Effect of remote online exam delivery on student experience and performance in applied knowledge tests

Abstract

Background The use of remote online delivery of summative assessments has been underexplored in medical education. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all end of year applied knowledge multiple choice question (MCQ) tests at one UK medical school were switched from on campus to remote assessments. Methods We conducted an online survey of student experience with remote exam delivery and compared test performance in remote versus invigilated campus-based forms of similar assessments for Year 4 and 5 students across two academic years. Results Very few students experienced technical or practical problems in completing their exam remotely. Test anxiety was reduced for some students but increased for others. The majority of students preferred the traditional setting of invigilated exams in a computer lab, feeling this ensured an even playing field for all candidates. Mean score was higher for Year 4 students in the remotely-delivered versus campus-based form of the same exam (76.53% [SD 6.57] vs. 72.81% [6.64]; t438.38 = 5.94, p = 0.001; d = 0.56), whereas candidate performance was equivalent across both forms for Year 5 students. Conclusions Remote online MCQ exam delivery is an effective and generally acceptable approach to summative assessment, and could be used again in future without detriment to students if onsite delivery is not possible.

Medical Students’ Perspectives on Online Proctoring During Remote Digital Progress Test

“…Multiple studies have shown that in non-proctored online exams, students seek assistance from friends or books, which underlines the need for some form of supervision during online summative tests [2,[8][9][10]. Previous studies have focused on test results and test anxiety in online assessment [3,4,11]. In an unproctored remote Fig.…”

“…examination setting [11], students' opinions were mixed: they either felt more at ease at home or reported higher test anxiety due to worries about unstable internet connection. Studies regarding students' perceptions of on campus versus online, remote exams reported more stress amongst students taking the exam remotely [12,13].…”

Uso do Web-OSCE como método de avaliação durante a pandemia de COVID-19

“…Esse perfil de resultado é semelhante a outros dados de literatura sobre o OSCE presencial, no qual mais de 75% dos estudantes entrevistados consideraram alto grau de ansiedade durante a avaliação, embora o método tenha sido considerado aplicável, abrangente, justo e transparente por estes alunos. (Jaap et al, 2021) Para que a realização do Web-OSCE seja satisfatória, é necessária uma série de fatores: equipe de suporte em tecnologia da informática, plano operacional, treinamento dos atores, inclusive para a utilização das ferramentas tecnológicas, acesso de internet adequado para todos os participantes, dispositivos com áudios/vídeos, sendo extremamente relevante o feedback de todos os envolvidos. Além de toda a implementação técnica, a validade das questões aplicadas é de extrema relevância, com adequado grau de dificuldade e compatível com o conteúdo pedagógico.…”

“…Até maio de 2021, 162.704.139 Ceará, 2020;Hodges, Moore, Lockee, Trust, & Bond, 2020) A pandemia causou não apenas uma transformação da educação quanto ao modo de ensinar, mas também quanto ao modo de avaliar a aprendizagem, tornando a situação mais complexa com a necessidade de adaptação para aplicação de avaliações de forma remota. (Jaap et al, 2021) Apesar de haver poucos estudos considerando os desafios da aplicação de avaliações remotas, no ensino médico, tornouse presente não somente a necessidade de adaptação para a aplicação de avaliações de conhecimento por meio de testes de múltipla escolha, mas também a de avaliar habilidades e atitudes frente a problemas pertinentes à prática médica. (Alruwais, Wills, & Wald, 2018) Existem vários métodos possíveis para avaliação prática de estudantes de medicina, incluindo métodos mais tradicionais e antigos -prova oral, short case e long case -criticados pela pouca padronização, confiabilidade e possível viés do avaliador; bem como existem modelos baseados em simulação como o Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), que garante a segurança do paciente e torna possível a avaliação de três domínios: cognitivo, afetivo e psicomotor.…”

Evaluation of Students’ Remote Learning Experience of Learning Arabic as a Second Language During the Covid-19 Pandemic

“…Thus, the teacher should have knowledge of different types of evaluation (Compton, 2009) to choose the appropriate kind of technology that may be benefit (Chapelle, 2001). A study by Jaap, Dewar, Duncan, Karen, David, (2021) revealed that a most of students felt more nervousness during the e-examination because their concerns were related about technical issues. So, most students preferred the traditional examination compared to e-examination.Teachers should have a role of improving the learning process of the students.…”