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Stefanie Sinclair Department of Religious Studies The Open University stefanie.sinclair@open.ac.uk. Heroes and Monsters : extraordinary tales of learning and teaching in the Arts and Humanities. Assessing oral presentations at a distance. Assessing oral presentations at a distance.
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Stefanie SinclairDepartment of Religious StudiesThe Open Universitystefanie.sinclair@open.ac.uk
Heroes and Monsters: extraordinary tales of learning and teaching in the Arts and Humanities Assessing oral presentations at a distance
Assessing oral presentations at a distance • Project aims • Methodology • Challenges • Benefits • Tips for assessment design
Project Aims • Insights into ways in which digital technology can be effectively utilised in the development and assessment of students’ oral communication skills • Insights into how students approach and experience the delivery of oral presentations at a distance • Establishment of principles of good practice in the assessment of oral presentations at a distance
Methodology • Using the example of an assessment task that forms part of A332 ‘Why is religion controversial?’ • Surveys sent out to 303 students and 21 tutors, out of which 136 students (43.6%) and 17 tutors (80.6%) responded • Sample assignments • Post toolkit on tutor and 4 student forums • Data re. student retention, submission rates etc.
Challenges • Technology • Performance anxiety or ‘stage fright’ • Artificiality • No clues re. the presenter’s body language and no immediate, direct interaction with audience • Preparation and support (both staff + students)
Benefits • Graduate skills + transferable skills with links to employability • ‘Less nerve wrecking’ than delivering a presentation to a live audience • Engagement in deep approaches to learning • Feeding back into students’ essay writing skills • Finding a ‘voice’ that is both academic and engages a broader audience • Hearing their students’ voices (personal connection) • Students can be rewarded for a broader range of skills and aptitudes • Preservation (can be re-recorded/ played back)
Tips for assessment design • Technology needs to be as straightforward and easy as possible • Trial/ dummy assignments or unassessed practice • Generic advice on presentation skills with links to relevant study skills resources • Contact with experienced students (or podcast) • Clearly explain why an oral presentation has been included in the assessment strategy • Approach the same or a similar topic through different media (with clear rationale and clear assessment criteria)
Tips for assessment design • Clear identification of the target audience and purpose • Specify the required length of the presentation. 3 minutes can be sufficient • List of at least three written bullet points – further visual aids? • Feedback on both content and presentation skills • Comments on areas of improvement need to be worded sensitively and constructively • Relatively low weighting if form of assessment is new • Alternative assessment options.
stefanie.sinclair@open.ac.ukWith special thanks to Joshua, Ellie and Naomi