Student Examination Performance Research Articles

Fourth-year medical students do not perform a focused physical examination during a case-based simulation scenario.

BackgroundThe art of physical examination is one of the most valuable diagnostic tools bestowed upon new generations of medical students. Despite traditional educational techniques and significant attention on a national level, both trainees and educators have noticed a decrease in physical examination proficiency. Simulation has been identified as a potential way to improve physical examination techniques within undergraduate medical education. We sought to determine the utility of a cardiac case-based simulation scenario to assess physical examination performance of fourth-year medical students during an emergency medicine (EM) clerkship.Materials and methodsFourth-year medical students enrolled in a 4-week EM clerkship were prospectively evaluated during a case-based scenario using a simulation mannequin (Laerdal SimMan®). The case involved a patient presenting with chest pain that evolved into cardiac arrest. All simulations were video recorded and two emergency physicians reviewed each video. The reviewers recorded whether or not each student completed the essential components of a focused physical examination.ResultsTwenty-seven students participated in the simulation. The percentage of students completing each of the four components of the physical examination was as follows: cardiac auscultation 33.3% (95% CI 18.5–52.3), lung auscultation 29.6% (95% CI 15.7–48.7), pulse and extremity examination 55.6% (95% CI 37.3–72.4), and abdominal examination 3.70% (95% CI 0–19.8). None of the students completed all four of these components.ConclusionOur study showed that fourth-year medical students did not uniformly perform components of a focused physical examination during a high-acuity chest pain simulation scenario. Although our study showed limited physical examination performance, simulation allows evaluators to observe and provide constructive feedback and may lead to an improvement in these skills. These findings call for improved technology to increase authenticity of simulators and continued faculty development for more creative, meaningful integration of physical examination skills into high-acuity simulation cases.

Evaluation of eLearning for the teaching of undergraduate ophthalmology at medical school: a randomised controlled crossover study.

To compare ophthalmology teaching delivered by eLearning with traditional lectures, in terms of undergraduate performance and satisfaction. Randomised controlled crossover study at King's College London Medical School with 245 third year medical students. The ophthalmology syllabus was divided into ten topics. Five topics were randomised to be taught by traditional lectures and five by electronic learning (eLearning). For the second rotation of students the topics were crossed over, so that those topics taught by traditional lectures were taught by eLearning and vice versa. At the end of each rotation the students sat an optional online mock examination containing 100 questions (ten on each topic). Students' examination performance was compared between the two teaching methods. Student satisfaction was assessed using an online satisfaction survey. Outcome measures were the mean percentage of correct answers across all ten topics, student satisfaction and self-assessed knowledge. The mean examination score for questions taught by eLearning was 58% (95% CI, 55.7-59.6), versus 55% (95% CI 53.1-56.8) for traditional lectures (P = 0.047). Across all topics students were more satisfied with eLearning than traditional lectures, with 87% (95% CI 84.5-88.4) rating eLearning as 'excellent' or 'good' versus 65% (95% CI 62.0-67.4) for lectures (p < 0.0001). Overall 180 (75.6%) preferred eLearning compared to traditional lectures, with 166 (69.7%) rating eLearning 'much better' or 'better,' 61 (25.6%) 'neutral' and 11 (4.6%) 'worse' or 'much worse.' Student satisfaction and examination performance are both enhanced by ophthalmology eLearning. Similar eLearning modules may be suitable for other specialties and postgraduate learning.

You’ve got mail: The impact of online message-boards on performance in first year undergraduate mathematics and statistical methods units

As a supplement to face-to-face lectures and classes, message board software was introduced in a first year mathematics and statistical methods unit in a UK Russell Group University. Fifty percent of students signed up to this software, so when combined with a further first-year mathematics and statistical methods unit, without message board software, this enabled the opportunity to use a difference in difference methodology to find the causal impact of message board software on student examination performance. The results suggest that students who actively engage with message boards perform significantly better than students who sign up for the message boards, but neither ask, nor answer, questions. However, the results for the impact compared to non-participants is mixed, and may be related to behavioural change in students.

Assessment of Student Performance for Course Examination Using Rasch Measurement Model: A Case Study of Information Technology Fundamentals Course

This paper describes a measurement model that is used to measure the student performance in the final examination of Information Technology (IT) Fundamentals (IT280) course in the Information Technology (IT) Department, College of Computer &amp; Information Sciences (CCIS), Al-Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU). The assessment model is developed based on students’ mark entries of final exam results for the second year IT students, which are compiled and tabulated for evaluation using Rasch Measurement Model, and it can be used to measure the students’ performance towards the final examination of the course. A study on 150 second year students (male = 52; female = 98) was conducted to measure students’ knowledge and understanding for IT280 course according to the three level of Bloom’s Taxonomy. The results concluded that students can be categorized as poor (10%), moderate (42%), good (18%), and successful (24%) to achieve Level 3 of Bloom’s Taxonomy. This study shows that the students’ performance for the set of IT280 final exam questions was comparatively good. The result generated from this study can be used to guide us to determine the appropriate improvement of teaching method and the quality of question prepared.

Evaluating the effect of the Practical Approach to Care Kit on teaching medical students primary care: Quasi-experimental study.

BackgroundSouth Africa is committed to health reforms that strengthen primary health care. Preparing future doctors to work in primary care teams with other professionals is a priority, and medical schools have shifted towards community-based and decentralised training of medical students.AimTo evaluate the effect on student performance of the Practical Approach to Care Kit (PACK) (an integrated decision-making tool for adult primary care) during the final phase of medical student training at Stellenbosch University.SettingClinical rotations in family medicine at clinics in the Western Cape.MethodsMixed methods involving a quasi-experimental study and focus group interviews. Student examination performance was compared between groups with and without exposure to the PACK during their clinical training. Student groups exposed to PACK were interviewed at the end of their rotations.ResultsStudent performance in examinations was significantly better in those exposed to the PACK. Students varied from using the PACK overtly or covertly during the consultation to checking up on decisions made after the consultation. Some felt that the PACK was more suitable for nurses or more junior students. Although tutors openly endorsed PACK, very few modelled the use of PACK in their clinical practice.ConclusionThe use of PACK in the final phase of undergraduate medical education improved their performance in primary care. Students might be more accepting and find the tool more useful in the earlier clinical rotations. Supervisors should be trained further in how to incorporate the use of the PACK in their practice and educational conversations.

Revaluation of Student Failure Reasons Using Non-Additive Methods

In this paper, An application of non-additive measures for re-evaluating the degree of importance of some student failure reasons has been discussed. We apply non-additive fuzzy integral model (Sugeno, Shilkret and Choquet) integrals for some expected factors which effect student examination performance for different students' cases.

Does neuro-anatomy award/ prize impact on student performance in the first professional examination in anatomy

Concern has been expressed about the motivational impact of neuro-anatomy award/prize in determining the overall student performance in the final professional anatomy examinations by comparing it with the result outcome of a high stake examination like neuro-anatomy incourse examination using the concept of convergent validity. A total of 57 third year medical students with the records of their grades/scores (Mean ± SD) in the various assessments criteria, were analyzed. In this study, the neuro-incourse examination was consistently a high predictor (r = 0.80; P Key

Faculty Evaluations Correlate Poorly with Medical Student Examination Performance in a Fourth-Year Emergency Medicine Clerkship

BackgroundClerkship directors routinely evaluate medical students using multiple modalities, including faculty assessment of clinical performance and written examinations. Both forms of evaluation often play a prominent role in final clerkship grade. The degree to which these modalities correlate in an emergency medicine (EM) clerkship is unclear. ObjectiveWe sought to correlate faculty clinical evaluations with medical student performance on a written, standardized EM examination of medical knowledge. MethodsThis is a retrospective study of fourth-year medical students in a 4-week EM elective at one academic medical center. EM faculty performed end of shift evaluations of students via a blinded online system using a 5-point Likert scale for 8 domains: data acquisition, data interpretation, medical knowledge base, professionalism, patient care and communication, initiative/reliability/dependability, procedural skills, and overall evaluation. All students completed the National EM M4 Examination in EM. Means, medians, and standard deviations for end of shift evaluation scores were calculated, and correlations with examination scores were assessed using a Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. ResultsThirty-nine medical students with 224 discrete faculty evaluations were included. The median number of evaluations completed per student was 6. The mean score (±SD) on the examination was 78.6% ± 6.1%. The examination score correlated poorly with faculty evaluations across all 8 domains (ρ 0.074–0.316). ConclusionFaculty evaluations of medical students across multiple domains of competency correlate poorly with written examination performance during an EM clerkship. Educators need to consider the limitations of examination score in assessing students' ability to provide quality patient clinical care.

A política de cotas sociais para o acesso ao ensino superior: o caso das universidades federais mineiras

O presente estudo objetivou verificar se há diferença no desempenho acadêmico entre alunos que tiveram e os que não tiveram acesso às Universidades Federais mineiras via política de cotas sociais. Para tanto, considerou-se todos os cursos dessas universidades que realizaram o Exame Nacional de Desempenho dos Estudantes em 2013. Realizou-se uma análise descritiva para caracterizar o grupo de formandos, considerando como variáveis o tipo de escola e renda familiar. Posteriormente, realizou-se uma (i) análise para aferir se o rendimento no Enade dos alunos que cursaram o ensino médio em escolas públicas se difere daqueles advindos de escolas particulares e; (ii) se o rendimento dos alunos ingressantes na universidade por meio das cotas sociais é inferior ao rendimento dos demais alunos; por meio da representação gráfica, da análise da estatística descritiva dos dados e do teste de diferença entre médias independentes. Identificou-se que o número de alunos oriundos de escola pública e com baixa renda é inferior ao número de alunos provenientes de escolas privadas nos cursos analisados. Além disso, os resultados demonstraram que não há uma diferença estatisticamente significativa entre o desempenho das categorias consideradas.

Effects of image-based and text-based active learning exercises on student examination performance in a musculoskeletal anatomy course.

Research on the benefits of visual learning has relied primarily on lecture-based pedagogy, but the potential benefits of combining active learning strategies with visual and verbal materials on learning anatomy has not yet been explored. In this study, the differential effects of text-based and image-based active learning exercises on examination performance were investigated in a functional anatomy course. Each class session was punctuated with an average of 12 text-based and image-based active learning exercises. Participation data from 231 students were compared with their examination performance on 262 questions associated with the in-class exercises. Students also rated the helpfulness and difficulty of the in-class exercises on a survey. Participation in the active learning exercises was positively correlated with examination performance (r = 0.63, P < 0.001). When controlling for other key demographics (gender, underrepresented minority status) and prior grade point average, participation in the image-based exercises was significantly correlated with performance on examination questions associated with image-based exercises (P < 0.001) and text-based exercises (P < 0.01), while participation in text-based exercises was not. Additionally, students reported that the active learning exercises were helpful for seeing images of key ideas (94%) and clarifying key course concepts (80%), and that the image-based exercises were significantly less demanding, less hard and required less effort than text-based exercises (P < 0.05). The findings confirm the positive effect of using images and active learning strategies on student learning, and suggest that integrating them may be especially beneficial for learning anatomy. Anat Sci Educ 10: 444-455. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists.

小試験と組み合わせたミニットペーパーによる相乗効果

Minute paper is one of reflection techniques carried out at the end of a day’s lesson. We implement it with quiz in mathematics class to promote fixing the knowledge and ability to solve mathematical problems. In every lesson, students take a quiz referring minute paper they wrote in previous lesson. We throw up the method is helpful for student to reflect what they learned in last lesson. Also we categorize contents of minute paper, and study its impact to student achievement. Analysis of the contents and student performance in examination is useful to give appropriate support to students.

Assessment on student performance using Rasch model in multi-tier application development course examination

Assessment and measurement in teaching and learning process is one of the most vital processes in order to assure the quality of education system. This paper describes a measurement model that is used to measure the student performance in the final examination of multi-tier application development (IS333D) course in the Information Systems (IS) Department, College of Computer and Information Sciences (CCIS), Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University (PNU). A sample of final exam results for the third year IS students is compiled and tabulated for evaluation using Rasch measurement model. This study shows that the student performance for the set of IS333D final exam questions comparatively good. This confirms that most of the students able to achieve the three levels of Bloom&#39;s taxonomy. The result generated from this study can be used to guide us to determine the appropriate improvement of the teaching method as well as the quality of question prepared.

Assessment on student performance using Rasch Model in Multi-tier Application Development course examination

Assessment and measurement in teaching and learning process is one of the most vital processes in order to assure the quality of education system. This paper describes a measurement model that is used to measure the student performance in the final examination of multi-tier application development (IS333D) course in the Information Systems (IS) Department, College of Computer and Information Sciences (CCIS), Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University (PNU). A sample of final exam results for the third year IS students is compiled and tabulated for evaluation using Rasch measurement model. This study shows that the student performance for the set of IS333D final exam questions comparatively good. This confirms that most of the students able to achieve the three levels of Bloom's taxonomy. The result generated from this study can be used to guide us to determine the appropriate improvement of the teaching method as well as the quality of question prepared.

Revaluation of Student Failure Reasons Using Non-Additive Methods

In this paper, An application of non-additive measures for re-evaluating the degree of importance of some student failure reasons has been discussed. We apply non-additive fuzzy integral model (Sugeno, Shilkret and Choquet) integrals for some expected factors which effect student examination performance for different students' cases.

Diretrizes curriculares da farmácia versus ENADE: a ótica docente

O Exame Nacional de Desempenho de Estudantes (ENADE) integra o Sistema Nacional de Avaliação da Educação Superior (SINAES) como um componente curricular obrigatório nos cursos de graduação brasileiros. O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar a opinião dos professores sobre as questões do ENADE para o curso de Farmácia em 2010, analisando se eram condizentes com as orientações preconizadas pelas Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais dos cursos de Farmácia (DCNF). Através do Qualtrics Survey Software, foram elaborados quatro questionários, enviados por meio digital a professores alocados a 18 cursos de Farmácia das instituições públicas e privadas do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (RS). No total, 131 docentes avaliaram a prova do ENADE 2010. Na opinião dos professores a adequação das questões Específicas alcançou grau médio 7,78±2,22, sendo percebido que 63% das questões eram relacionadas à capacidade de exercício em fármacos e medicamentos, 45,5% a habilidade crítico-reflexiva e 45,3% atuação interdisciplinar. Já as questões de Formação Geral alcançaram nota média 5,16±2,87, auxiliando na compreensão da realidade social, cultural e econômica do meio no qual o profissional estivesse inserido 42,8%, com caráter crítico-reflexivo 32,2%, humanista 12,2% e ético 10,6%. Verificou-se que na opinião dos professores a prova de Farmácia do ENADE 2010 contempla os princípios definidos pelas DNCF, entretanto apresenta uma distribuição assimétrica dos aspectos exigidos à formação de um profissional farmacêutico generalista.

PERCEIVED MANAGEMENT OF LEARNING FACILITIES AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA

INTRODUCTION:Schools and colleges have no worth without students. Students are the most essential asset for any educational institute (Ikegbusi, 2012). The social and economic development of any country is directly linked with students' academic performance of that country (Roberts & Sampson, 2011). According to Ali and Jusoff (2014) and Ikegbusi and Iheanacho (2016), the students' performance (academic achievement) plays an important role in producing the best quality graduates who will become great leaders and manpower for the country, thus responsible for the country's economic and social development.The academic performance of secondary school students in examinations generally, and Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), General Certificate of Education (GCE), National Examination Council (NECO), and Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in particular do not appear to be as good as they are expected to be as shown in the analysis and statistics of school records (Igbinedion & Omodolor, 2016). They added that many students are below credit levels and that this has given rise to uncomplimentary remarks from parents, guardians and other stakeholders on the academic performance of secondary school students especially in English language. Okoye (2014), observes that the performance of secondary school students in Senior School Certificate Examination and National Examination Commission in Nigeria is not all that impressive. Often students find it difficult to enter into higher institutions due to the fact that they do not have credits in English language, which is one of the core subjects, which every student must pass at credit levels or above, but many students score ordinary pass or even fail it. This situation has resulted in frustration to the concerned students and their parents in addition to making the school system inefficient. Although, according to Hijazi (2015) and Niebuhr (2015), academic performance is a function of many variables which include facilities provided, housing environment, parents motivation, quality of teachers, school climate as well as students 'Intelligence Quotient (IQ), all of which do influence, singly and collectively the students' academic performance. Management of learning facilities play vital roles in students' academic performance.According to Clabaugh & Rozyeki (2014), intelligence is not the only determinant of academic performance and achievement of a student. Academic performance and achievement of a student are always associated with many components of learning environment. Bosque & Dore (2015), posits that teaching and learning environment ought to implement six functions: inform, communicate, collaborate, produce, scaffold, and manage. They added that conceptually speaking, the learning environment refers to the whole range of components and activities within which learning happens. Based on Sandberg (2015), the definition of the functions of a learning environment can be quoted as 'teacher component's role' in providing a safe and conducive environment for students, foster participation in local and global communities and provide guidance and direct instruction. It can be a human agent (present or distant), an intelligent agent, and instructions like some text books. This information provides information from the syllabus to the task level.''Thenmozli (2015), sees management as the utilization, inspection, and maintenance of learning facilities to reach the desired aims and objectives. It encompasses managerial activities like planning, organising, staffing, directing and controlling. He stresses further that for management to be effective, it must seek to produce the required or targeted results. It consists of interlocking functions of creating corporate policy and organising, planning, controlling, and directing an organization's resources in order to achieve the objectives of that policy (Gulshan, 2015). He explains further that management has the following three characteristics:1. …

Going Tactical Rather than Strategic

This article analyses a tactical intervention aimed at improving the academic performance of students that brought about more than the intended positive changes in the target schools through contiguous effect. The intervention was primarily focused on student performance in examinations and was externally driven but led to many improvements in the internal systems as well. The manifestation of this process is explained through the Stakeholder Transition Model and the Outcome-focused Tactical Intervention Model. Within the broad framework of the Tactical, Network and Tacit triad, the article argues that contextualising for the local milieu or situation, coordinated stakeholder engagement and interpersonal relationships play important roles in the success of any intervention. The fact that these are not effectively implemented in the government schools covered in this study is not a comment on the system, since this issue is far too complex to be exhaustively discussed here. This intervention suggests a way for external change agents to bring about changes in the internal processes through contiguous pressure in contrast to directly acting on the system.

The Impact of Lecture Attendance on Exams for Novice Programming Students

In this paper, the correlation between lecture attendance and assessment tasks on final exam performance of introductory programming students has been analyzed to identify if lecture attendance, and completion of in-class and take home formative assessment tasks affects student performance in the final examination. In this study, only lecture attendance, homework exercises and class demonstration scores, and final exam marks have been considered. This study used Spearman's Rank correlation coefficient and multiple regression techniques via SPSS software to analyze the student data of the academic years 2012, 2013 and 2014 of an introductory programming course to test the hypotheses. It is found that, there is a significant correlation between homework exercises and final exam scores. However, formal lecture attendance and final exam performance were negatively correlated. Moreover, multiple regression results of assessment tasks such as homework exercises, class activities and lecture attendance on final exam scores, did not provide any significant value to support the statement Marks achieved in homework, class demonstrations, and lecture attendance, have a significant positive impact on final examination results.

Desigualdades Educacionais na Educação Básica: Uma Investigação a Partir do Exame Nacional do Ensino Médio

The article presents the influence of family socioeconomic resources on student performance in National Secondary Education Examination (ENEM) and its relation with the degree of educational inequality in Brazil. The research used performance microdata from the 2011 ENEM excluding students who did not report academic retention, as well as those who missed the exam or failed in any in of the four objective tests. Another adjustment was made to consider students from 17 to 19 years of age. Male performance exceeded the female in objective assessment, while the opposite occurred in the composition test. The largest educational inequalities occur among those who declared attending state schools, among black and brown-skinned students, with mothers who never attended school and who have a monthly income of up to 1,5 minimum salary.

Racial and Low-Income Quotas in Brazilian Universities: Impact on Academic Performance

This paper examines the impact of racial and low-income quotas on academic performance considering all public and private universities in Brazil. Using data from the National Examination of Student Performance (ENADE) conducted in 2012, the results indicate that there is no statistically significant difference in academic performance between students admitted under the racial quota and those who had the regular admission (non-quota students). The impact is positive, however, for students from the North region of Brazil and among those with very low family income, whereas a negative impact is observed for those from the Central-West region. In regards to the low-income quota, quota students perform worse than eligible non-quota students as their scores are, on average, 14% lower. Similar findings are observed when different subsamples are considered.