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.
Keyword(s) : knowledge
Imitative Learning: the Teacher as a Role Model
The knowledge required for teaching can be divided into three groups: knowledge needed for practice,
knowledge used in practice, and knowledge about practice. Knowledge needed for practice is
acquired during academic education. As soon as this process is completed and a person acquires
desired knowledge, he/she proceeds to the next step. The stage titled ‘knowledge used in practice’
promotes professional development of teachers. This process is an integral part of the teacher’s profession.
During this process, it is crucial to constantly acquire subject-specific knowledge, master
skills, develop personal competences, and take part in research activities.
Modern technologies lead to rapid changes in the world in every field. New trends in the development
of the world require schools to follow them. Education requires reorganization and adaptation
to new changes. Consequently, the role of teachers in the education system is changing. The teacher
remains a role model, setting an example for all pupils.
The social role of teachers is crucial when it comes to the development of the pupil’s individually and
the development of the society as a whole. Parents are the most important role models in the earliest
period of childhood development but teachers and peers are becoming increasingly important in the
later stages of children’s lives.
Pupils’ imitation of the teacher’s behaviour is one of the most important forms of learning according
to the opinion of American psychologist Alberto Bandura. The pupil imitates behavior patterns,
social values, attitudes, skills or modifies traditional ways of behavior. Imitative learning has a
great potential, greater than other ways of learning. The emotional connection between a pupil and
teacher is very important in imitative learning.
There are three variations of imitative learning: identification, imitation, and role learning. Identification
is an unconscious mimicking of other people’s behavior patterns. Children usually mimic
parents, teachers, cartoon characters, accept their attitudes and moral norms, and change their behavioral
patterns. Identification implies the adoption of internal characteristics, system of moral
values, personality traits.
The teacher as a role model influences the formation of social identity and personality of children. It
is well known that pupils are eager to learn only when they like a teacher.
According to G. Tarde, the process of imitation presupposes that certain images are created in the
mind of the imitator on the basis of observation.
In order to examine the role of teachers in shaping pupils’ behavior, we conducted a survey among
elementary school teachers and pupils in Belgrade.
Learning after a model: the position of a teacher in practice
After the influence of the parents in the earliest period of childhood development, the social role
of teachers is crucial when it comes to the growth of each of the students individually and when it
comes to the development of the society as a whole. The lifetime learning and competent teacher is
the important figure in teaching process. Consequently, the role of teachers in the education system
is changing (according to the changes in lifestyle, technology and by other social changes), but it is
always an important factor in education and upbringing. The teacher remains a model – an example
for his/her students. That model is changing with the social context, and it is understandable that
there are many points of view in building up a teacher as a model: in theory, in imaginary of the students,
and in opinion of the teachers themselves. In the paper, we are going to consider all of them.
There are three forms of learning after a model: identification, imitation, and role learning. The
teacher is a model that carries a lot of importance to the formation of social identity and has a great
responsibility in developing the personality of the child.
In order to more effectively examine the role of teachers and emphasize the importance of the teachers’
model, we conducted a survey among elementary schools in Belgrade. In the survey participated
253 students (aged from 13 to 15) and 13 pedagogues, in order to encompass different viewing angles
to the position of teacher. We came to the conclusion that when students like a professor, they
learn their subject with more attention, so the most desirable virtues of the teacher are emphazed.
Also, we can see in the results that the personality of the teacher and his/hers personal skills and
competencies are very important for students and could be crucial in the quality of the teaching
process. Teacher is not only one sided subject who has obligation to transfer knowledge, he is also
important model of behaving and learning.