Usefulness of ubiquitous-based testing for evaluations in medical education

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the suitability (convenience, objectiveness, and satisfaction) of ubiquitous-based testing (UBT) as a medical education evaluation tool. UBT was administered using a smart pad in our medical school in May 2012. A questionnaire was given twice. The pre-UBT questionnaire examined possession of a tablet computer, skillfulness of smart devices, the convenience of UBT, and the usefulness of a medical educational assessment tool. The post-UBT questionnaire evaluated the satisfaction, convenience, and preference of UBT and the usefulness of a medical educational assessment tool, as in the pre-UBT test. The survey was measured on a 4-point scale: 1 is "strongly disagree" and 4 is "strongly agree." One hundred three students (male, 55.3%) participated in the UBT. The mean age was 29.2±2.4 years. In the pre-UBT questionnaire analysis, students responded affirmatively to the items about the skillfulness of smart devices, clinical skill assessment, and achievement of educational objectives. The responses to the items on the convenience and satisfaction with the UBT were positive in the post-UBT. The factors that affected the post-UBT questionnaire were as follows: knowledge assessment (p=0.041) and achievement of educational objectives (p=0.015) were significant, based on gender, and satisfaction with the UBT (p=0.002) was significant, based on possession of a tablet computer. The relationship between the ranks of this UBT and the average ranks of the three previous semesters was statistically significant (p<0.001). Convenience, objectiveness, knowledge assessment, and composition and completion were useful items in the UBT.