Academic discussions: evaluating student experience and outcomes and tutor perceptions of this novel form of assessment

Project leader(s): Fiona Moorman Katja Rietdorf Karen New Kate Fox

Theme: Innovative assessment
Project faculties: STEM
Status: Current
Date: March 2026 to March 2029

In response to academic integrity concerns and with a view to piloting a more authentic form of assessment within the biology curriculum, S317 (Biological Science: from genes to species) and S296 (Cell biology) plan to introduce a structured spoken assessment ‘Academic Discussion’ (AD) into their assessment strategies from 26J. On both modules, recorded ADs lasting approximately 20 minutes (S317) and 15 minutes (S296) will be held with each student’s tutor in our online tutorial software (Adobe Connect). Up to two AD opportunities will be offered to each student. Tutors will select questions of similar complexity from a provided bank of questions, either based on a research paper (S317), or data interpretation (S296) and will use a clear marking rubric to score ADs. The following supportive measures will be put in place to help students to prepare for their AD:

A recording of a demonstration academic discussion assessment will be made available
All students will have the opportunity to practice 1-2-1 ADs with their tutor in an informal, low-stakes environment.
Students will be provided with advance information about the areas to be assessed
Questions will be presented on a slide so that students can read the questions during the academic discussion.
Additional time / rest breaks and an off-camera option (or on-camera but looking away) could be available as reasonable adjustments.

We plan to evaluate student and tutor experiences and student outcomes on both modules (withdrawal rates, TMA scores, pass rates) at the end of each presentation to explore impacts on retention, student performance and student experience.

We plan to collect demographic data on students on both modules (disability, ethnicity, IMD, gender, PEQ) to evaluate whether any demographic groups are disproportionally disadvantaged via ADs.

We also plan to analyse data relating to student engagement with the AD opportunities, logistical issues associated with ADs and tutor time taken to arrange, conduct and score ADs.

Findings from this project may be used to inform spoken assessments more widely within the university if they are adopted as a means of verifying student understanding given the extensive use of GenAI.