Students’ reflection on immediate feedback during formative assessment

Abstract

Background: Providing immediate feedback to students has shown improvement in students’ knowledge, understanding, and confidence as it helps in identifying lacunae and loopholes in learning process. Despite the usefulness of feedback, common complaint from students is that they usually do not receive feedback immediately in their learning process. We also face similar situation with our students in institute. The aim of this study was to find out effect of giving immediate feedback and explore the views of medical students on immediate feedback during formative assessment. Aims and Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate the effect of immediate feedback on the medical students’ learning in medical education. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in Department of Physiology, GMERS Medical College, Valsad on 183 students of 1st MBBS after ethical approval. Two types of modules were prepared on using “Hot Potatoes” software version 6.3. Module-1: Test 1 without feedback: consist of 20 MCQs and Module-2: Test 2 with feedback: consist of 20 MCQs, provide immediate feedback for each option of MCQ. Two modules were given one by one on WhatsApp group on mobile phone. Reflection writing and feedback from students were taken after that. Results: The qualitative data collected provided important information about the immediate feedback. Feedback responses of students on the questionnaire were analyzed using Likert scale. The Likert scale values were in strongly agree/agree part for Module-2 (with feedback). The students believed that immediate feedback was very helpful in clearing concepts, finding out lacunae, improvement in confidence, and self-learning. An excellent way for self-assessment and improved their deeper understanding of content areas. The students enjoyed innovative way of learning compared to conventional learning. Conclusion: Immediate feedback using this type of feedback modules should be implemented to improve students’ knowledge, understanding, memory, and confidence and can be used as self-directed learning tool.