Case item creation and video case presentation as summative assessment tools for distance learning in the pandemic era

Abstract

BackgroundThere is an urgent need for more diverse methods for student evaluation, given the sudden shift to online learning necessitated by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Innovative assessment tools will need to cover the required competencies and should be used to drive self-learning. Self-assessments and peer assessments may be added to the traditional classroom-based evaluations to identify individual insecurities or overconfidence. Identification of these factors is essential to medical education and is a focus of current research. MethodsA modified operational assessment was introduced for the evaluation of third-year medical students. This intervention has facilitated sustained education and has promoted interactive student learning. Members of the entering class of 2017 participated in an integrated team and a competency-based online project that involved innovative item creation and case presentation methods. ResultsThe new assessment process has been implemented successfully with positive feedback from all the participants; a usable product has been generated. ConclusionsWe created new assessment tools in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that have been used successfully at our institution. These tools have provided a framework for integrated and interactive evaluations that can be used to facilitate the modification of traditional assessment methods.