How workplace-based assessments guide learning in postgraduate education: A scoping review

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Workplace Learning
• Assessment Theory

Background:

• Competency-based medical education (CBME) promotes workplace-based assessment (WBA) for formative learning.
• However, WBA often creates tensions between summative and formative roles, undermining educational goals.
• Existing workplace-based learning (WBL) models do not incorporate WBA.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize literature on WBA's role in guiding learning in postgraduate medical education.
• To identify research gaps concerning WBA and learning in medical training.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review of literature from OVID Medline, Web of Science, ERIC, and CINAHL up to September 2020.
• Data extraction and analysis used a descriptive-analytic technique based on Billett's four premises of WBL.
• Qualitative and quantitative data were synthesized to identify themes.

Main Results:

• All 33 reviewed papers focused on perceptions of learning through WBA, with 70% using qualitative methods.
• WBA can guide learning goals and improve feedback, aligning with WBL principles.
• Tensions in WBL are amplified by frequent WBA; context and individual goals influence learning authenticity.

Conclusions:

• Analyzing WBA through WBL theory reframes existing tensions.
• Future research should incorporate learning theory and philosophical alignment to advance workplace assessment for learning.