Artificial intelligence (AI) transforms the way we assess students. The growing use of AI in higher education has made written and pre -recorded evaluations more vulnerable to identity and inauthentic content. Interactive oral assessments (iOS) offer a practical and man alternative.
Since their development in 2015, iOS has been implemented in more than 30 universities through Australasia, Europe and Southeast Asia. This resource is the first in a two -part series explaining what they are, how they can Strengthen academic integrity And how they can develop real communication skills.
What are iOS?
The iOS are not oral exams, presentations or sessions of repeated questions and answers. These are structured conversations based on scenarios aligned with professional and disciplinary contexts. Thanks to these unicenized dialogues, students apply knowledge, solve problems and engage in critical thinking.
Designed to reflect real world interactions, such as customer consultations or ethical opinions, iOS asks students to justify decisions and explore problems in real time. This conversational approach is supported by scaffolding that encourages deep preparation and reflection.
What makes them distinctive is their nature co-constructed and based on a scenario and their alignment with authentic professional practice. This preserves the inherent value of the model, demanding that institutions use the term appropriately and maintain rigorous quality in their design and delivery.
In a conventional oral examination, an interaction often follows a more rigid question format and answers, where students could simply recall memorized information or provide prepared responses. Although a reasoning can be explained, the real opportunity to rely on previous responses or to adapt to unforeseen prompts is limited. On the other hand, the iOS are structured around realistic scenarios which require that the students articulate their nuanced reasoning, continuously integrate new information and adapt their answers in real time as the conversation takes place.
This personalized and interactive approach makes it intrinsically difficult for students to rely on externalized content or generated by AI, because evaluation actively probe their authentic understanding, their critical thinking and their ability to navigate complex and unexpected challenges, as well as a real professional commitment.
For example, in a business ethics course, instead of simply presenting a prepared case study, students can initiate a customer consultation where they advise a fictitious company on a complex ethical dilemma.
Similarly, in a software engineering course, an interactive oral assessment differs considerably from a traditional coding exam. Instead of writing code to succeed in automated tests, students could participate in an architectural design review where they enter the role of the main developer. In this scenario, the instructor plays the “client” or the “projection of the project”, while the student, relying on the expertise they built thanks to the scaffolding, presents and defends their software architecture proposed for a complex and real problem. This uncripted dialogue obliges them to justify design choices, to respond to prompts on scalability or security in real time and to communicate technical decisions with authority. He develops skills in critical thinking, problem solving and professional communication that extend far beyond coding mastery.
IOS extends and synthesizes students’ learning thanks to an applied, authentic and personalized dialogue, while better aligning graduates on the evolutionary needs of the informed industries of the AI.
How iOS maintains academic integrity
Unreliable AI detection tools require a change to “detect if learning has occurred». IOS allow this change by forcing students to demonstrate learning through live and personalized dialogue.
Students must explain their reasoning, rely on previous responses and adapt to specific invites to their scenario. This level of personalization makes it difficult to outsource or the use of content generated by AI.
Rather than avoiding AI, these assessments encourage responsible use. Students may be invited to criticize AI outputs or apply them in context, allowing educators to assess both knowledge and processes.
Build real skills
IOS are very effective in cultivating attributes of essential graduates evaluated by employers. They allow students to practice clear communication, rapid adaptation and informed decision -making in realistic scenarios. This active commitment in professional discourse, whether it is a clinical decision or presentation of a profitability analysis, strengthens solid judgment and ethical reasoning.
IOS are a form of authentic evaluation that increase Students’ confidence, career preparation and the ability to transfer learning to work contexts. Integrating them into all programs offers students skills appreciated by employers.
The next resource of this series will describe how to implement these large -scale assessments and how to ensure that staff and students are aware of what distinguishes them from traditional oral exams.
Popi Sotiriadou is an associate professor in the Griffith University of Tourism and Marketing Department. Dani Logan-Fleming is a main advisor for learning and teaching at the Center for Learning, Teaching and Scholarships, Torrens University.
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