Interactive oral assessments

What are interactive oral assessments?

During an interactive oral assessment (IOA), you’ll engage in an unscripted, real-time conversation with your assessor. Your assessor will ask you a series of questions, which are designed to help you demonstrate your learning.

IOAs are often designed to simulate interactions you might have in a professional context. You may see them referred to as an oral defence, a Q&A session, or a dialogic assessment.

The format of an IOA varies from discipline to discipline. For example, the assessment may require you to participate in a pitch (Business and Economics), an interview (Creative Arts), a role-play (Nursing), or a debate (Humanities). Sometimes, the discussion will be based on an artefact or a piece of written work you have produced for the subject.

Though the format varies from discipline to discipline, the steps you need to take to prepare for the assessment are similar.

How to study for interactive oral assessments

Good preparation is key to performing well in an IOA.

As part of your preparation:

• Read the assessment instructions and rubric carefully to understand the task and the criteria you’re being marked on
• Take time to understand the practicalities of the task. For instance, will you be working individually or as part of a group? Will your assessment take place in-person or online? Will your assessment be held during class time and, if so, will your classmates have any involvement in the assessment?
• Revise the key themes and concepts that have been covered in the subject so far. Use your revision to brainstorm some possible questions you may be asked during the assessment
• Participate in any practice sessions organised by your Subject Coordinator to familiarise yourself with the assessment format
• Practice answering potential questions verbally with a friend, study buddy, or by recording yourself. Ask your conversation partner for feedback on your responses, or replay your recording and reflect on any areas you’d like to improve.

Get set up for an interactive oral assessment

• If you are required to book a time for your IOA, make sure that you complete the booking process promptly and notify your Subject Coordinator if you experience any issues
• If your assessment is online, make sure you have access to the meeting platform and link to join
• Find out if you are expected to share any artefacts during the assessment (eg an artwork, a conceptual design, a prototype)
• Find out if you are allowed to refer to any materials to assist you with your responses during the assessment (eg notes).

If you are unable to attend your scheduled IOA, contact your Subject Coordinator to let them know as soon as possible.

During the interactive oral assessment

Working with your assessor

Your assessor will facilitate the conversation, usually by asking a series of structured or semi-structured questions about your topic. These questions are designed to help you demonstrate your understanding of the topic, share your thinking processes or reasoning, and apply your understanding of concepts to new situations.

It is normal to feel nervous during an IOA. Try to remember that your assessor wants you to succeed and will do everything they can to help you articulate your knowledge.

Responding to questions

It’s okay to pause to think before responding to a question. A brief pause shows that you are giving the question due consideration and that you want to provide a thoughtful, comprehensive answer.

If your assessor asks you a question that you don’t fully understand, it’s okay to ask them for clarification. One way to do this is to rephrase the question in your own words and ask them if you have understood correctly.

If you are allowed to bring notes into the IOA, keep them brief. You may refer to your notes to assist you with answering questions, but you should not read from them at length. In the same way that you wouldn’t conduct a conversation with a friend by reading from a pre-prepared script, you need to go into the assessment prepared to have a free-flowing discussion with your assessor.

Working with your group

During a group IOA, focus on making an equal contribution to that of your fellow group members. If another group member answers a question, look for opportunities to elaborate or expand on what they’ve said. Similarly, if you answer a question, leave space for your group members to elaborate on what you’ve said.

After an interactive oral assessment

As soon as possible after the assessment, take some time to reflect on what went well, as well as any aspects you found challenging. Receiving feedback from your assessor represents another valuable opportunity to reflect on your performance. Focus on using these reflections to inform your preparation for the IOA. Think about which strategies contributed to your success, as well as any new strategies you’d like to introduce to help you address any challenges you faced.