Design and Validation of a Mind Map Assessment Checklist Based on Kane's Validity Framework: A Novel Assessment Tool

Mind mapping supports clinical reasoning and knowledge organization in health professions education, but its use as a standardized formative assessment tool remains limited. This study aimed to design and validate a comprehensive checklist to evaluate mind maps as a formative assessment tool among bachelor of anesthesia technology students, addressing structural, scientific, and creative dimensions.

This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023 at Iran University of Medical Sciences among 50 bachelor of anesthesia technology students selected via convenience sampling. The checklist was developed through a literature review and refined using a two-round Delphi process with medical and anesthesia education experts. Validity evidence was collected based on Kane's framework, evaluating scoring (face/content validity), generalization (intra-/inter-rater reliability), extrapolation (correlation with written tests), and implications. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22.

The final checklist comprised 10 core items, achieving a high scale-level content validity index (S-CVI/Ave = 0.90). Reliability analyses demonstrated excellent intra-rater (0.88-0.99) and inter-rater agreement (0.90-0.93). Convergent validity was supported by a very strong correlation between mind map scores and written examination scores among a subsample of 24 students (ρ = 0.939, ρ < 0.001). These findings indicate that the checklist provides reliable and valid scores for clinical education.

The developed checklist demonstrated strong validity and reliability for formative assessment in anesthesia technology education. By integrating structural features with scientific accuracy, the tool provides meaningful and consistent evaluation of mind maps as indicators of student learning and knowledge organization. The strong reliability indices and high correlation with written assessments support its use as a standardized tool for providing targeted feedback in clinical education.