Abstract
The objectives of this study were to develop a student self-assessment activity of a video-recorded counseling session and evaluate its impact on student self-perceptions of specific communication skills. This activity was incorporated into a core-communications course within the third professional year of a Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum. Student counseling sessions were video-recorded and released to students for self-assessment review. After watching their recorded counseling sessions, students completed an eight-question, paper-based survey which evaluated the impact of self-assessment on communication skill perceptions. Most students (95.6%) agreed or strongly agreed that their self-assessment process was valuable in developing their communication skills. The greatest change in assessment was associated with the use of eye contact (49.5%). Approximately 40% of students noted changes in perceptions for appropriate rate of speech (42.1%), voice volume (39.8%), and facial expressions (37.2%). Overall, self-assessment of video-recorded counseling sessions impacted students’ perceptions of both verbal and non-verbal communication skills.
Highlights
1.1 BackgroundSelf-assessment in professional education helps improve students’ knowledge, abilities, and values, and builds a foundation to support lifelong learning
A counseling activity with video review and self-assessment components capable of assisting students in identifying changes in communication skills perceptions was successfully implemented in a Pharmacy Communications class
Our study found that approximately 39% of students had a perceived change in performance after watching their videos with 27% and 13% indicating they underestimated or overestimated their nonverbal communication skills, respectively
Summary
1.1 BackgroundSelf-assessment in professional education helps improve students’ knowledge, abilities, and values, and builds a foundation to support lifelong learning. Stated under Guideline 11.1 regarding teaching methods, the standards call for the program to encourage and assist students to assume “responsibility for their own learning (including assessment of their learning needs, development of personal learning plans, self-assessment of the level of their knowledge skills, attitudes, and values, and their achievement of desired competencies and outcomes)” (ACPE, 2006). This responsibility has been noted to be critical for their success after graduation, with self-appraisal being a component of continual professional development in pharmacy continuing education (Fjortoft, 2006). In a similar review of 80 senior students in a Doctor of Pharmacy program, students, on average, overestimated their communication skills and clinical knowledge, as compared to external raters (peers and expert) (Austin & Gregory, 2007)
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