Integrated online formative assessments in the biomedical sciences for medical students: benefits for learning

BMC Medical Education, Nov 2008

Background Online formative assessments have a sound theoretical basis, and are prevalent and popular in higher education settings, but data to establish their educational benefits are lacking. This study attempts to determine whether participation and performance in integrated online formative assessments in the biomedical sciences has measurable effects on learning by junior medical students. Methods Students enrolled in Phase 1 (Years 1 and 2) of an undergraduate Medicine program were studied over two consecutive years, 2006 and 2007. In seven consecutive courses, end-of-course (EOC) summative examination marks were analysed with respect to the effect of participation and performance in voluntary online formative assessments. Online evaluation surveys were utilized to gather students' perceptions regarding online formative assessments. Results Students rated online assessments highly on all measures. Participation in formative assessments had a statistically significant positive relationship with EOC marks in all courses. The mean difference in EOC marks for those who participated in formative assessments ranged from 6.3% (95% confidence intervals 1.6 to 11.0; p = 0.009) in Course 5 to 3.2% (0.2 to 6.2; p = 0.037) in Course 2. For all courses, performance in formative assessments correlated significantly with EOC marks (p < 0.001 for each course). The variance in EOC marks that could be explained by performance in the formative assessments ranged from 21.8% in Course 6 to 4.1% in Course 7. Conclusion The results support the contention that well designed formative assessments can have significant positive effects on learning. There is untapped potential for use of formative assessments to assist learning by medical students and postgraduate medical trainees.

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Integrated online formative assessments in the biomedical sciences for medical students: benefits for learning

BMC Medical Education Integrated online formative assessments in the biomedical sciences for medical students: benefits for learning Gary M Velan 2 Philip Jones 1 H Patrick McNeil 0 Rakesh K Kumar 2 0 South West Sydney Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, The University of New South Wales , Sydney 2052 , Australia 1 Office of Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, The University of New South Wales , Sydney 2052 , Australia 2 Department of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of New South Wales , Sydney 2052 , Australia Background: Online formative assessments have a sound theoretical basis, and are prevalent and popular in higher education settings, but data to establish their educational benefits are lacking. This study attempts to determine whether participation and performance in integrated online formative assessments in the biomedical sciences has measurable effects on learning by junior medical students. Methods: Students enrolled in Phase 1 (Years 1 and 2) of an undergraduate Medicine program were studied over two consecutive years, 2006 and 2007. In seven consecutive courses, end-ofcourse (EOC) summative examination marks were analysed with respect to the effect of participation and performance in voluntary online formative assessments. Online evaluation surveys were utilized to gather students' perceptions regarding online formative assessments. Results: Students rated online assessments highly on all measures. Participation in formative assessments had a statistically significant positive relationship with EOC marks in all courses. The mean difference in EOC marks for those who participated in formative assessments ranged from 6.3% (95% confidence intervals 1.6 to 11.0; p = 0.009) in Course 5 to 3.2% (0.2 to 6.2; p = 0.037) in Course 2. For all courses, performance in formative assessments correlated significantly with EOC marks (p < 0.001 for each course). The variance in EOC marks that could be explained by performance in the formative assessments ranged from 21.8% in Course 6 to 4.1% in Course 7. Conclusion: The results support the contention that well designed formative assessments can have significant positive effects on learning. There is untapped potential for use of formative assessments to assist learning by medical students and postgraduate medical trainees. - Background Assessment has sufficiently powerful effects on learning to be the de facto curriculum [1]. This includes not only what is learnt, but also students' approaches to learning [2-4]. Formative assessments are designed for the purpose of giving feedback on performance and suggestions for improvement, and are intended to promote students' learning [5,6]. Formative assessments that provide timely, relevant and supportive feedback (not just grades) can contribute to improved learning outcomes [7]. In contrast, summative assessments are predominantly utilized for grading and certification at the end of a period of study, often without providing feedback to students on their performance. Indeed, one of the major weaknesses of most modern higher education programs, as evidenced by course evaluation surveys, is failure to provide adequate feedback to students on their learning [8]. It should be noted that the provision of diagnostic and remedial feedback has been found to be one of the most potent influences on student achievement [9]. If the purpose of assessment is to foster better learning outcomes, it could be argued that formative assessment is the most important assessment practice [10]. Paper-based formative assessments have a number of limitations [11]: students must be gathered together and invigilated; individualized feedback is time-consuming, and might not be feasible with large class sizes [12]; and analysis of question reliability and validity can be tedious. In contrast, Web-based formative assessments offer clear advantages for students: immediacy of feedback; flexibility in time and place of undertaking the assessment; feedback can provide links to learning resources, thereby providing motivation to study; opportunity for repetition; and interactivity [11]. Furthermore, a comparative study has reported that online formative assessments might be of greater benefit for learning than paper-based equivalents [13]. These are persuasive arguments for moving from paper-based to online formative assessments. Web-based formative assessments also support equity and inclusiveness by allowing students to attempt each assessment anonymously on multiple occasions, at any time, and from virtually anywhere. This permits students with family responsibilities and work commitments to access the assessments at times that are most convenient for them. Many students, particularly those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, fear embarrassment if found to be in error, which might inhibit their propensity to clarify misconceptions directly with a member of academic staff (...truncated)


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Gary M Velan, Philip Jones, H Patrick McNeil, Rakesh K Kumar. Integrated online formative assessments in the biomedical sciences for medical students: benefits for learning, BMC Medical Education, 2008, pp. 52, 8, DOI: 10.1186/1472-6920-8-52