Medical Students’ Evaluation of Online Assessment: A Mixed-Method Account of Attitudes and Obstacles

Abed Alkarim Ayyoub, Oqab Jabali

Abstract


This mixed-method account explores the medical students’ perceptions and attitudes regarding online assessment in two Palestinian universities. The researchers aimed at identifying the way medical students look at online assessment, as well as the pitfalls and the drawbacks of such an atypical evaluation method at the university level. Of the large number of medical students enrolled in the two universities, 302 completed and returned the survey, and 61 students were selected to interpret their open responses qualitatively. The study findings suggest that the evaluation of Al-Quds University in Jerusalem was better and higher than that of the An-Najah National University in Nablus. Statistically significant differences were found, when some demographic variables, i.e., gender and year of study interaction were selected. Finally, the study respondents highlighted a number of drawbacks for online assessment, which the researchers sorted into eight main categories that varied in percentages. The medical students showed their dissatisfaction with this type of assessment, for many considerations, including, but not limited to, technical and administrative matters in nature.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.20.8.8


Keywords


evaluation; medical students; online assessment; perceptions; technical problems

Full Text:

PDF

References


Ali, L., Abidal Hamid. N., & Damour, H. (2021). The Shift to Online Assessment Due to COVID-19: An Empirical Study of University Students, Behaviour and Performance, in the Region of UAE. International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 11(5), 220-228. https://doi.org/10.18178/ijiet.2021.11.5.1515

Ambrose, S. A., Bridges, M. W., DiPietro. M., Lovett, M. C., & Norman, M. K. (2010). How Learning Works-Seven Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.

Bennett, R. E. (2011). Formative assessment: a critical review. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 18(1), 5-25. https://doi.org/10.1080/0969594X.2010.513678

Betlej, P. (2013). E-examinations from student's perspective – The future of knowledge evaluation. Studia Ekonomiczne, 153, 9–22.

Broughton, S., Hernandez-Martinez, P., & Robinson, C. (2013, July 28th - August 2nd). A definition for effective assessment and implications on computer-aided assessment practice 37th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Education, (PME 37), (Vol. 2, pp. 113-120). Kiel, Germany.

Cakiroglu, U., Erdogdu, F., Kokoc, M., & Atabay, M. (2017). Students’ preferences in online assessment process: Influences on academic performances. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education-TOJDE, 18(1), 132-142.

Chang, C. C., Liang, C., & Chen, Y.H. (2013). Is learner self-assessment reliable and valid in a Web-based portfolio environment for high school students? Computers & Education, 60(1), 325-334. https://doi.org/ 10.18178/ijiet.2021.11.5.1515

Crews, T., & Curtis, D. (2010). Online course evaluations: Faculty perspective and strategies for improved response rates. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 36(7), 965–878. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2010.493970

Cukusic, M., Garaca, Z., & Jadric, M. (2014). Online self-assessment and students' success in higher education institutions. Computers & Education, 72, 100-109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2013.10.018

Douglas, M., Wilson, J., & Ennis, S. (2012). Multiple-choice question tests: a convenient, flexible and effective learning tool? A case-study. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 49(2), 111–112. https://doi.org/101080/147032972012677596

Duran, M., Mihladiz, G., & Balliel, B. (2013). The competency level of elementary school teachers towards the alternative assessment methods. Mehmet Akif Ersoy Universitesi Egitim Bilimleri Enstitusu Dergisi, 2(2), 26-37.

Guo, R., Palmer-Brown, D., Lee, S., & Cai, F. (2014). Intelligent diagnostic feedback for online multiple-choice questions. Artificial Intelligence Review, 42(3), 369–383. http://doi.org/101007/s10462-013- 9419-6.

Harris, P., Bhanji, F., Topps, M., Ross, S., Lieberman, S., Frank, J. R., Snell, L., Sherbino, J., & ICBME Collaborators. (2017). Evolving concepts of assessment in a competency-based world. Medical Teacher, 39(6), 603–608. http://doi.org/10.1080/0142159X.2017.1315071

Hawe, E. M. (2002). Assessment in a pre?service teacher education program: The rhetoric and the practice of standards?based assessment. Asia?Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 30(1), 93–106. http://doi.org/10.1080/13598660120115002

Johnson, G., & Davies, S. (2012). Unsupervised Online Constructed-Response Tests: Maximizing Student Learning and Results Integrity (pp. 400–408) Wellington: Paper presented at the Ascilite Conference.

Jordan, S., & Mitchell, T. (2009). E-assessment for learning? The potential of short-answer free-text questions with tailored feedback. Br J Educ Technol, 40(2), 371–385. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2008.00928.x

Khan, S., & Khan, R. (2019). Online assessment. Exploring perspectives of university students. Education and Information Technologies, 24, 661–677. https://doiorg/101007/s10639-018-9797-0.

Khare, A., & Lam, H. (2008). Assessing student achievement and progress with online examinations: Some pedagogical and technical issues. International Journal on E-learning, 7(3), 383–402.

Kottail, N. K. (2009). Meaning making and self-evaluation. ERIC. http://filesericedgov/fulltext. Accessed August 10, 2020.

Kuh, G. D., Jankowski, N., Ikenberry, S. O., & Kinzie, J. (2014). Knowing What students Know and Can Do: The Current State of Student Learning Outcomes Assessment in US Colleges and Universities. Urbana: University of Illinois and Indiana University, National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA).

Kuriakose, R. B., & Luwes, N. (2016). Student perceptions to the use of paperless technology in assessments–a case study using clickers. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 228(2016), 78-85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.07.012.

Lahad, N., Dafoulas, G., Kalaitzakis, E., & Macaulay, L. (2004). Evaluation of online assessment: The role of feedback in learner-centered e-learning Proceedings of the 37th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, 2004, 1-10.

Marius, P., Marius, M., Dan, S., Emilian, C. & Dana, G. (2016). Medical students’ acceptance of online assessment systems. Acta Medica Marisiensis, 62(1), 30–32. https://doiorg/101515/amma-2015-0110

MAXQDA: The Art of Data Analysis (n.d.). What is MAXQDA. https://www.maxqda.com/what-is-maxqda

Moni, K. B., van Kraayenoord, C. E., & Baker, C. D. (2002). Students’ perceptions of literacy assessment. Assessment in Education, 9(3), 319–342.

Nuha, A., Wills, W., & Wald, M. (2018). Advantages and Challenges of Using e-Assessment International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 8(1), 34-37. https://doiorg/10.18178/ijiet.2018.8.1.1008

Ogletree, A., Ogletree, S., & Allen, B. (2014). Transition to online assessments: A personal perspective of meeting common core state standards in an elementary school in Georgia. Georgia educational researcher, 2014, 11(1), 170–187. https://doiorg/10.20429/ger.2014.110107

Osuji, U. (2012). The use of e-assessments in the Nigerian higher education system. Turkish Online J Distance Educ, 13(4), 1–13.

Richardson, C., & Fleer, M. (2003). Collective Mediated Assessment: Moving towards a Socio-cultural Approach to assessing children’s learning. Journal of Australian Research in Early Childhood Education, 10, 41-55.

Ridgway, J., McCusker, S., & Pead, D. (2004). Literature review of e-assessment. University of Durham: Durham, England.

Russell, C., & Shepherd, J. (2010). Online role-play environments for higher education. British Journal of Educational Technology, 41(6), 992-1002. https://doiorg/101111/j1467-8535200901048x

Stodberg, U. (2012). A Research Review of E-Assessment. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 37(5), 591-604. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2011.557496

Yates, R., & Beaudrie, B. (2009). The impact of online assessment on grades in community college distance education mathematics courses. American Journal of Distance Education, 23(2), 62–70. https://doi.org/10.1080/08923640902850601


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


e-ISSN: 1694-2116

p-ISSN: 1694-2493