A mixed-methods approach to repetitive formative assessment with timely feedback on instructional perception in doctor of pharmacy students

Introduction

Formative assessment assists learning, but how Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students perceive repeated formative assessment is unclear.

Methods and materials

This study sought to determine perceptions of repeated formative assessment with timely feedback on student learning in third-year PharmD students. This mixed methods approach included four surveys and a qualitative interview. Five formative assessments were assigned to third-year PharmD students throughout a fall course, and then repeated in a spring course for the same cohort. Paired pre-and post-course surveys administered in both courses contained items corresponding to formative assessment perceptions. Survey items included domains of knowledge, engagement, feedback, and confidence, and effect size was determined using Cohen's d. Following the second course, students were invited to take part in a qualitative interview to further characterize perceptions.

Results

Overall, 19 and 18 students participated in paired fall and spring pre- and post-surveys, respectively. The standardized mean difference for 12 out of 24 total survey items (58.3%) indicated small to medium positive effect sizes following the intervention, two out of 24 (8.3%) with medium to strong positive effect sizes, and one out of 24 (4.17%) with a strong positive effect size. Eight students participated in a quantitative interview; response themes included “think,” “critiquing,” “helped,” and “helpful.”

Conclusions

In two PharmD courses, students expressed a generally small to moderate perceived benefit on repeat formative assessment in domains representing knowledge, engagement, feedback, and confidence.