Levelling the playing field: students’ motivations to contribute to an amnesty of assessment materials

Abstract

Background ‘Exam recall’ is a recognised phenomenon whereby students recall and record questions after leaving the examination hall. This poses two main problems. First, as these questions are only available to peers of the students who recall the questions, these individuals have an unfair advantage. Secondly, the distribution of these recalled questions poses a threat to the validity and defensibility of assessments. To address the first of these problems, we developed an amnesty enabling students to submit assessment material to an on-line site. This study sought to explore which factors influence students’ contributions to an amnesty of assessment material. Methods We conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured focus groups. We used convenience sampling and recruited participants from all years of our undergraduate medical programme. The focus groups were facilitated by a medical student peer to reduce the power imbalance and encourage participants to discuss candidly. The focus groups were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Two researchers independently analysed all transcripts using thematic analysis and the research team met regularly to discuss emergent findings. Nvivo was used to assist with thematic analysis of the transcripts. Results Twenty-six individuals participated in six focus groups. Six themes were identified through the analysis, which were categorised into motivating factors and de-motivating factors. Motivating factors were a perception that this would overcome inequity, a fear of repercussions, and the perceived usefulness of resources. Factors that prevented students contributing were a culture of competition, a lack of incentives, and mistrust of the medical school. Conclusions The establishment of an amnesty was acceptable to students and they were motivated to contribute materials. The competitive nature of medical careers and the stakes of summative assessments meant that students felt that some peers might still not contribute their materials. Students felt that the school were listening to their concerns and this led to a better dialogue between students and faculty.

Evaluating a novel intervention in undergraduate medicine: an MBBS Curriculum Map

“…Participants across both focus groups highlighted how the CM had provided transparency on ILOs. This was recognised as crucial for tackling the perceived inequalities stemming from information-sharing across student societies [ 5 ]: “Because I feel like…most of us do have friends in the years above and we can ask for advice…but I feel it…just levels the playing field and everyone has got a curriculum that they can refer to and no one feels, like, disadvantaged .” (FG 4-5, Female-4) …”

“…Feedback from the National Student Survey, Staff Student Consultative Committees and Staff Evaluation Questionnaires, revealed that some students felt at a disadvantage due to the lack of clarity around curriculum and assessments [ 5 , 6 ]. To address this, a Curriculum Mapping Team (CMT) was established in 2018, consisting of an Academic Lead, Clinical Teaching Fellow (CTF), Project Manager and Learning Technologist.…”

Approaching an undergraduate medical curriculum map: challenges and expectations

“…Another key issue reinforced by this study was students' perception that learning is principally for passing exams ('assessment drives learning'), as has been borne out in many studies throughout education and medical education in the past [29]. Assessment forms a critical component for many courses of study but specifically in the MBBS programme, it ensures an appropriate level of competency and safety for students entering the profession [5].…”

“…Some students reported feeling disadvantaged in accessing key Fig. 1 UCLMS Core Curriculum materials if they were not members of student societies or sports club where it was reported that sharing of assessment material occurred [29]. In order to improve clarity around the syllabus, outline content for assessment, and improve the student experience, the faculty took a strategic decision to create and embed a single source of curricular knowledge: the MBBS Curriculum Map.…”