“Traditional methods of assessment have often been based
upon awarding grades and have tended to provide little or no
narrative feedback to learners,” Dr. Janice Hanson, a visiting
expert who attended the WCM-Q Assessment in Health Professional
Education symposium, said.
Hanson, the director of educational
research and development in the Department of Pediatrics at the
University of Colorado School of Medicine, said that typical assessment methods do
not discern why someone passed or failed. They also fail to provide
valuable feedback about how to improve performance.
"If we
can provide learners with comprehensive feedback, whether narratively
or using other methods, they can understand what they need to do to
improve, which not only helps them target their learning but also
boosts morale and motivation,” Hanson said.
Deema Al-Sheikhly,
director of continuing professional development for Weill Cornell, agreed.
“Effective assessment is a vital part of any learning
experience, but this has traditionally been somewhat overlooked, and
faculty often feel they require more formal training in this area,”
Al-Sheikhly said. “This seminar aimed to comprehensively answer
that need.”
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