Evaluation of web-based self-assessment module administered in a medical school of Nepal

Introductions: Self-assessment enables medical students to self-evaluatetheir knowledge and seek timely assistance for effective learning fromtheir peers and faculties. Self-assessment is an integral part of the studentassessment system of School of Medicine, Patan Academy of HealthSciences.Methods: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) and Structured IntegratedShort Answer Questions (SISAQs) links were sent to the personal e-mail ofmedical students at the start of Principle of Human Biology I Block. Theseitems were created and selected from various disciplines as per theircurricular weightage in this block. Students’ scores and feedback wereanalysed once this 11-week long block was over.Results: The MCQ surveys had ideal difficulty levels and acceptablediscrimination indices but they had poor internal consistencies. Thecriterion-referenced cut-scores of MCQs and SISAQ were higher thanthe conventionally used 50% pass-mark in Nepal. Students’ suggested toincrease the MCQs and SISAQ numbers and match them in terms of theirdifficulty levels with the end-block and end-year summative assessments.Item analysis helped to identify the items to be retained, revised anddiscarded for the future use.Conclusions: Web-based self-assessment of knowledge was found to be anextremely useful tool to inculcate self-directed and life-long learning habitsamong medical students.Keywords: self-assessment, MCQ, SISAQ, angoff, borderline regression,standard settin