Teacher and Students Perceptions on Utility of Feedback after MCQ-Based Formative Assessment

To assess the utility of feedback after multiple-choice questions (MCQs)-based formative assessment of MBBS students.

This prospective interventional study was conducted in Department of Ophthalmology, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, from October 2014 to March 2015. 200 concept-based, single best response type MCQs were selected from 300 questions submitted by 12 ophthalmology teachers. 269 final year MBBS students, appearing for summative examination in March 2015, took the formative examination in the 1st week of December 2014. Computerised evaluation optical mark recognition sheets were generated. Item analysis of MCQs revealed a difficulty index of 45%, discrimination index of 0.36 and distracter efficiency of 79%. Questions left un attempted or marked incorrectly by more than 60% students were considered as indicators of weak areas of teaching/learning. One lecture time was utilised to give feedback to the students, and faculty meeting was held to discuss the weak areas of teaching/learning. 12 teachers and 20 randomly selected students were individually asked to fill a questionnaire of 10 close-ended questions. The student and teacher perceptions of favourable, equivocal and unfavourable responses were analysed using chi-square test.

54.17% of faculty responses and 65.5% of students’ responses were favourable to utilise the feedback after MCQs based for formative assessment, with the additional advantage of wider coverage of the subject.

Feedback after MCQs-based formative assessment is a useful tool to identify deficient areas and improve teaching and learning.