News

The University of Bayreuth has developed ExamSim, an AI-based simulator for oral exams. A digital avatar, powered by AI, acts as an examiner, generating questions, responding to students' answers, and asking follow-up questions. The system supports various difficulty levels and is adaptable to multiple disciplines. AI-driven analytics evaluate students' performance based on eye contact, gestures, voice modulation (via NOVA), and spoken text (transcription & LLM analysis), providing detailed feedback. The pilot phase is scheduled for the winter semester 2024/25.

Benefits for Professors and Lecturers

1. Enhanced Exam Preparation:

   • Students practice oral exams in a stress-simulated yet safe environment.
   • Improves rhetorical skills and structured responses.

2. Data-Driven Teaching Support:

   • The system gives feedback to common weaknesses (e.g., lack of eye contact, unclear articulation).
   • Enables targeted feedback and coaching.

3. Flexible and Multi-Disciplinary Use:

   • Applicable across disciplines (humanities, sciences, law).
   • Customizable exam content and questioning styles.

4. Seamless Integration into Courses:

   • Can be used in tutorials, exam prep, and skill-building exercises.
   • Supports adaptive learning paths based on student progress.

5. Minimal Setup Effort for Lecturers:

   • Predefined templates for various subjects and scenarios.
   • Easy content customization to match specific learning objectives.

6. Future Scalability:

   • Potential for adoption at other universities with tailored content.
   • Supports ongoing research on AI-driven assessments and exam anxiety reduction.

Technology and Research Insights

• Uses LLM for text evaluation, HeyGen interactive avatars and NOVA for behavioral analysis.
• Research focuses on reducing exam anxiety and enhancing nonverbal communication skills.
• Collaborative development with AI and digital learning experts.

ExamSim represents a significant advancement in university teaching, enabling innovative, AI-supported oral exam training while enhancing lecturers’ ability to support students effectively.

Next workshop

26.5.2025 - Integrate the Oral Exam Simulator to prepare your students for oral exams [DiL] 

Interested in testing ExamSim?

For test accounts and custom AI assistant configurations, please contact Paul Dölle from the Center for University Teaching (ZHL) at the University of Bayreuth.