Scholars180: An effective oral presentation assessment for optometry students

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Ophthalmology
• Cognitive Assessment

Background:

• Oral presentations are versatile assessment tools, potentially evaluating all six cognitive domains of Bloom's taxonomy.
• Despite their potential, oral presentations are underutilized in curricula due to time constraints.
• There is a need for efficient oral assessment designs to enhance their implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of Scholars180, an oral presentation assessment tool, for optometry students.
• To determine if Scholars180 improves students' knowledge and confidence in ocular disease identification and management.
• To assess the contribution of Scholars180 to the overall learning experience.

Main Methods:

• A non-randomized pre-questionnaire and post-questionnaire design was employed with 31 optometry students.
• Questionnaires assessed students' knowledge of ocular diseases before and after the oral presentation, aligned with unit outcomes.
• Statistical analysis compared pre- and post-questionnaire Likert-type scale responses, including median scores and interquartile ranges (IQR).

Main Results:

• Students demonstrated statistically significant improvements in their knowledge of eye diseases.
• A more pronounced increase was observed in students' confidence and the application of their knowledge.
• Peer evaluations indicated a positive contribution of the Scholars180 assessment to the students' learning experience.

Conclusions:

• Scholars180 is an effective assessment method that aligns with constructive alignment principles.
• The assessment successfully overcomes traditional time limitations associated with oral presentations.
• Scholars180 offers a valuable tool for educators seeking to accurately gauge student knowledge and learning outcomes.