Advantages
Builds confidence in oral communication and thus develops skills that directly and indirectly enhance student employability. Through its emphasis on meaning over linguistic or semantic accuracy this assessment gives students an opportunity to effectively display communication skills, creativity, and critical judgment. Well suited to language courses as interpreting helps to develop linguistic proficiency, and any courses seeking to foster professional speaking or interpreting capabilities.
Challenges
In the case of JAPN7200 – all students perform simultaneously meaning that teaching staff cannot listen to every performance in its entirety – this problem can be overcome by recording performances and re-listening to them. It may be challenging to recruit appropriate guest speakers – Staff should organise speakers well in advance, drawing on professional and collegiate networks
Tips for implementation
To avoid subjective biases during the marking process (which can occur when students are graded on their subjective rather than literal interpretations), course staff should be sure to develop clear, well defined criteria and rubrics to ensure equitable distribution of grades.
How it supports academic integrity
This assessment takes place during class time and is therefore identity verified through observation. Students are unfamiliar with the source material prior to the exercise hence there is no possibility of outsourcing any preparation work.