Validation of the Tutotest in a hybrid problem-based learning curriculum

The Tutotest is one of the few structured instruments developed for the assessment of students' learning skills in a problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum. This study was designed to validate the Tutotest in a hybrid PBL curriculum. Forty-four tutors completed 370 evaluations on second to fourth year medical students at the end of the first semester in 2004 using the Chinese version of the Tutotest. There was significant correlation between global rating and Tutotest-C (r = 0.44, P < 0.001). The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.97. Two-week test-retest correlation coefficient was 0.85. Factor analysis revealed four factors, where three were similar to the factors of "effectiveness in group", "communication and leadership skills", and "respect for others" identified in the original Tutotest. "Hypothesis forming and testing" instead of "scientific curiosity" became the fourth factor in our data. Our study validated the Tutotest-C in a hybrid PBL curriculum and students from the Chinese educational system. The test-retest reliability measure with a 2-week interval at the end of the PBL tutorial confirmed the stability of the Tutotest, which has not been previously reported. Since most Asian medical schools adopted a hybrid PBL curriculum, a valid student evaluation instrument for this type of curriculum is valuable.