Trinity College London: Why go digital for drama?

As we start this year, hopefully of brighter times, we look at ten reasons why drama teachers are considering digital assessment to offer their students consistency throughout the present challenges.

1. Students can enter when they are ready. Digital Grades and Diploma exams are open for entry throughout the year – this eliminates the need to work towards a set exam date. Candidates can enter as soon as they are ready and are confident that they can perform at their best.
   
   
2. There is no need to travel to an exam centre. If you usually enter via a centre open to the public you will no longer need to arrange transport, or plan a whole day around your exam. Candidates can take the exam in an environment they are familiar and comfortable with, which may be particularly useful for younger candidates or those with SEND requirements. In current times this also reduces the risks associated with coronavirus, as there is no need to be in a room with an examiner, or potentially use public transport to get to an exam centre.
   
   
3. Private centres, such as schools or colleges, can plan their filming schedule based on candidate’s timetables or availability. This means that they can fit their exams around other commitments, which may be more beneficial to students – especially if this means they no longer need to miss other lessons for their exam. For Trinity’s digital examinations, candidates just need to remember to film and upload any submissions in the same week.
   
   
4. They could help students to continue with assessments when budgets are stretched. While not the sole reason to choose a digital exam, Trinity’s Digital Grades & Diplomas cost 10% less than the equivalent face-to-face exam.
   
   
5. Some candidates may feel more confident performing in a familiar environment. All Trinity’s examiners are friendly and supportive, but despite this we recognise that an exam day can still be a stressful experience for candidates.
   
   
6. Working with video lets a candidate see how they’re doing. It’s a good idea to record some of the prepared performance pieces and watch them back – teachers can incorporate video in their sessions – it’s a great tool to be able see what’s working and what needs a little more development. As my colleague Gregg Whelan, Trinity’s Director of Performance explains: ‘Part of Trinity’s Digital Grades & Diplomas academic construct is the notion of reflective and iterative improvement. This means that candidates are encouraged, if they wish, to review a recording, assess their performance and make any changes they think are required to improve their work. This mirrors professional processes used across the industry, from rehearsal rooms to sound-stages, grounding this aspect of our Digital Grades in real-world performance skills.’ Remember, a final submission must be one unedited recording of all performance pieces and Supporting Tasks, where required.
   
   
7. For candidates who may be less confident, are younger or require a SEND adjustment, all reflective questions for Trinity’s Digital Grades & Diplomas (replacing the conversation with the examiner element in the face-to-face exam) can be found online in our Support Guide. Supporting tasks are updated weekly and can be accessed prior to filming an exam in that same week. This means that candidates may have a bit more time than usual to prepare and won’t be presented with any surprises in the exam.
   
   
8. These exams are assessed by the same panel of examiners that deliver our face-to-face exams. Students will still receive marks and personalised feedback just as they would in a live environment.
   
   
9. Trinity’s Digital Grades & Diplomas carry the same UCAS points at higher grades as our face-to-face exams and are regulated and recognised in exactly the same way. Candidates can be assured that the high standard expected from Trinity exams is maintained.
   
   
10. Our principle of free choice of text remains a core feature of all our Drama Digital Grades & Diplomas, just the same as our face-to-face exams, so students can be as creative as they want with their text choices or make use of Trinity’s online anthology of suggested texts to help build a unique programme. Reflective and supporting tasks have been developed to maintain this element of all our exams, allowing maximum flexibility for candidates and teachers.

Trinity’s Digital Grades & Diplomas provide solo assessment opportunities for candidates across our Acting, Speech & Drama, Musical Theatre and Performance Arts syllabus specifications, from Initial to ATCL levels. This exciting new suite of exams, which compliments Trinity’s long tradition of offering creative and academically robust assessments, enables our drama offer to continue to be relevant and beneficial to learners in this new world in which we find ourselves.

Find out more about Trinity’s Digital Grades & Diplomas at www.trinitycollege.com/DGD