Since 2020, I have been teaching academic writing across undergraduate and postgraduate levels within the Discipline of English and Writing Studies at the University of Sydney, focusing on supporting students for whom English is an additional language. This pedagogical context has continually deepened my appreciation for the linguistic and cultural diversity students bring to the classroom and has shaped my belief that academic writing is not a natural mode of expression for everyone: even for native speakers, it is a learned, evolving practice. I therefore encourage students to view their multilingualism not as a deficit but as a distinctive asset – one that enriches scholarly voice and fosters a more inclusive academic culture.
This perspective has proven essential in navigating the shifting terrain of writing pedagogy, especially as it intersects with digital transformation and institutional change. WRIT units have responded with increasing agility to the demands of a global student cohort and a rapidly digitising educational landscape. Among the most disruptive yet generative developments has been the rise of generative artificial intelligence. Tools such as ChatGPT have prompted a re-evaluation of foundational concepts – authorship, originality, and rhetorical engagement – challenging traditional assessment models while opening new pedagogical possibilities.
Performance-Centred Pedagogy and the Interactive Oral Assessment
One such innovation is the Interactive Oral Assessment (IOA), developed within WRIT1001 (Writing and Rhetoric: Academic Essays), a first-year unit in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Drawing on insights from theatre and performance studies, the IOA reframes academic writing as a dialogic and embodied practice. Prior to this scenario-based assessment, students will have submitted a short academic research essay that uses the method of rhetorical analysis to make an overall argument about the way other people communicate on a topic students have chosen to explore during the semester. The IOA then simulates an 8–10-minute conversation about this piece of writing in which the student takes on the role of aspiring author and their tutor acts as the editor of an appropriate publication outlet (a scholarly journal, a professional newsletter, a magazine aimed at interested lay readers, etc.). As they discuss with their tutor/editor the scope for turning the essay into a publication, students are assessed on their understanding of rhetorical principles, adaptability of ideas, and responsiveness to feedback – demonstrating ownership of their work and rhetorical dexterity in real time.
The IOA responds directly to the challenges posed by AI-generated content by foregrounding the writer’s voice and intentionality. It transforms assessment into a performative dialogue, validating authorship and fostering critical thinking, creativity, and intellectual agency. As the final task in a scaffolded assessment structure, the IOA synthesises prior learning and invites students to reflect on their scholarly development.
Pedagogical Innovation Amid Institutional Shifts
The anticipated impact of proposed caps on international student enrolment has intensified the imperative for inclusive and adaptive teaching. In large, diverse cohorts, fostering engagement and retention is not merely desirable – it’s essential to institutional sustainability and educational equity. After engaging in these one-to-one IOA sessions with more than 100 students, I have realised that performance-centred pedagogy offers a compelling response, enabling educators to design imaginative curricula and culturally responsive assessments that promote active participation and a sense of belonging.
Within WRIT1001, the IOA exemplifies this approach. It positions students as professional writers navigating real-world rhetorical contexts, encouraging them to articulate their ideas with clarity and confidence. Dr Benjamin Miller, course designer and unit coordinator of WRIT1001, puts it: “mobilising insights from Performance Studies not only fosters creativity and critical thinking but also encourages students to adapt their learning across diverse contexts”.
Rehumanising Academic Writing Through Performance
The IOA represents a significant shift away from product-oriented models of learning, helping educators to ‘rethink assessment in response to AI’ toward a more holistic understanding of academic practice. It aligns with Janice Hinckfuss’s assertion that “academic writing [needs to be understood] is an embodied practice that is performatively accomplished,” foregrounding the interpersonal, affective, and identity-forming dimensions of textual production. Writing, in this view, becomes a space of negotiation – between self and audience, intention and interpretation, disciplinary norms and individual voice. Students are also encouraged to see continuity between face-to-face oral genres of communication and written genres like the traditional academic research essay.
Associate Professor Ian Maxwell also argues that use of insights from performance studies not only helps the teaching team in WRIT1001 to cater to the goals of the unit, but also displays the power of words to effect change in society:
“if we think about writing in terms of performance, we might ask not so much ‘what is the writer trying attempting to express?’, but rather, ‘what is the writer trying to do?’. Writing becomes performative when it takes up an action to the reader, with the intention of affecting that reader – getting them to think, to change their mind, to reflect – rather than simply being the medium through which ideas are transmitted”.
Dr Paul Dwyer stresses that the use of role-play and simulation in assessments like the IOA described above does not mean having to teach students a whole extra layer of ‘acting skills’ on top of the discipline-specific content knowledge they are already learning:
“People often lapse into thinking of acting as purely simulation, ‘make-believe’, pretend… I think of it more as being ‘authentically present’ in a situation. Professional actors are mostly using techniques that all of us all already use in everyday social interactions; they may have practised these skills for longer and with more intense focus than the rest of us, but students can learn a lot if we help them, even just modestly, to have greater conscious awareness of the context of communication in a way that actors do: What is my role in this interaction? Who am I interacting with? What is my goal? What resources can I mobilise? etc.”.
Dwyer agrees with Dr Benjamin Miller and colleagues that a performance-centred pedagogy could help educators to assess skills like critical thinking, communication, problem-solving, adaptability, and applying knowledge in practical, contextual ways. In an era shaped by artificial intelligence and algorithmic authorship, such approaches are increasingly vital. Performance-based pedagogy rehumanises academic writing by centring embodiment, voice, and dialogic engagement. It empowers students to claim their scholarly identities and navigate the complexities of authorship with creativity and confidence.
Thinking of running IOA in your own context?
If you are thinking of running IOA in your own context, here are six quick tips for getting started:
- Align with Learning Outcomes: Link IOA tasks to key skills like communication, reasoning, and applied knowledge.
- Design Authentic Tasks: Use discipline-relevant scenarios (e.g. pitches, interviews, debates) to make assessments meaningful.
- Scaffold the Experience: Provide practice, examples, and reflection opportunities to build student confidence.
- Train Tutors and Markers: Share rubrics, sample responses, and moderation guidelines for consistency.
- Ensure Admin Support: Coordinate room bookings and access to equipment for smooth delivery.
- Gather Feedback and Iterate: Use student and staff input to refine IOA design and implementation.
Final thoughts: Performing authorship and reclaiming student agency
Academic writing is changing. It’s being shaped by new technologies, shifting institutional priorities, and evolving cultural contexts. In this moment of transformation, we need teaching practices that are innovative, inclusive, and responsive. The IOA offers a fresh way to think about writing instruction. It encourages us to value linguistic diversity, nurture intellectual flexibility, and welcome creativity into the classroom.
After six years of teaching academic writing at the University of Sydney, I’ve seen firsthand how much the landscape has shifted. These changes call for a pedagogy that’s grounded in interdisciplinary thinking and shaped by real classroom experience. To meet the needs of today’s students, we need to teach in ways that help them engage with academic discourse authentically and adaptively. We should encourage curiosity and critical thinking. The future of academic writing isn’t about resisting change. It’s about responding to it – with creativity, with care, and with a willingness to rethink what it means to write, learn, and share knowledge in a world shaped by AI.
Find out more about Interactive Oral Assessment (IOA) at Sydney
Learn more about Interactive Oral Assessments by:
- Joining an Interactive Oral Assessments workshop
- Connecting with the Interactive Oral Exchange special interest group: https://bit.ly/IOA-exchange
- Reading more at Teaching@Sydney:
- Five myths about interactive oral assessments and how to get started by Eszter Kalman, Benjamin Miller and Danny Liu
- Interactive Oral Assessment in practice by Leanne Stevenson, Benjamin Miller and Clara Sitbon
