The told and the untold in viva voce : the rude examiner syndrome

Abstract EN

Examining student's theses in higher education is a process of paramount importance that requires professionalism.

Much have been told and written about examining Vivas.

However, too much is still to be told because untold so far, and this is exactly what characterizes the hidden curriculum.

Our purpose is to tell that untold covert story about the Rude Examiner Syndrome (R.

E.

S).

The implications might serve all the stakeholders concerned with vivas.

Tackling such an intricate issue required the use of observational research and namely content analysis.

The results have shown a serious deficit in some teachers' perception of non-verbal communicational facet of human language in academic context.

Informing and training viva examiners and chairmen/ chairwomen would probably solve that communicational issue