Self‐ and Peer Assessment of Professional Speaking Skills Using a Classroom Response System: Three “Clicker” Systems and Ten Years of Data Collection

Abstract

A gross anatomy lab offers many opportunities for professional skills development. We have used an exercise in a gross anatomy laboratory for first year veterinary medical students which is focused on delivery of short educational presentations using new vocabulary to a small audience. At the end of a lab session, students present a brief overview of the day's work to 2–3 incoming students from another section. Each presenter is required to submit a self assessment using a rubric and a classroom response device. Similarly, their classmates are required to submit a peer assessment at the end of the presentation using the same rubric. The rubric incorporates five questions with quantitative scale responses, two optional questions with a menu of qualitative feedback (developed by students) and two questions to match presenters to their audience in subsequent data processing. Presenters receive an email within 24–48 hrs with their own self assessment data aligned with the peer feedback (names removed). Each student presents five to eight times over the course of the semester.Three different commercial classroom response systems have been used for this activity. All have served the purpose of the exercise but the most recent one (Top Hat, a bring your own device system) has met with the the most favorable response from the students and the smallest number of problems with data entry. A macro‐enabled template spreadsheet was developed in Microsoft Excel to facilitate processing of data prior to emailing feedback to presenters. Data has been collected to assess whether the exercise facilitates development of students’ professional speaking skills as reported by themselves as well as by their peers. In addition, students have been surveyed to measure their perception of the value of the exercise itself and also the value of the self‐ and peer assessments that are part of the exercise. Peer vs. self assessment scores from the qualitative responses are compared in the aggregate, as well as for individual students. Likewise, scores are tracked over the semester to identify, for example, trends in developing vocabulary skills or changes in the ability to organize a 5–10 minute informative presentation. There is often a tendency for students to give each other somewhat inflated scores, leaving little room to indicate improvement over time. Coaching students on the value of realistic feedback and the lack of value of hyperbole helps in this regard.Feedback about the value and effect of the presentations has also been collected during most years. Overall, students have indicated that the process is very valuable in helping keep them on task during the lab sessions (in anticipation of having to summarize it for their peers later), in increasing their confidence in the use of medical vocabulary, and that they appreciate having the opportunity to provide similar feedback for their peers.