Viva as Interdisciplinary Assessment in Habitability in the Universe
Summary
Interdisciplinarity is...
“Using knowledge or connecting knowledge from different disciplines in a way that they complement each other and also link to and inform each other.”
Dr David Brown outlines the process of incorporating a viva-like style of group presentation and assessment into the students’ final assignment in IATL’s Habitability in the Universe module. David describes the viva as being an interdisciplinary assessment method that creates "a more relaxed and approachable way of assessing their presentations.” The students worked together in small groups on an interdisciplinary topic related to habitability with examples including the ethics of space exploration and representations of the Chernobyl disaster in the media. After each group had recorded a presentation on their project, they met with David and an external examiner to be asked individual questions about their group's topic. David discusses how this style of assessment facilitated an accessible way for students to individually engage more deeply with their ideas.
Students Say...
Although David notes that “sometimes students can struggle if they've come from a particular disciplinary background” that is “diametrically opposed,” he notes that students “enjoy how broad it is in terms of the disciplines covered and....they seem to like the way that we try and make those connections.”
Dr David Brown
Dr David Brown is a Senior Research Fellow in the Physics department working in the field of extra-Solar planets. He is a member of the Astronomy Equitea committee and PLATO Science Management (PSM), funded by the UK Space Agency.
He convenes the Habitability in the Universe IATL module and is Deputy Director of the interdisciplinary Centre for Exoplanets and Habitability.
See David’s full bio here.
Highlights
“That was definitely one of the things I wanted to do was try and draw out these connections and these links with them and encourage them to think in that kind of interdisciplinary way”
“I think they've all enjoyed the chance to explain a little bit more about what they've done”
“It creates multiple avenues for students to be able to engage with the material”
Further Resources
Curious to learn more?
Please find more information below:
Habitability in the Universe (IL907)
Viva Assignment Brief for the presentation + viva assignment
You can also contact David: d.j.a.brown@warwick.ac.uk