Knowledge and attitude toward formative assessment among teaching faculties of medical institutions

Abstract

Competency-based medical education was introduced in 2019 with major changes in medical education. One of the main focuses was implementing formative assessment (FA) with feedback for better learning outcomes. There is a paucity of data on the understanding of FA among medical faculties. The present study aims to assess the knowledge and attitude toward FA among medical teachers. A cross-sectional study was done among 108 teaching faculties of medical colleges across Tamil Nadu. A structured questionnaire was used with good construct reliability on knowledge and attitude with Cronbach’s alpha of 0.78 and 0.91, respectively. The study reported that 44.5% had adequate knowledge of FA, whereas 55.6% had a positive attitude toward FA. A common misconception on FA is that it is conducted only for theory sessions, its role in determining pass or fail; it benefits only the poor learners and cannot be applied in large group teaching. The majority showed a positive attitude toward FA that it will improve the learning outcomes of students and giving feedback will motivate them to perform better. They were also willing to receive feedback on their teaching skills. The study has identified gaps in knowledge of FA which can be rectified through medical education workshops.