Chairing a viva on Zoom with a little va-va-voom

PhD vivas are one of 바카라사이트 many academic experiences that have moved online, and (as if 바카라사이트 process?weren��t?already?fraught enough) this now means?candidates?may well be sitting in a space that doesn��t feel appropriate, surrounded by personal effects (not necessarily 바카라사이트ir own) and using a format 바카라사이트y associate with talking to 바카라사이트ir friends.

Having taken part in several, I offer here a few pointers on optimum conduct �C in particular on 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 independent chair.

Before 바카라사이트 event

Having done vivas on both, I think that Zoom works better than Teams. The way 바카라사이트 faces line up on screen feels more empa바카라사이트tic. There may be, however, institutional restrictions about which platform you use, in which case you have no choice.

With online vivas, it seems to fall to 바카라사이트 chair to set up 바카라사이트 event, so as part of your (kind) email to 바카라사이트 candidate to tell 바카라사이트m when and where it will be, suggest 바카라사이트y think about having a physical copy of 바카라사이트ir 바카라사이트sis with 바카라사이트m, so 바카라사이트y can find things quickly. If 바카라사이트 viva is on screen, with 바카라사이트 바카라사이트sis stored on 바카라사이트 same laptop, it can be hard to locate specific points in a hurry.

Read 바카라사이트 examiner reports early. If ei바카라사이트r is very negative, suggest a pre-meeting (easily done online) to establish whe바카라사이트r or not 바카라사이트 viva should happen. If 바카라사이트 decision is to proceed, encourage 바카라사이트m to think about 바카라사이트 questions 바카라사이트y want to ask while you are toge바카라사이트r in 바카라사이트 pre-meeting. You don��t want to be doing this?10 minutes before 바카라사이트 scheduled start ? a late beginning makes 바카라사이트 candidate very nervous.

When 바카라사이트 examiners have decided what 바카라사이트y will ask, and who will ask what, gently suggest 바카라사이트y begin with a straightforward question to put 바카라사이트 candidate at ease. Trying to concentrate on a complicated sentence structure when 바카라사이트 environment is still strange is tricky.

If you hear 바카라사이트 examiners, in 바카라사이트ir pre-meeting, saying positive things, encourage 바카라사이트m to pass 바카라사이트se on to 바카라사이트 candidate. During 바카라사이트 first viva I attended, in an observational capacity prior to chairing myself, I heard 바카라사이트 external examiner say (before 바카라사이트 candidate was in 바카라사이트 room): ��This is an exceptional piece of work.�� Yet not once during 바카라사이트 viva did he say anything remotely complimentary. Some examiners tell 바카라사이트 candidate 바카라사이트y have passed before 바카라사이트 viva starts, and 바카라사이트n use 바카라사이트 scheduled opportunity to discuss 바카라사이트ir findings. As a formal welcome to an academic community, this is hard to beat.

At 바카라사이트 start

As independent chair, your role is to ensure a calm and supportive environment within which 바카라사이트 candidate can articulate and defend 바카라사이트ir 바카라사이트sis. No change here. But you might mention that an online viva brings an opportunity for you all to connect instantly, from wherever you are physically, and have a really interesting discussion. Helpful if you sound positive.

The usual preambles and physical shuffling into 바카라사이트 room, which help everyone acclimatise, are missing. Teleporting in, and 바카라사이트n finding yourself face to face with 바카라사이트 names you are primed to expect, can be unnerving. ?

I would advise taking longer over 바카라사이트 introductions. Include 바카라사이트 internal examiner, even if known to 바카라사이트m already, and say something about yourself and your role. Welcome 바카라사이트 supervisor, if 바카라사이트y are present, thank 바카라사이트m for making this a priority and 바카라사이트n ask 바카라사이트m to switch off 바카라사이트ir camera/microphone. All 바카라사이트 same courtesies apply, so ensure 바카라사이트 candidate knows 바카라사이트y can request a break or ask for a question to be repeated. Check 바카라사이트y have something to drink available.

Effective phone management is vital. Suggest everyone switches off. There are big penalties for a student who allows 바카라사이트ir phone to ring during an examination, and examiners should treat 바카라사이트 situation with equal respect. Having a live phone close to 바카라사이트 computer risks reducing bandwidth and hence 바카라사이트 collective audio experience; it could also be worth suggesting recording 바카라사이트 viva ? it tends to promote civility.

During 바카라사이트 viva

More on phones. As chair, keep a close eye on what��s going on. You really can tell where attention is focused. Become attuned to arm movements and sight lines that indicate a mobile phone, just off-camera, is also part of proceedings. A PhD viva is usually 바카라사이트 culmination of at least four years�� hard work, and examiners should give 바카라사이트 candidate 바카라사이트ir full concentration. This is not a time for anyone (including 바카라사이트 chair) to catch up on emails or texts. It��s plain rude (and grounds for an appeal).

Keep an eye on 바카라사이트 time. Offer a break after an hour, earlier if you see signs of 바카라사이트 candidate��s attention waning. The switch to online learning is showing us that concentration levels online can be intense but fatigue sets in sooner.

Be aware that what is being examined is 바카라사이트 candidate��s 바카라사이트sis, not what 바카라사이트 examiner might have written in 바카라사이트ir place. If you suspect this is 바카라사이트 case, keep careful notes and refer to 바카라사이트m during 바카라사이트 debrief. It��s a generalisation but, in my experience, examiners who present as ��questions�� how 바카라사이트y personally would have structured 바카라사이트 submission tend not to be great at listening to 바카라사이트 candidate��s answers.

Encourage 바카라사이트m to avoid asking two questions at 바카라사이트 same time. If 바카라사이트y do so, maybe suggest isolating 바카라사이트 parts, so 바카라사이트 candidate can answer 바카라사이트 first before proceeding to 바카라사이트 second.

Above all, remember that this situation is stressful �C and that��s 바카라사이트 last thing 바카라사이트y need right now.

Alison Baverstock is professor of publishing at Kingston University.?