Exploring Student Perceptions of Oral Presentation Assessments in Higher Education

Abstract

Oral presentation assessments are commonly used in higher education. This paper conducts an exploratory study and investigates student perceptions of oral presentation assessments on two aspects, the benefits of oral presentations for presenting students and the engagement of non-presenting students during presentations. A mixed method with both qualitative and quantitative survey questions is used for collecting data from students undertaking an elective Finance course in the third year of an undergraduate degree. Results show that presenting students perceive the oral presentation assessment as beneficial to their learning and developing presentation skills. Peer evaluations and reciprocal peer questioning, intended to increase non-presenting students’ engagement during presentations, are also well-received by students. The frequency count of students’ feedback indicates that reciprocal peer questioning facilitates engagement better than peer evaluations.