Abstract
ContextOptimising student learning and academic performance is a continuous challenge for medical schools. The assessment policy may influence both learning and performance. Previously, the joint contribution of self‐regulated learning (SRL) and participation in scheduled learning activities towards academic performance has been reported. However, little is known about the relationships between SRL, participation and academic performance under different assessment policies.ObjectivesThe goal of this study was to investigate differences in average scores of SRL, participation and academic performance of students under two assessment policies: (i) a conjunctive lower stakes, lower performance standard (old) assessment policy and (ii) a compensatory higher stakes, higher performance standard (new) assessment policy. In addition, this research investigated whether the relationships between academic performance, SRL and participation are similar across both assessment policies.MethodsYear‐1 medical students (i) under the old assessment policy (n = 648) and (ii) under the new assessment policy (n = 529) completed the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire on SRL, and additional items on participation. Year‐1 performance was operationalised as students’ average Year‐1 course examination grades. manova and structural equation modelling were used for analyses.ResultsGenerally, students under the new assessment policy showed significantly higher Year‐1 performance, SRL and participation, compared with students under the old assessment policy. The relationships between Year‐1 performance, SRL and participation were similar across assessment policies.ConclusionsThis study indicates that the higher academic performance under a compensatory higher stakes, higher performance standard assessment policy, results from higher SRL and participation, but not from altered relationships between SRL, participation and performance. In sum, assessment policies have the potential to optimise student learning and performance.
Highlights
Optimising student learning and academic performance is a continuous challenge for medical schools
Medical Education published by Association for the Study of Medical Education and John Wiley & Sons Ltd; 325 MEDICAL EDUCATION 2018 52: 324–335 important predictors of performance when the stakes are higher.[4,22]
Medical Education published by Association for the Study of Medical Education and John Wiley & Sons Ltd; MEDICAL EDUCATION 2018 52: 324–335
Summary
Optimising student learning and academic performance is a continuous challenge for medical schools. There is empirical evidence that performance is superior on tests with higher stakes[4,5,6] or higher performance standards.[7,8] Another line of research has shown that self-regulated learning (SRL9,10) and participation in scheduled learning activities[11,12] are key predictors of academic performance, and reported on their joint contribution.[13] it is not known how assessment policies affect SRL, participation and performance for medical students This study filled this gap by investigating whether average SRL, participation in scheduled learning activities and academic performance differ under two assessment policies, which vary in terms of stakes and performance standards. We tested whether this model could be cross-validated in a new sample of students who were subjected to a compensatory, higher stakes, higher performance standard assessment policy
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