Student Performance on Graded Versus Ungraded Readiness Assurance Tests in a Team-Based Learning Elective

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Team-based learning (TBL) is a common pedagogical approach in pharmacy education.
• Readiness assurance tests (RATs) are often graded to incentivize preclass preparation for TBL.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of graded versus ungraded RATs on student examination performance.
• To explore student perceptions of preparation and accountability in an ungraded RAT environment.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental design comparing two cohorts of third-year pharmacy students in an ambulatory care elective.
• One cohort (2020) received graded RATs; the other (2021) received ungraded RATs.
• Post-course surveys assessed preparation and accountability in the ungraded RAT cohort.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in mean scores on RATs or individual examinations between graded and ungraded RAT cohorts.
• A high percentage of students in the ungraded RAT cohort reported completing preclass preparation.
• Students perceived RATs as beneficial for learning and felt pride in contributing to team knowledge.

Conclusions:

• Ungraded RATs do not negatively affect examination performance in this TBL elective.
• Removing grades may foster a mastery-oriented approach to preclass preparation.
• This finding questions the necessity of grading for incentivizing preparation in TBL.