Evaluating student performance in clinical dietetics

Area of Science:

• Nutrition and Dietetics Education
• Clinical Performance Assessment
• Educational Measurement

Background:

• Evaluating clinical performance is crucial for dietetic students.
• Existing assessment methods may lack specificity in skill and knowledge application.
• Behaviorally anchored rating scales (BARS) offer a structured approach to performance evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and field-test behaviorally anchored rating scales (BARS) for dietetic students' clinical performance.
• To assess the utility of BARS in evaluating the application of skills and knowledge.
• To explore the effectiveness of the Smith-Kendall technique in scale development.

Main Methods:

• Developed BARS using a variation of the Smith-Kendall technique.
• Involved 42 participants: dietetic students, instructors, and practitioners.
• Field-tested the 8-dimension, 70-behavioral anchor instrument across 8 dietetic programs.

Main Results:

• The scales were used effectively in 16 clinical rotations.
• Evaluators found the scales appropriate for formative assessment.
• Little score variation was noted across programs, suggesting consistency.

Conclusions:

• The BARS development process facilitated clear performance criteria articulation.
• The scales are recommended as a practical method for setting performance standards.
• Some evaluators desired grade-defined performance standards for summative assessment.