To what extent is ‘thinking on your feet’/reflection-in-action relevant to the role of Further and Higher Education Examination Invigilators? Implications for examination policy and practice

Abstract

The aim of this small-scale grounded approach qualitative study was to examine the extent to which the skill of ‘thinking on your feet’/reflection-in-action is relevant to the role of Further and Higher Education Examination Invigilators particularly during the phases of an examination where students are present. The importance of this study rested in the fact that there is a paucity of research which examines the role of examination invigilators at the further and higher education levels. Therefore, it aids in filling a literary gap and gives them a ‘voice’ in the research literature. Study participants were six examination invigilators, working in a London Further Education College. Purposeful convenience or opportunity sampling was used in their selection. Interviews and documentary analysis were the research methods used. The main research question was: ‘To what extent is ‘thinking on your feet’/reflection-in-action relevant to the role of Further and Higher Education Examination Invigilators? This also formed the topic for this paper’. The findings revealed the fact examination invigilators have a common understanding of the research term ‘thinking on your feet’/reflection-in-action, and rated it relevant, very relevant and extremely relevant to their role. Relevance was linked to its usefulness i.e., usefulness in various circumstances; decision making; preventing mistakes and uncovering students’ duplicity. The implications of the findings are discussed.

Computer-based examinations: unearthing exam invigilators’ perspectives, tacit work-related knowledge, and skills via reflection-on-experience

“…The importance of the study rests in the fact that there is a paucity of research that examines the perspectives and role of exam invigilators and their work-related knowledge and skills developed on the job (Minott 2018(Minott & 2020. The move to online teaching caused by the pandemic has implications for exam invigilation policy and practice.…”

“…There is evidence that invigilators develop knowledge and skills away from these formal training exercises. This development occurs while they grapple with the activities of invigilation (Minott, 2020). The knowledge they develop links with the tasks of invigilation and, therefore, is workrelated.…”

“…This study is important for several reasons: one, there is a paucity of research that examines the perspectives and role of exam invigilators and their work-related knowledge and skills developed on the job (Minott, 2018 and2020). Two, the study aids in filling this literary gap and gives invigilators a 'voice' in the research literature.…”

Building work-related knowledge about examination invigilation through reflective journaling

“…Reflective journaling and building work-knowledge about "thinking on your feet"/reflection-in-action Examination invigilators rate "thinking on your feet"/reflection-in-action as relevant, very relevant and extremely relevant to their role. Its relevance is linked to its usefulness in various circumstances: decision making; preventing mistakes and uncovering students' duplicity (Minott, 2020).…”