Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Assessment In The Interpersonal Domain: Experiences From Empathy Assessment In Medical Education, Neville Chiavaroli

Neville Chiavaroli

Frameworks for the teaching and assessment of 21st-century skills commonly recognise the importance of learning and skill development in the interpersonal domain. They also usually acknowledge the challenge of reliably and validly assessing students in this domain. In the field of medical education and in selecting students for medical courses, the concept of empathy has become central to representing the particular interpersonal understandings and skills expected of students and practising doctors. Attempts to assess these attributes during medical training are just as challenging as in school contexts. This presentation draws on several years’ experience of working with medical educators to …

Openness To A Paradigm Shift In Medical Education Assessment – A Case Study, Elina Tor

Elina Tor

Health Promotion Practice And The Road Ahead: Addressing Enduring Gaps And Encouraging Greater Practice-To-Research Translation, Amanda Birnbaum, Mark D. Rivera

Amanda Birnbaum

A decade ago, Lancaster and Roe described four critical gaps (i.e., communications, accessibility, credibility, and expectations) between research and practice in health education and health promotion that formed the framework for this department. Despite considerable attention and some progress, these gaps persist and are barriers to interaction and translation between health promotion and health education research and practice. Looking to the next several years as the new Associate Editors for this department, we renew the department’s commitment toward addressing these enduring gaps around which we frame new questions and invite continued dialogue.

Developing A Global Health Assessment Collaboration: Ancillary Report, Daniel Edwards, Jacob Pearce, David Wilkinson

Dr Daniel Edwards

This document reports on a project designed to develop an assessment collaboration between medical schools in both Australia and the United Kingdom. The project was funded by the Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT), utilising surplus funding from a broader assessment collaboration project – the Australian Medical Assessment Collaboration (OLT ID12-2482). The Global Health Assessment Collaboration (GHAC) involved five universities in Australia and the United Kingdom (UK). It developed an assessment framework and item specifications, undertook assessment item drafting workshops, built in a process of review and resulted in the development of a focused suite of assessment items. This report …

Investigation Of Zebrafish Larvae Behavior As Precursor For Suborbital Flights: Feasibility Study, Pedro Llanos, Kristina Andrijauskaite, Mark Rubinstein, Sherine S.L. Chan

Pedro J. Llanos (www.AstronauticsLlanos.com)

Effect Of Trial Items On Candidate Performances In A Large-Scale Postgraduate Medical Selection Test, Luc T. Le

Dr Luc Tu Le

Starting At The End: Measuring Learning Using Retrospective Pre-Post Evaluations, Debi Lang, Judith A. Savageau

Judith A. Savageau

Blog post to AEA365, a blog sponsored by the American Evaluation Association (AEA) dedicated to highlighting Hot Tips, Cool Tricks, Rad Resources, and Lessons Learned for evaluators. The American Evaluation Association is an international professional association of evaluators devoted to the application and exploration of program evaluation, personnel evaluation, technology, and many other forms of evaluation. Evaluation involves assessing the strengths and weaknesses of programs, policies, personnel, products, and organizations to improve their effectiveness.

Evaluation Of An E-Portfolio Pilot Streamlining.Docx, Carrie Smucker

Deborah Bambini

Is The Effectiveness Of Lecture Capture Related To Teaching Approach Or Content Type?, Jared A. Danielson, Vanessa Preast, Holly Bender, Lesya M. Hassall

Lesya Hassall

The purpose of two related studies was to explore the relationships between course characteristics (teaching approach, content type, and level of curricular coordination), lecture-capture implementation, and learning in a veterinary medical education environment. Two hundred and twenty two students and 35 faculty members participated in the first study, which surveyed respondents regarding their perception of lecture-capture use and impact on learning. Four hundred and ninety one students participated in the second study, which compared scores on a standardized test of basic science knowledge among groups experiencing various levels of lecture-capture implementation. Students were most likely to view captured lectures in …

Concussions And Student Sports: A 'Silent Epidemic', Susan C. Davies, Charles J. Russo, Allan G. Osborne

Charles J. Russo

An issue that has gained attention concerns concussions among student–athletes in elementary and secondary schools. In fact, in light of the “silent epidemic” of concussions among student–athletes, in the six month period ending in August of 2011, the number of states that enacted statutes on concussion management jumped from eleven to thirty–one and the list of jurisdictions with laws in place continues to grow.

Based on the significance of concussion management, the remainder of this article is divided into two sections. The first part of the article examines the background on concussions while the second offers recommendations for concussion management …

Select Readiness: Assessing The Clinical Learning Environment Of A Regional Branch Medical Campus, Margaret A. Hadinger Edd, Ms, Erica T. Mahady Ma, Edward Norris Md, Fapm, J Alan Otsuki Md, Mba

Margaret A. Hadinger, EdD, MS

No abstract provided.

Designing Osce Scoring Instrument With Built-In Validity Features Based On A Comprehensive Measurement Framework: Principles & Guidelines, Elina Tor, Carole Steketee, Donna Mak, Jane Courtney, Heidi Waldron, Chris Skinner

Elina Tor

Inter-Rater Variability As Mutual Disagreement: Identifying Raters’ Divergent Points Of View, A. Gingerich, Susan E. Ramlo

Susan E Ramlo

Should Educators Be ‘Wrapping School Playgrounds In Cotton Wool’ To Encourage Physical Activity? Exploring Primary And Secondary Students’ Voices From The School Playground, Brendon P. Hyndman, Amanda Telford

Dr Brendon P Hyndman

Physical activity in school playgrounds has changed considerably over recent decades to reflect a climate of ‘surplus safety’. A growing culture of surplus safety can be attributed to a desire of parents and teachers responsible for children to protect school students from danger. The aim of this research was to examine students’ perceptions of playground safety influences on physical activity during school breaks from the perspectives of the ‘users’ of school playgrounds. Data collection consisted of seven focus groups (4 primary school & 3 secondary school) conducted across four schools (2 primary & 2 secondary). During this study, the focus …

Should Educators Be ‘Wrapping School Playgrounds In Cotton Wool’ To Encourage Physical Activity? Exploring Primary And Secondary Students’ Voices From The School Playground, Brendon P. Hyndman, Amanda Telford

Dr Brendon P Hyndman

Physical activity in school playgrounds has changed considerably over recent decades to reflect a climate of ‘surplus safety’. A growing culture of surplus safety can be attributed to a desire of parents and teachers responsible for children to protect school students from danger. The aim of this research was to examine students’ perceptions of playground safety influences on physical activity during school breaks from the perspectives of the ‘users’ of school playgrounds. Data collection consisted of seven focus groups (4 primary school & 3 secondary school) conducted across four schools (2 primary & 2 secondary). During this study, the focus …

The Rationale For And Use Of Assessment Frameworks: Improving Assessment And Reporting Quality In Medical Education, Jacob Pearce, Daniel Edwards, Julian Fraillon, Hamish Coates, Benedict Canny, David Wilkinson

Julian Fraillon

An assessment framework provides a structured conceptual map of the learning outcomes of a programme of study along with details of how achievement of the outcomes can be measured. The rationale for using frameworks to underpin the targeting of essential content components is especially relevant for the medical education community. Frameworks have the capacity to improve validity and reliability in assessment, allowing test developers to more easily create robust assessment instruments. The framework used by the Australian Medical Assessment Collaboration (AMAC) is an interesting and relevant case study for the international community as it draws and builds on established processes …

The Rationale For And Use Of Assessment Frameworks: Improving Assessment And Reporting Quality In Medical Education, Jacob Pearce, Daniel Edwards, Julian Fraillon, Hamish Coates, Benedict Canny, David Wilkinson

Dr Jacob Pearce

An assessment framework provides a structured conceptual map of the learning outcomes of a programme of study along with details of how achievement of the outcomes can be measured. The rationale for using frameworks to underpin the targeting of essential content components is especially relevant for the medical education community. Frameworks have the capacity to improve validity and reliability in assessment, allowing test developers to more easily create robust assessment instruments. The framework used by the Australian Medical Assessment Collaboration (AMAC) is an interesting and relevant case study for the international community as it draws and builds on established processes …

Where To Next For School Playground Interventions To Encourage Active Play? An Exploration Of Structured And Unstructured School Playground Strategies, Brendon P. Hyndman

Dr Brendon P Hyndman

An emerging public health priority is to enhance children’s opportunities for active play. Children spend a large proportion of weekdays in schools, making schools an influential and suitable setting to promote children’s active play. Rather than continually increasing the burdens placed upon busy teaching staff, the use of school playgrounds interventions have emerged as a critical strategy within schools to facilitate and develop children’s active play via an informal curriculum. This scholarly article provides a research-based commentary on a range of school playground interventions to encourage both structured and unstructured active play opportunities. Additionally, future research directions for school playground …

Traumatic Brain Injury: The Efficacy Of A Half-Day Training For School Psychologists, Susan C. Davies, Ashlyn M. Ray

Susan C. Davies

The incidence rates of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are increasing, yet educators continue to be inadequately trained in assessing and serving students with TBIs. This study examined the efficacy of a half-day TBI training program for school psychologists designed to improve their knowledge and skills. Results of quantitative and qualitative survey analysis indicated there was little increase in knowledge and skills from pre-training to one-year follow-up, although participants did increase in confidence related to their decision-making abilities in working with students with TBI. The data indicate a need for future study of more effective training models.

Do Zoos And Aquariums Promote Attitude Change In Visitors? A Critical Evaluation Of The American Zoo And Aquarium Study, Lori Marino, Scott O. Lilienfeld, Randy Malamud, Nathan Nobis, Ron Broglio

Lori Marino, PhD

Modern-day zoos and aquariums market themselves as places of education and conservation. A recent study conducted by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) (Falk et al., 2007) is being widely heralded as the first direct evidence that visits to zoos and aquariums produce long-term positive effects on people’s attitudes toward other animals. In this paper, we address whether this conclusion is warranted by analyzing the study’s methodological soundness. We conclude that Falk et al. (2007) contains at least six major threats to methodological validity that undermine the authors’ conclusions. There remains no compelling evidence for the claim that zoos …

Concussions And Student Sports: A 'Silent Epidemic', Susan C. Davies, Charles J. Russo, Allan G. Osborne

Susan C. Davies

An issue that has gained attention concerns concussions among student–athletes in elementary and secondary schools. In fact, in light of the “silent epidemic” of concussions among student–athletes, in the six month period ending in August of 2011, the number of states that enacted statutes on concussion management jumped from eleven to thirty–one and the list of jurisdictions with laws in place continues to grow.

Based on the significance of concussion management, the remainder of this article is divided into two sections. The first part of the article examines the background on concussions while the second offers recommendations for concussion management …

Concussion Awareness: Getting School Psychologists Into The Game, Susan Davies

Susan C. Davies

Concussions have been called a "silent epidemic" because symptoms can be subtle and covert (Langolis, Rutland–Brown,& Thomas, 2006). However, several high–profile concussion cases involving professional athletes have turned media attention to concussions. Those stories, coupled with stories on the more than 300,000 troops who have sustained concussions during recent combat (Hoge, Goldberg,& Castro, 2009), have helped to increase our awareness of the potential impact of concussions. However, in the sports world, it is not just NFL football players sustaining concussions: It is school–age athletes knocking heads in soccer, knocking helmets in hockey, getting slammed to the mat in wrestling, and …

Concussions: Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries That Can Occur On And Off The Field, Susan Davies

Susan C. Davies

No abstract provided.

An Investigation Into The Use Of Filmed Scenarios For The Testing Of ‘Understanding People’ In Medical Selection Tests, Jennifer Bryce, Judy Nixon

Dr Jennifer Bryce

No abstract provided.

Do Zoos And Aquariums Promote Attitude Change In Visitors? A Critical Evaluation Of The American Zoo And Aquarium Study, Lori Marino, Scott O. Lilienfeld, Randy Malamud, Nathan Nobis, Ron Broglio

Nathan M. Nobis, PhD

Modern-day zoos and aquariums market themselves as places of education and conservation. A recent study conducted by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) (Falk et al., 2007) is being widely heralded as the first direct evidence that visits to zoos and aquariums produce long-term positive effects on people’s attitudes toward other animals. In this paper, we address whether this conclusion is warranted by analyzing the study’s methodological soundness. We conclude that Falk et al. (2007) contains at least six major threats to methodological validity that undermine the authors’ conclusions. There remains no compelling evidence for the claim that zoos …

Gamsat: A 10-Year Retrospective Overview, With Detailed Analysis Of Candidates¿ Performance In 2014, Annette Mercer, Brendan Crotty, Louise Alldridge, Luc Le, Veronica Vele

Dr Luc Tu Le

Background: The Graduate Australian Medical Schools Admission Test (GAMSAT) is undertaken annually in centres around Australia and a small number of overseas locations. Most Australian graduate entry medical schools also use Grade Point Average and interview score for selection. The aim of this study was to review the performance of the GAMSAT over the last 10 years; the study provides an analysis of the impact of candidates’ gender, age, language background, level of academic qualification and background discipline on performance; and details on the performance of higher-scoring candidates. These analyses were undertaken on the 2014 data; and trends in the …

Assessment Of Medical Students’ Learning Outcomes In Australia : Current Practice, Future Possibilities, David Wilkinson, Benedict Canny, Jacob Pearce, Hamish Coates, Daniel Edwards

Dr Jacob Pearce

All 19 medical schools in Australia examine and assess the performance of their students, but do so largely in isolation from each other. That is, most schools design, develop and deliver their own exams, against their own curriculum and standards, and students pass, fail and are graded with little external moderation or comparison. Accreditation of schools by the Australian Medical Council (AMC) provides some reassurance that assessment practices are appropriate in medical schools. However, very limited data are available for benchmarking performance against any national standard, or between medical schools in Australia. The Australian Medical Assessment Collaboration has been designed …

Determining The Quality Of Assessment Items In Collaborations: Aspects To Discuss To Reach Agreement Developed By The Australian Medical Assessment Collaboration, Lambert Schuwirth, Jacob Pearce

Dr Jacob Pearce

The Australian Medical Assessment Collaboration (AMAC) project, funded by the Office of Learning and Teaching, seeks to provide an infrastructure and a road map to support collaboration between Australian medical schools in matters of assessment. This may not seem very new perhaps, because there are already several collaborations taking place in Australia, and, typically, they relate to joint item banks, (such as the IDEAL consortium), or joint test administration, (such as the International Foundation of Medicine tests). The AMAC project seeks to build on these existing collaborations in two ways: first, by tying these initiatives together and thus bundling the …

Same Admissions Tools, Different Outcomes : A Critical Perspective On Predictive Validity In Three Undergraduate Medical Schools, Daniel Edwards, Tim Friedman, Jacob Pearce

Dr Jacob Pearce

Admission to medical school is one of the most highly competitive entry points in higher education. Considerable investment is made by universities to develop selection processes that aim to identify the most appropriate candidates for their medical programs. This paper explores data from three undergraduate medical schools to offer a critical perspective of predictive validity in medical admissions. This study examined 650 undergraduate medical students from three Australian universities as they progressed through the initial years of medical school (accounting for approximately 25 per cent of all commencing undergraduate medical students in Australia in 2006 and 2007). Admissions criteria (aptitude …

The Rationale For And Use Of Assessment Frameworks: Improving Assessment And Reporting Quality In Medical Education, Jacob Pearce, Daniel Edwards, Julian Fraillon, Hamish Coates, Benedict Canny, David Wilkinson

Dr Daniel Edwards

An assessment framework provides a structured conceptual map of the learning outcomes of a programme of study along with details of how achievement of the outcomes can be measured. The rationale for using frameworks to underpin the targeting of essential content components is especially relevant for the medical education community. Frameworks have the capacity to improve validity and reliability in assessment, allowing test developers to more easily create robust assessment instruments. The framework used by the Australian Medical Assessment Collaboration (AMAC) is an interesting and relevant case study for the international community as it draws and builds on established processes …