Oral assessments are often proposed as an “AI-resistant” alternative to written assignments that foster cognitive skills that are especially important in an AI-infused world, such as empathy, conversational communication, and situated-decision making. The unique opportunities offered by oral assessments, however, also come with unique equity challenges that require creative and potentially unfamiliar solutions. Students’ lack of practice with the format, anxiety and performance stress, language and cultural barriers, and neurodiversity (including differences in processing time, speech, and social fluency) all constitute hurdles for equitable assessment, particularly for instructors who have never designed an oral examination. In this session, we will explore these risks, identify strategies for designing and implementing assignments that reduce their impact, and apply those strategies to participants’ specific instructional contexts. Participants will leave the session with a clearer understanding of the equity challenges associated with oral assessment, knowledge of concrete techniques for addressing them, and at least one new or reformed assignment that incorporates inclusive oral assessment components ready to be implemented into their existing courses.
