Formative assessment in postgraduate medical education - Perceptions of students and teachers
Open Access
- 1 January 2015
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Medknow in International Journal of Applied and Basic Medical Research
- Vol. 5 (4), 66-S70
- https://doi.org/10.4103/2229-516x.162282
Abstract
Context: One of the most important factors of medical education that can revolutionize the learning process in postgraduate students (PGs) is assessment for learning by means of formative assessment (FA). FA is directed at steering and fostering learning of the students by providing feedback to the learner. However, though theoretically well suited to postgraduate training, evidence are emerging that engaging stakeholders in FA in daily clinical practice is quite complex. Aims: To explore perceptions of PGs and teachers (Ts) about factors that determines active engagement in FA. Subjects and Methods: It was a descriptive qualitative study involving focus group discussions (FGDs) with PGs and Ts from Departments of Pediatrics and Orthopedics. FGDs data were processed through points/remarks, data reduction, data display, coding followed by theme generation for content analysis. Results: Four higher order themes emerged: Harsh reality of present summative assessment structure, individual perspectives on feedback, supportiveness of the learning environment, and the credibility of feedback and/or feedback giver. Conclusions: Engaging in FA with a genuine impact on learning is complex and quite a challenge to both students and Ts. Increased acceptability along with the effective implementation of FA structure, individual perspectives on feedback, a supportive learning environment and credibility of feedback are all important in this process. Every one of these should be taken into account when the utility of FA in postgraduate medical training is evaluated.Keywords
This publication has 14 references indexed in Scilit:
- How motivation affects academic performance: a structural equation modelling analysisAdvances in Health Sciences Education, 2012
- Struggling to Be Self-Directed: Residentsʼ Paradoxical Beliefs About LearningAcademic Medicine, 2011
- Programmatic assessment: From assessment of learning to assessment for learningMedical Teacher, 2011
- The Educational Attributes and Responsibilities of Effective Medical EducatorsAcademic Medicine, 2011
- What’s the problem with the mini-CEX?Medical Education, 2011
- Rules of Engagement: Residents’ Perceptions of the In-Training Evaluation ProcessAcademic Medicine, 2008
- Feedback Phobia? Why Employees Do Not Want to Give or Receive Performance FeedbackPublished by Edward Elgar Publishing ,2007
- Perceptions of the learning environment in higher specialist training of doctors: implications for recruitment and retentionMedical Education, 2006
- Systematic review of the literature on assessment, feedback and physicians’ clinical performance: BEME Guide No. 7Medical Teacher, 2006
- Assessing professional competence: from methods to programmesMedical Education, 2005