Viva Voce Reflection (For Supervisors)
Purpose of the Viva Voce session
This is the final reflection session in the EE process, and for students and supervisors it represents one of the FINAL things we have to do. After VV, students write one final reflection, and then supervisors add their "supervisor's comments" to the bottom of students' reflection form, and everything goes off to IBO.
The Viva Voce is not a workshopping session; there is no need to discuss grammar or vocabulary or correct mistakes made in the essay. Instead, it should be focused on helping students complete their final reflection. A link to sample VV questions can be found at the bottom of this page.
Beyond helping students reflect, there are a few other things we need to do...
Authenticating students' work
Pick a section (or sections) of the essay to specifically discuss with students. Ask about their choices, how they formed their arguments, the sources they used, etc.
Students should not be expected to answer immediately -- it's good to give space to think -- but they should demonstrate a familiarity with their essay and be able to discuss their process.
If you have concerns about the authenticity of an EE, let the EEC and DPC know as soon as possible.
Celebrating the EE process
These should be positive meetings! The EE is done! This is not a time to talk about how the student disappointed us or all the ways they could have done better, but rather to look at what they've learned, the skills they've developed, and the ways their work may or may not inform their future studies.
It is ok to discuss how the EE could be improved, but ideally we want those ideas to come from the students: it could be about what they'd do differently if they were to start over and do the EE again, or how they might approach an obstacle they faced from a different perspective. All of the essays can be better, for sure, but we want to highlight the success of having a finished product rather than the shortcomings.
The Big "Lessons Learned"
This often helps students with their final reflections, in particular.
The biggest "lessons" could be related to the subject or topic, the nature of research or academic work, or things they learned about themselves and their abilities. From my own reflection sessions, I've had students talk about things like the importance of primary vs secondary sources for historians, or another student whose biggest takeaway was more personal: they were pleased they were able to actually finish the essay, and that doubt had been gnawing at them.
Sample Viva Voce topics + questions
Feel free to use these as inspiration, but make sure you are prepared with questions that fit the work the student has done. If you're supervising multiple essays, no two Viva Voces should be alike, since the essays are not alike (we hope.) The Viva Voce should be tailored to students' subjects, their topics, and their journey through the EE.
Follow this link to find a page from International School Manila, with a range of sample VV questions you can use as starting points. Beyond that, consider your students and the work they've done, their interest in the subject, and the specific successes and challenges they encountered.