Exam Outcomes Research Articles

Board Performance of Fisheries Graduates: Logistic Regression Analysis for Curriculum Enhancement

This study investigates the factors affecting the board performance of Bachelor of Science in Fisheries (BSFi) graduates in the fisheries technologists licensure exams in a specific region of the Philippines. The impetus for this research arose from observed variations in exam performance among graduates, prompting an examination of educational and institutional influences on success. The study used a purposive sampling technique to gather data from 138 respondents across State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) who took their first licensure exam from October 2018 to October 2023. A validated online survey questionnaire assessed academic performance, teaching methods, curriculum, faculty qualifications, library resources, laboratory facilities, and student characteristics. Logistic regression analysis was employed to analyze the relationship between these independent variables and licensure exam performance. The findings of this study are of profound importance, as they reveal strong correlations between faculty qualifications and exam outcomes, emphasizing the need for continuous professional development. Moreover, the study identifies improved laboratory facilities and a robust curriculum as critical factors contributing to student success. These insights have the potential to significantly impact stakeholders, informing them about essential areas for intervention and improvement. Ultimately, they aim to elevate the educational experience and licensure performance of BSFi graduates, thus supporting their professional trajectories in the fisheries sector.

Association Between Pandemic-Related Instructional Delivery Modifications and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) First Attempt Pass Rates

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic represents a sentinel event for healthcare and healthcare education alike. Mandatory shutdowns of educational institutions, combined with increased demand for skilled healthcare personnel, highlighted pre-existing challenges surrounding how to maintain a stable workforce. To ensure continuity of educational opportunities, many emergency medical services (EMS) educational institutions were forced to modify existing learning method to digital learning formats. This emergent transition unearthed concerns regarding the impacts alternative learning methods would have on entry-level EMS providers' learning outcomes and overall competency levels. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of alternative instructional methods used for EMT education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The study is a retrospective review of prospectively collected data for EMT candidates from a single community college-based EMT program who completed a first attempt of the National Registry EMS Certification examination for EMT candidates from course sections ending between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2020. Historical pre-COVID first attempt exam outcomes were compared to the first attempt outcomes of two alternative instructional methods –Emergency Remote (ER) and COVID Distance Learning Hybrid (DL). Results: The outcomes of 237 EMT students were evaluated. Remote and COVID Hybrid DL models compared to the traditional pre-COVID learning format. There was no significant difference in first attempt pass rates between students who participated in traditional learning, the Emergency Remote model (1.53 odds ratio), or the Distance Learning model (2.98 odds ratio). Conclusions: This study suggests that virtual learning is at least as effective as traditional formats in preparing students for the NREMT examination. Additional research is warranted regarding best practices for applying virtual learning modalities in EMS education.

EFFECT OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP PRACTICES ON STUDENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN ENGLISH IN PUBLIC DAY SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN RWANDA

This study investigates the impact of instructional leadership techniques on students\' English language competency in Rwandan public secondary schools. The research involved 5660 students, 10 head teachers, 156 English instructors, and 5 local authorities\' educational officials. The study used both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to gather data. The findings showed that school resource management and teachers\' behavior and attendance demonstrate leadership skills. Additionally, improved student behavior and greater cooperation reflect student performance. Exam outcomes, good teaching and learning, teacher conduct, school resource management, and collaborations with the community and parents were found to be significantly correlated with student performance. However, the association was negligible. The study recommends that transformational leaders in Rwanda improve student performance by fostering a positive school climate, promoting professional development, and enhancing English proficiency.

Analysis of Surgeon and Program Characteristics Associated with Success on American Board of Surgery Exam Outcomes.

Existing research exploring predictors of success on American Board of Surgery (ABS) exams focused on either resident or residency program characteristics, but limited studies focus on both. This study examines relationships between both resident and program characteristics and ABS Qualifying (QE) and Certifying Exam (CE) outcomes. Multilevel logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between resident and program characteristics and ABS QE and CE 1st attempt pass and eventual certification. Resident characteristics were gender, IMG status, and prior performance, measured by 1st attempt USMLE Step 2 CK and Step 3 scaled scores. Program characteristics were size, %female, %International Medical Graduate (IMG), and program type. The sample included surgeons with QE and CE data from 2007-2019 and matched USMLE scores. Controlling for other variables, prior medical performance positively related to all ABS exam outcomes. The relationships between USMLE scores and success on ABS exams varied but were generally strong. Other resident characteristics that predicted ABS exam outcomes were gender and IMG (QE 1st attempt pass). The only program characteristic that significantly predicted ABS outcomes was %IMG (QE and CE 1st attempt pass). Despite statistical significance, gender, IMG, and %IMG translated to small differences in predicted probabilities of ABS exam success. This study highlights resident and program characteristics that predict success on ABS exams. USMLE scores consistently and strongly related to ABS exam success, providing evidence that USMLE scores relate to future high-stakes consequences like board certification. After controlling for prior performance, gender, IMG, and program %IMG significantly related to ABS exam success, but effects were small.

Study preferences and exam outcomes in medical education: insights from renal physiology

BackgroundEfficient learning strategies and resource utilization are critical in medical education, especially for complex subjects like renal physiology. This is increasingly important given the rise in chronic renal diseases and the decline in nephrology fellowships. However, the correlations between study time, perceived utility of learning resources, and academic performance are not well-explored, which led to this study.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted with second-year medical students at the University of Bergen, Norway, to assess their preferred learning resources and study time dedicated to renal physiology. Responses were correlated with end-of-term exam scores.ResultsThe study revealed no significant correlation between time spent studying and overall academic performance, highlighting the importance of study quality over quantity. Preferences for active learning resources, such as Team-Based Learning, interactive lessons and formative assignments, were positively correlated with better academic performance. A notable correlation was found between students’ valuation of teachers’ professional competence and their total academic scores. Conversely, perceived difficulty across the curriculum and reliance on self-found online resources in renal physiology correlated negatively with academic performance. ‘The Renal Pod’, a locally produced renal physiology podcast, was popular across grades. Interestingly, students who listened to all episodes once achieved higher exam scores compared to those who listened to only some episodes, reflecting a strategic approach to podcast use. Textbooks, while less popular, did not correlate with higher exam scores. Despite the specific focus on renal physiology, learning preferences are systematically correlated with broader academic outcomes, reflecting the interconnected nature of medical education.ConclusionThe study suggests that the quality and strategic approaches to learning significantly impact academic performance. Successful learners tend to be proactive, engaged, and strategic, valuing expert instruction and active participation. These findings support the integration of student-activating teaching methods and assignments that reward deep learning.

Burnout is not associated with trainee performance on the Vascular Surgery In-Training Exam

ObjectiveThe Vascular Surgery In-Training Examination (VSITE) is a yearly exam evaluating vascular trainees’ knowledge base. Although multiple studies have evaluated variables associated with exam outcomes, few have incorporated training program-specific metrics. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of the learning environment and burnout on VSITE performance. MethodsData was collected from a confidential, voluntary survey administered after the 2020 to 2022 VSITE as part of the SECOND Trial. VSITE scores were calculated as percent correct then standardized per the American Board of Surgery. Generalized estimating equations with robust standard errors and an independent correlation structure were used to evaluate trainee and program factors associated with exam outcomes. Analyses were further stratified by integrated and independent training paradigms. ResultsA total of 1385 trainee responses with burnout data were collected over 3 years (408 in 2020, 459 in 2021, 498 in 2022). On average, 46% of responses reported at least weekly burnout symptoms. On unadjusted analysis, burnout symptoms correlated with a 14 point drop in VSITE score (95% confidence interval [CI], −24 to −4; P = .006). However, burnout was no longer significant after adjusted analysis. Instead, higher postgraduate year level, being in a relationship, identifying as male gender with or without kids, identifying as non-Hispanic white, larger programs, and having a sense of belonging within a program were associated with higher VSITE scores. ConclusionsDespite high rates of burnout, trainees generally demonstrate resilience in gaining the medical knowledge necessary to pass the VSITE. Performance on standardized exams is associated with trainee and program characteristics, including availability of support systems and program belongingness.

Evaluating Artificial Intelligence Competency in Education: Performance of ChatGPT-4 in the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) Radiography Certification Exam

Rationale and ObjectivesThe American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) leads the certification process with an exam comprising 200 multiple-choice questions. This study aims to evaluate ChatGPT-4's performance in responding to practice questions similar to those found in the ARRT board examination. Materials and MethodsWe used a dataset of 200 practice multiple-choice questions for the ARRT certification exam from BoardVitals. Each question was fed to ChatGPT-4 fifteen times, resulting in 3,000 observations to account for response variability. ResultsChatGPT's overall performance was 80.56%, with higher accuracy on text-based questions (86.3%) compared to image-based questions (45.6%). Response times were longer for image-based questions (18.01 seconds) than for text-based questions (13.27 seconds). Performance varied by domain: 72.6% for Safety, 70.6% for Image Production, 67.3% for Patient Care, and 53.4% for Procedures. As anticipated, performance was best on on easy questions (78.5%). ConclusionChatGPT demonstrated effective performance on the BoardVitals question bank for ARRT certification. Future studies could benefit from analyzing the correlation between BoardVitals scores and actual exam outcomes. Further development in AI, particularly in image processing and interpretation, is necessary to enhance its utility in educational settings.

Student Engagement in Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality Improvement: A Brief Educational Approach.

Achieving optimal patient safety (PS) remains a challenge in healthcare. Effective educational methods are critical for improving PS. Innovative teaching tools, like case-based learning, augmented reality, and active learning, can help students better understand and apply PS and healthcare quality improvement (HQI) principles. This study aimed to assess activities and tools implemented to improve PS and HQI education, as well as student engagement, in medical schools. We designed a two-week course for fourth-year medical students at the Autonomous University of Guadalajara, incorporating Fink's taxonomy of significant learning to create engaging activities. The course featured daily synchronous and asynchronous learning, with reinforcement activities using tools, like augmented reality and artificial intelligence. A total of 394 students participated, with their performance in activities and final exam outcomes analyzed using non-parametric tests. Students who passed the final exam scored higher in activities focused on application and reasoning (p = 0.02 and p = 0.018, respectively). Activity 7B, involving problem-solving and decision-making, was perceived as the most impactful. Activity 8A, a case-based learning exercise on incident reporting, received the highest score for perception of exam preparation. This study demonstrates innovative teaching methods and technology to enhance student understanding of PS and HQI, contributing to improved care quality and patient safety. Further research on the long-term impact is needed.

Principles of using the Kodály method in Chinese music education: synthesis of traditional educational elements of Chinese musical culture and Zoltan Kodály’s music teaching approaches / Principios de la aplicación del método Kodály en la educación musical china: síntesis de elementos educativos tradicionales de la cultura musical china y el enfoque pedagógico de las enseñanzas musicales de Zoltan Kodály

The paper measures the effectiveness and basic principles of the use of Kodály’s method in Chinese music education. The study was conducted among 186 first-year music students at Chinese universities. The methodology involved the following techniques: methodology for assessment of learner motivation (A. A. Rean, V. A. Yakunin, modified by N. C. Badmaeva), methodology for motivating to study at university (T. N. Ilyina), G. Davis’s Test of Creativity. The learning achievements were assessed with grade point averages and the exam outcomes. The research findings demonstrate the impact of Kodály’s methodology on the motivational and creative components of learning. The group’s grade point average on the ‘methodology for motivating to study at university’ scale increased: from 4.2 ± .2 to 4.8 ± .1 for ‘Communication’, from 4.5 ± .2 to 4.8 ± .1 for ‘Proficiency’, from 4.5 ± .2 to 4.8 ± .1 for ‘Learning and cognitive motive’. Kodály’s approach, based on the inclusion of singing, rhythm, movement and other supplementary exercises in music education, as well as authentic folk music, contributes to learning effectiveness.

Shoulder External Over Internal Rotation Ratio Is Related to Biomechanics in Collegiate Baseball Pitching.

Altering baseball pitching mechanics affects both performance and the risk of injury. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships of shoulder external over internal rotation ratio (SEIR) and other shoulder rotational properties during physical exam and biomechanics of pitching for 177 collegiate baseball pitchers. The shoulder range of motion was quantitatively measured using a custom-made wireless device. Pitching motion data were collected at 240Hz, and a custom program was created to calculate the throwing arm motion and loading during baseball pitching. Linear regression and analysis of variance tests were performed to investigate the relationships between the shoulder physical exam outcomes and throwing arm biomechanics. SEIR had significant correlations with shoulder horizontal adduction angle at foot contact, maximum shoulder external rotation angle, maximum shoulder linear velocity, and elbow angle at ball release. SEIR groups had significant differences in shoulder proximal force, adduction torque, internal rotation torque, and horizontal adduction torque, and in elbow medial force and varus torque. Glenohumeral internal rotation deficit and total rotational motion deficit had no relationships with throwing arm motions or joint loadings. Shoulder health should be monitored to improve understanding of pitching mechanics in collegiate baseball pitchers.

Predictors of Standardized Exam Outcomes in Vascular Surgery Training

Predictors of Standardized Exam Outcomes in Vascular Surgery Training

Application of Classroom Assessment Techniques in Medical Education: Results From the Community Medicine Teaching and Learning Experience.

Introduction Efficient delivery of medical education (ME) is crucial to improving the standards of future physicians or clinicians. India has been experiencing an enormous increase inmedical colleges and student admissions into medicine. This has resulted in overcrowding and compromised the student-to-teacher ratio. Conversely, students and teachers face difficulties with learning and teaching, respectively. Classroom assessment techniques (CATs) offer an egalitarian and productive approach to student learning and evaluation. This study was conducted to understand the role of CATs in improving student learning and motivation during community medicine lectures. Further, this study assessed the classroom teaching and learning (TL) process. Method This study included 100 third-year medical students pursuing a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) and 12 faculty members working at Great Eastern Medical School and Hospital (GEMS&H), Srikakulam, India. To facilitate learning and boost motivation, this study applied three CATsincluding a one-minute paper (OMP), muddiest point (MP), and student-generated test questions (SGTQs). After two months of applying CATs, the teachers and students were asked for feedback on their experiences. The data generated from feedback forms were tabulated and analyzed. Results According to 76% (76/100) of students, these strategies have stimulated their interest in learning community medicine. Besides, 64% (64/100) of students believed utilizing these strategies would improve their exam outcomes. Further, 77% (77/100) of students believed these methods must be applied in subsequent lessons. About 68% (68/100) of students thought other subject teachers should also employ these strategies. Of the 12 faculty members included in the study, they mostly liked the OMP (5; 41.66%) and MP technique (5; 41.66%). Conclusions Teachers and students have highly welcomed the utility of CATs to improve learning in community medicine.Of the three CATsapplied, the OMP was the most popular with students, and teachersagreed that using OMP in the classroom along with MP would be beneficial. Moststudents and teachers were enthusiastic about employing additional TL strategies like CATs.

School closures and their implications for student outcomes: evidence from Lithuania

ABSTRACT This paper studies the effect of school closures on student outcomes in the Lithuanian context. Using administrative student-level data from 2013–2017 and propensity score matching, we create a balanced sample of control and treatment groups. In contrast to other studies, we focus on students in the final years of high school, possibly eliciting the upper bar of the disruption effect. We also follow students after high school graduation, providing evidence on labour market outcomes. We find that school closure has a small, negative effect on only some exam outcomes and the probability of enrolling at a university, suggesting that the disruption effect is small even for students in the final years of high school.

Machine Learning to Identify Clusters in Family Medicine Diplomate Motivations and Their Relationship to Continuing Certification Exam Outcomes: Findings and Potential Future Implications.

The potential for machine learning (ML) to enhance the efficiency of medical specialty boards has not been explored. We applied unsupervised ML to identify archetypes among American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) Diplomates regarding their practice characteristics and motivations for participating in continuing certification, then examined associations between motivation patterns and key recertification outcomes. Diplomates responding to the 2017 to 2021 ABFM Family Medicine continuing certification examination surveys selected motivations for choosing to continue certification. We used Chi-squared tests to examine difference proportions of Diplomates failing their first recertification examination attempt who endorsed different motivations for maintaining certification. Unsupervised ML techniques were applied to generate clusters of physicians with similar practice characteristics and motivations for recertifying. Controlling for physician demographic variables, we used logistic regression to examine the effect of motivation clusters on recertification examination success and validated the ML clusters by comparison with a previously created classification schema developed by experts. ML clusters largely recapitulated the intrinsic/extrinsic framework devised by experts previously. However, the identified clusters achieved a more equal partitioning of Diplomates into homogenous groups. In both ML and human clusters, physicians with mainly extrinsic or mixed motivations had lower rates of examination failure than those who were intrinsically motivated. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using ML to supplement and enhance human interpretation of board certification data. We discuss implications of this demonstration study for the interaction between specialty boards and physician Diplomates.

Who watched pre/post-lecture tutorial videos? Does flipped learning help beginners in economics?

The modern-day classroom is characterized by academic diversity, with students from varied backgrounds and with different levels of prior knowledge. To cater to the diverse abilities of students, this paper explored the use of flipped learning as a teaching approach in an introductory economics course. We investigated the effectiveness of 40 pre-lecture videos covering basic concepts and 27 post-lecture tutorial videos focusing on practice in improving students' exam outcomes, especially for beginners in economics who may require more support from instructors than other students. We collected data about video engagement and students' grades in progress assessments. Surveys were conducted to gather students’ feedback regarding the usefulness of the videos on their learning. The findings showed that beginners engaged more with those videos, spent more time watching them compared to non-beginners. Furthermore, the study observed an improvement in beginners' exam performance, with their average grade increasing as a percentage of the average of non-beginners. These findings hold significance for instructors aiming to offer personalized assistance to students with varying levels of prior knowledge, thereby advancing educational practices in the field of economics.

Kansas beef bulls with chronic anaplasmosis demonstrate satisfactory breeding soundness outcomes at breeding soundness examination.

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the prevalence of chronic Anaplasma marginale infection in beef bulls from eastern Kansas and compare breeding soundness parameters between A marginale-infected and uninfected bulls. We hypothesized that bulls with chronic anaplasmosis would have inferior breeding soundness exam (BSE) outcomes as a result of persistent A marginale infection or the consequence of initial clinical disease compared to uninfected bulls. 535 client-owned beef bulls from eastern Kansas undergoing routine BSE. Complete BSEs were conducted by participating veterinarians according to the second edition of the Society for Theriogenology Manual for Breeding Soundness Examination of Bulls. Blood samples were collected for PCV determination and analysis of A marginale infection status via quantitative PCR and cELISA. Logistic and linear regression methods were used to evaluate factors associated with A marginale infection status and BSE parameters. Prevalence of chronic A marginale infection was 46% (245/535) among bulls. Unsatisfactory BSE outcome was not statistically associated with chronic anaplasmosis in this study population, although more bulls with chronic anaplasmosis had unsatisfactory BSE outcomes (15.0 ± 2.4% vs 12.0 ± 2.2%). Chronic anaplasmosis is prevalent among eastern Kansas breeding bulls; however, no negative association between chronic anaplasmosis and breeding soundness at time of BSE was observed.

The Impact of the GQM Framework on Software Engineering Exam Outcomes

The Impact of the GQM Framework on Software Engineering Exam Outcomes

Data-Driven Early Academic Intervention: Harnessing AI for Students Achievement

In the dynamic landscape of higher education, the timely identification and mitigation of factors contributing to academic failure among university students are paramount for fostering academic success and student well-being. This research follows a quantitative research method using machine learning algorithms and strategically designed features extracted from students’ laboratory practices and questionnaires, to predict students’ academic performance. The primary motivation driving this research is to develop a model capable of identifying students at potential academic risk at mid-course, thereby enabling timely intervention strategies. Changes in the evaluation of laboratory practices are introduced to enhance the model’s predictive accuracy. Results demonstrate the model’s effectiveness in predicting final exam outcomes, achieving over 90% accuracy at the end of the course. A mid-course identification experiment shows the feasibility of predicting student outcomes with an accuracy exceeding 85%. The findings suggest the potential for early intervention strategies to improve student success.

Do typing skills matter? Investigating university students’ typing speed and performance in online exams

ABSTRACT In response to COVID-19, universities worldwide experienced drastic and sudden changes including the need to shift to online teaching and assessment. Following previous research suggesting that individual differences in typing skills could influence text quantity and quality, we investigated whether university students’ typing speed is related to their performance in an online written exam, considering that low typing skills could potentially be disadvantageous. To this end, first-year university students participated in a copy-typing task immediately after completing a graded online exam. Results show a trend toward a triangular relationship between typing speed, text length and exam performance. Despite coefficients being small, this approach allows unique insights into externally valid data of university students’ typed free text production in an authentic online exam situation. Our findings emphasize the need for more research into this highly variable skill in order to understand and minimize unwanted interindividual differences that could possibly influence exam outcomes.

Unveiling the impact: Anatomy internal assessment exclusion in MBBS first professional results

Introduction: In 2019, the National Medical Commission (NMC) implemented the Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) curriculum, altering teaching, learning, and assessment methods. Internal assessment marks, once contributing to final grades, now only serve as eligibility criteria. This study, conducted at the Department of Anatomy, HIMS, Safedabad, examines the impact of excluding internal assessment from MBBS 1st year students' final Anatomy marks. Materials and Methods: This study assessed the performance of MBBS 2019 (CBME) and MBBS 2018 (old) batches in Anatomy. Parameters examined included: 1) first attempt exam clearance rates, 2) passage via grace marks, and 3) distribution of scores (students who scored >70%, between 60-70% and between 50-60%). Statistical analysis employed chi-square tests. Results: In the MBBS 2018-19 batch, 86 out of 100 students passed Anatomy, compared to 94 out of 99 in the MBBS 2019 (CBME) batch. In the MBBS 2018 batch, excluding internal assessment would have resulted in 44 failures, reduced to 14 with inclusion. Chi-square tests demonstrated significant differences in scores and failure rates. Conclusions: Excluding internal assessment markedly affected Anatomy exam outcomes, highlighting its pivotal role in MBBS 1stProfessional success. Keywords: Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME), Internal assessment, Anatomy, Medical education, MBBS curriculum, Student performance