Adopting a Sustainable Framework for Online Oral Examination Practices from a Student's Perspective: The Case of the Open University of Tanzania

Abstract

Information and communication technology (ICT) provides numerous global opportunities and benefits for teaching and learning. The Open University of Tanzania (OUT) manages these teaching and learning activities by combining online and face- to-face delivery modes. The unimaginable COVID-19 pandemic emerged in 2020. In addition to its adverse effects on human health, it slowed socio-economic development, including education, in various countries. Due to the necessary isolationand social distancing to minimise the pandemic's impact in Tanzania, this pandemic led to the closure of all educational institutions in March 2020. The online delivery part of our blended learning strategy was limited to formative assessments, leaving summative assessments to the face-to-face delivery mode. Due to the pandemic, OUT investigated "online summative assessment approaches" and developed an online oral exam (OREX). During the annual examination sessions in July and August of 2020, this OREX was utilised by OUT to meet pandemic requirements and fulfil the University's vision of being a leading open and online university for knowledge creation and application. Its inputs included coming out with questions, examiners, an observer and a link for each candidate exam session. Zoom, a web conferencing technology and venue for each exam, complimented them. This study aimed to investigate student perceptions of this OREX intervention to develop a framework for a sustainable online oral examination ecosystem. The methodology employed consisted primarily of a survey of students and a desk review that included collecting and reviewing pertinent documents from relevant offices. The results revealed the approach's advantages for students and the country's socio-economic development and suggestions for enhancing a sustainable and effective online oral examination. Based on these findings and discussion, a framework for the online oral examination ecosystem and student-centric recommendations is proposed. Researchers, decision-makers, and practitioners areas well-informed of the implications of the study's results.