest of the group members participate in the exam together with the presenter.

• After the oral presentation the examinator asks one or two spontaneous questions to the presentation, and thereafter the questions prepared by the group members.

• Questions prepared for a specific reference (e.e. theme or chapter) are used for each presentation.

• The examinator reads the question to the group, and can possibly relate it to the discussion that has been going on. Each time the examinator asks a question, observe who answers and how long the answers are: is there room for others to continue, to comment, to develop?

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Evaluation and reflexion

• All group members after each round express themselves about how the dialogue worked for them individually and for the group.

• You may also ask directly for feedback from the rest of the group• Each group member can comment on what seems important and bring forward

possible developments. Remember to also mention what worked best! • After one round of evaluation with contributions from each member, you may

reflect shortly on what to train specifically in the next round. Finally, the presenter can ask for feedback on his or her initial presentation.

• Remember to change roles and decide on a time frame for each round, so that it mirrors the real exam, or slightly longer.

• Note: Do not forget to check the exact form of the exam, in your specific programme.

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GOOD LUCK!