Interactive Orals

Lecturers: Dr Heike Felzmann and Dr Lucy Elvis 

Funding: College of Arts Social Sciences and Celtic Studies, Technology Grant  

About: In response to concerns about capturing student’s philosophical skills in an age where fears about student use of AI are causing some disciplines to move to examinations only, University of Galway Philosophy are trialling arrange of different assessment methods that will allow our diverse student body to show the skills unique to philosophical thinking.  

Dr Felzmann and Dr Elvis will trial Interactive Orals with students in second-year who are studying Ethics and the Philosophy of Art where they’ll apply theories they have learned to cases.  

Interactive Orals were pioneered by Griffith University, Australia. They are free-flowing, unscripted interactions that can happen in-person or online. IOAs are a chance for students to apply their skills and knowledge with the support of their instructor in a group context. They are well-regarded as a way of supporting academic integrity and student employability.  

Following the pilot of IOAs in these two contexts, staff hope to publish their reflections and share what they have learned with colleagues.