Delivery and use of individualised feedback in large class medical teaching

Burr, Steven A.; Brodier, Elizabeth; Wilkinson, Simon

Abstract

Background: Formative feedback that encourages self-directed learning in large class medical teaching is difficult
to deliver. This study describes a new method, blueprinted feedback, and explores learner’s responses to assess its
appropriate use within medical science teaching.
Methods: Mapping summative assessment items to their relevant learning objectives creates a blueprint which can
be used on completion of the assessment to automatically create a list of objectives ranked by the attainment of
the individual student. Two surveys targeted medical students in years 1, 2 and 3. The behaviour-based survey was
released online several times, with 215 and 22 responses from year 2, and 187, 180 and 21 responses from year 3.
The attitude-based survey was interviewer-administered and released once, with 22 responses from year 2 and 3,
and 20 responses from year 1.
Results: 88-96% of learners viewed the blueprinted feedback report, whilst 39% used the learning objectives to
guide further learning. Females were significantly more likely to revisit learning objectives than males (p = 0.012).
The most common reason for not continuing learning was a ‘hurdle mentality’ of focusing learning elsewhere once
a module had been assessed.
Conclusions: Blueprinted feedback contains the key characteristics required for effective feedback so that with
further education and support concerning its use, it could become a highly useful tool for the individual and
teacher.

Citation

Burr, S. A., Brodier, E., & Wilkinson, S. Delivery and use of individualised feedback in large class medical teaching. BMC Medical Education, 13(May), Article 7. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6920-13-63

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Deposit Date: Apr 2, 2014
• Journal: BMC Medical Education
• Electronic ISSN: 1472-6920
• Publisher: Springer Verlag
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 13
• Issue: May
• Article Number: 7
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6920-13-63
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/715322
• Publisher URL: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6920/13/63