Effectiveness of an Online Viva Voce Workshop

Abstract

Introduction: Viva voce or oral examination is widely used to assess the cognitive domain along with attitude and communication skills of students. However, the role of traditional viva voce examinations has always been challenged for high stakes exams due to its poor reliability of assessment. Therefore, it is imperative to train faculty members in the correct procedures and assessment practices in viva voce examinations. Given the challenges faced due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, an online faculty training program was conducted and evaluated. Objective: To assess the effectiveness of an online faculty development programme in improving the knowledge of the good practices for the conduct of viva voce among faculty members. Methods: This intervention-based study was carried out among 32 faculty members who were participants of an online workshop on viva voce. It was held at a private medical college in November 2020. Relevant knowledge of the participants before and after the workshop was assessed using multiple choice questions designed in Google Doc. Paired and Unpaired t-tests were used to test associations. Results: The majority of the participants were faculties of clinical science subjects [17(53.1%)]. Their median years of teaching experience was 12.5(4, 25.7). Half of the participants attended this workshop to learn the recommended procedure for conducting a viva voce. The mean pre-test score among participants was 6.3±2.2, and the mean post-test score was 8.8±2.7 (t=4.381, p<0.001). Most participants gave a positive feedback about the workshop. Conclusion: Based on the performance scores and the positive feedback given by the participants, this online workshop was found to improve their knowledge regarding good practice for conducting a viva voce. The training of teachers in the proper conduct of viva voce is essential at every teaching institution and can be effectively delivered using online platforms, as confirmed by this study.