Oral examination via webconferencing

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Oral examination via webconferencing

• Anneleen Cosemans
• DIVERSE July 3th 2008

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Where do I work?

• AVNet
• Audiovisual New Educational Technologies
• Central support service of the university and 11
  associated university colleges

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AVNet two legs
? Development of Multimedia and Media systems Production Presentation Compression/Distribution Research ? Support of Multimedia and Multicampus Education Operational Conceptual Research
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Multicampus research

• How can you coach exchange students at a
  distance?
• Virtual Mobility Before and After Student
  Exchanges
• Socrates Minerva project (October 2006 -
  September 2008)

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Project partners

• EuroPACE ivzw (BE)
• University of Leuven (BE)
• Coimbra Group ASBL (BE)
• Katholieke Hogeschool Leuven (BE)
• ESU European Students Union (BE)
• University of Tartu (EE)
• BEST Board of European Students of Technology
  (FR)
• University of West Hungary Faculty of
  Geoinformatics (HU)
• Helsinki University of Technology, TKK Dipoli
  (FI)
• Laurea University of Applied Sciences (FI)
• University of Edinburgh (UK)

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Virtual support activities
BEFORE AFTER
Virtual buddy system Preparatory courses (language, culture, digital literacy) Pre-selection tools Virtual assessment and evaluation at a distance Virtual Alumni
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Pilot e-assessment

• Master European Social Security (Faculty of Law)
• one-year international study programme in English
• Blends regular with distance learning
• This pilot
• 2007-2008 need for oral examination at a
  distance
• Set-up of e-assessment through webconferencing

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An impression
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Which tool and why?

• Web conferencing, because
• 1-to-1 communication
• Minimal technical infrastructure (ltgt
  videoconference)
• Minimal technical support (ltgt videoconference)
• FlashMeeting, because
• Still in test phase of Adobe Connect
• Very much acquainted with the application
• No extra software installation (ltgt Skype, MSN)
• Reliability of the system (Open University, UK)
• Virtual meetings are recorded

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The three things we do to help

1. Organisation
2. Technology what and how?
3. Didactics/pedagogy

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1. Organisation

• Face-to-face meeting with teacher and assistants
• Detailed scenario of preparatory activities and
  examination itself
• Evaluation

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2. Technology

• What?
• FlashMeeting
• Computer with internet connection webcam
• How?
• Manual FlashMeeting
• Some tips on webcams, light,

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3. Didactics/pedagogy

• Clear division of tasks
• Detailed scenario of the examination
• Specific character of FlashMeeting
• One-way communication (additional questions at
  the end of the exam)
• Exam questions through other channel
• Rather short questions with short answers

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Some reactions

• Quality similar to F2F
• Recordings are added value
• F2F meeting for authentication
• The technology should disappear
• Time consuming
• Connectivity, crucial for timing

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To be continued

• Sequel in 2008-2009
• Adobe Connect instead of FlashMeeting
• Not only examination, also
• Oral defense master paper
• Virtual contact moments
• Webconferencing as a second-line instrument

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Thank you!

• Other experiences?
• Questions?
• anneleen.cosemans_at_avnet.kuleuven.be