A pilot study of microcomputer testing in paediatrics

A system for administering multiple choice questions and for providing immediate feedback via microcomputer was designed and field-tested by three groups of paediatric residents. Only minor technical problems were encountered, and these can be resolved easily. Attitudes towards the system were strongly positive. Residents nearly always elected to see feedback when their answers were incorrect, but frequency of requests for feedback to correct responses varied widely. Although most residents preferred the computerized test to a written test and thought they had learned more, no significant learning effect was demonstrated on pre- and post-testing.