Electronic evaluation for freshmen nursing students: Advantages and disadvantages

Area of Science:

• Educational Technology
• Nursing Education

Background:

• Traditional written evaluations present challenges in assessing large student cohorts.
• Exploring innovative assessment methods is crucial for enhancing educational outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of electronic evaluations compared to traditional written methods for freshmen nursing students.
• To assess student preferences regarding electronic assessment formats.

Main Methods:

• An electronic evaluation system was implemented for freshmen nursing students in Biology and Nursing Introduction courses.
• Questions and answer choices were randomized, and the evaluation was conducted simultaneously for all participants.
• Student feedback on question format and timing was collected.

Main Results:

• Electronic evaluations resulted in higher test scores compared to written evaluations.
• Students preferred multiple-choice questions with short headings and approximately three minutes per test.
• Simultaneous electronic assessment is feasible for large student groups.

Conclusions:

• Information technology offers a viable and effective tool for evaluating large numbers of students in academic programs.
• Electronic assessments can potentially improve student performance and provide valuable feedback on assessment design.