Formative Feedback Assessment in Postgraduate medical and Health Education: Friend or foe?

Michael Modell, Shireen Tahir, Bipasha Choudhury, Dianne Burns

Research output: Contribution to conferencePoster

Abstract

The Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert) in Medical and Health Education is an online programme undertaken by the global healthcare community. Peer-to-peer feedback is built into the programme and designed to encourage an online multidisciplinary community of practice with opportunities to develop effective feedback skills. This study sought to assess the relationship between engagement in peer formative assessment activities and final summative assessment outcomes.
Out of 120 students on the programme, participant engagement with the formative review process including formative assessment submission and peer review was tracked using data from Blackboard and Turnitin for each module of the PGCert. Data was anonymised and analysed using a t-test in SPSS.
Thirty-seven students submitted formative assessments for all three PGCert modules. The percentage of learners who submitted formative assessments reduced with each subsequent module from 85% in module 1 to 41% in module 3. The mean average summative grade, when comparing those that submitted formative peer reviews and those that did not, was marginally different, (mean 66.7 compared to 68.8 and 62.6 compared to 62.9, for Modules 1 and 2 respectively), but indicated no statistical significance.
This outcome was unexpected contrary to the established benefits of formative and peer-to-peer feedback. There could be unaccounted differences in students’ learning approaches. The results highlight an opportunity to develop students’ ability to reflect and evaluate critically as potential unmet needs. This study highlights the need for an ongoing conversation with learners about approaches to formative assessment and their perceived importance.
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusPublished - 26 Jun 2024
EventUniversoty of Manchester Medical Education Conference - University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
Duration: 26 Jun 202426 Jun 2024

Conference

ConferenceUniversoty of Manchester Medical Education Conference
Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
CityManchester
Period26/06/2426/06/24

Keywords

  • Formative feedback
  • assessment

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