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A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Impact of Peer-Made MCQ Question-Bank Usage on Summative Assessments in
Robert Hwang1, Max Paley2, David Bull3
1Anglia Ruskin University, Department of Medical Education, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Introduction:
This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the impact of utilising peer-generated multiple-choice question (MCQ) banks on the summative performance of undergraduate students studying medicine and allied subjects. Answering and writing peer-made MCQ questions are hypothesised to enhance learning through achievement of the domains of Bloom's taxonomy and thus summative examination performance.
Methods:
A random-effects meta-analysis of correlation coefficients was conducted on six studies (n = 1,571) published between 2011 and 2021, drawn from MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, CENTRAL, and ERIC. The studies included undergraduate medical students from four countries. The risk of bias was assessed using the ROBINS-I tool.
Results:
A weak positive correlation was found between answering peer-made MCQs and summative performance (Spearman's ρ = 0.22, 95% CI: 0.15 to 0.29, p < 0.0001), with a prediction interval of 0.00 to 0.42, indicating that in future studies, the effect of answering peer-made questions is likely beneficial or, at worst, neutral. A similar weak positive correlation was observed for writing peer-made MCQs (Spearman's ρ = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.09 to 0.32, p < 0.0004), though the prediction interval (-0.27 to 0.61) cannot exclude negative correlation between writing questions and summative performance in future studies. The findings suggest that answering and creating peer-generated MCQs positively influence exam performance. The modest correlations likely reflect confounding factors, such as prior academic performance and socio-economic background. This complicates isolating the impact of MCQ banks and may understate their true impact.
Conclusion:
This study advocates for the integration of peer-generated MCQ banks into medical curricula, highlighting their potential as a cost-effective method to improve summative performance. Future research should focus on large-scale observational studies to better quantify these effects as well as controlling for confounding factors. The study underscores the value of peer engagement in learning and the utility of peer-made MCQ banks as educational tools.
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