ARTICLE #3 | 47
RE-DESIGNING OF A PROBLEM BASED LEARNING MODULE TO REFLECT A
DISTINCTIVE CURRICULUM
at different key stages using formative and summative strategies.
This allows students to reflect on their performance and identify
learning deficiencies in order to be better prepared for subsequent
assessments. Furthermore, students can learn through assessment
when it is coupled with effective feedback. The aim of feedback
is to help students understand where they went wrong and more
importantly clearly specify what they need to do to improve.
There are few options to consider which could further increase
the effectiveness of the feedback we provide. Currently feedback
is given by Year 1 leads who oversee the overall running of all the
modules.
Figure 3: Assessing medical competencies using Miller’s pyramid.
Miller’s pyramid represents a framework for designing medical
examinations. In the the first two layers students’ overall grasp
of knowledge and its effective application is tested using written
exams such as multiple choice questions and key feature problems.
Using simulated clinical settings students ability to demonstratively
put their knowledge into practice can be assessed in the ‘shows
how’ level. Finally direct observation of students at work denoted by
the top layer provides an actual measure of students’ competencies.
(Figure adapted from Miller 1990).
Contributions from exam markers could help students receive
detailed ‘question specific comments’ since they will have firsthand experience of knowing the most common errors committed
by students. However the challenge in implementing this is whether
all markers will be able to find time to accommodate more teaching
time.