Integrating Quiz-Based Self-Assessment Into a Microbiology Practical Course: Effects on Student Perception and...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Microbiology Education
• Educational Technology

Background:

• Medical students often struggle to connect theoretical knowledge with practical diagnostic skills in microbiology.
• Formative testing and self-assessment are crucial for enhancing knowledge retention and metacognitive awareness in medical training.
• Audience response systems offer a platform for interactive learning and formative assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and impact of integrating quiz-based self-assessment using an audience response system (OnlineTED) into a medical microbiology practical course.
• To explore differences in students' perceived learning outcomes, satisfaction, and engagement between a quiz-based intervention group and a control group.
• To assess the association between quiz-based self-assessment and student performance in a practical microbiology course.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental design comparing two cohorts of first-year medical students (n=125) undergoing a diagnostic practical course.
• Intervention group utilized OnlineTED quizzes daily; the control group did not.
• Standardized evaluations assessed satisfaction, clarity of objectives, perceived workload, and learning outcomes; examination scores were also analyzed.

Main Results:

• While overall evaluations were high in both groups, the quiz cohort showed descriptively higher ratings for clarity of learning objectives, relevance for exams, and perceived learning outcomes.
• Quiz cohort accuracy improved significantly throughout the course (63.6% to 88.8%), with descriptively higher mean examination scores and a lower failure rate.
• Day-specific evaluations revealed variations in perceived success and time sufficiency, indicating areas for curriculum adjustment.

Conclusions:

• Integrating interactive quizzes via audience response systems is feasible and well-accepted in medical microbiology practical courses.
• Quiz-based self-assessment can enhance students' perceived learning goals and provide valuable feedback for educators without increasing workload or reducing satisfaction.
• Structured evaluations like quizzes can guide targeted curriculum adjustments and optimize practical course design.