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Dynamic answer-dependent multiple-choice questions and holistic assessment analysis in high-enrollment courses.

ABSTRACT: Many 4-year public institutions face significant pedagogical challenges due to the high ratio of students to teaching team members. To address the issue, we developed a workflow using the programming language R as a method to rapidly grade multiple-choice questions, adjust for errors, and grade answer-dependent style multiple-choice questions, thus shifting the teaching teams' time commitment back to student interaction. We provide an example of answer-dependent style multiple-choice questions and demonstrate how the output allows for discrete analysis of questions based on various categories such as Fundamental Statements or Bloom's Taxonomy Levels. Additionally, we show how student demographics can be easily integrated to yield a holistic perspective on student performance in a course. The workflow offers dynamic grading opportunities for multiple-choice questions and versatility through its adaptability to assessment analyses. This approach to multiple-choice questions allows instructors to pinpoint factors affecting student performance and respond to changes to foster a healthy learning environment.

SUBMITTER: Atwal HK

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11360413 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Dynamic answer-dependent multiple-choice questions and holistic assessment analysis in high-enrollment courses.

Atwal Harnejan K HK Quides Kenjiro W KW

Journal of microbiology & biology education 20240613 2

Many 4-year public institutions face significant pedagogical challenges due to the high ratio of students to teaching team members. To address the issue, we developed a workflow using the programming language R as a method to rapidly grade multiple-choice questions, adjust for errors, and grade answer-dependent style multiple-choice questions, thus shifting the teaching teams' time commitment back to student interaction. We provide an example of answer-dependent style multiple-choice questions a ...[more]

PMID: 38869278

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Project description:Multiple choice questions (MCQs) offer high reliability and easy machine-marking, but allow for cueing and stimulate recognition-based learning. Very short answer questions (VSAQs), which are open-ended questions requiring a very short answer, may circumvent these limitations. Although VSAQ use in medical assessment increases, almost all research on reliability and validity of VSAQs in medical education has been performed by a single research group with extensive experience in the development of VSAQs. Therefore, we aimed to validate previous findings about VSAQ reliability, discrimination, and acceptability in undergraduate medical students and teachers with limited experience in VSAQs development. To validate the results presented in previous studies, we partially replicated a previous study and extended results on student experiences. Dutch undergraduate medical students (n = 375) were randomized to VSAQs first and MCQs second or vice versa in a formative exam in two courses, to determine reliability, discrimination, and cueing. Acceptability for teachers (i.e., VSAQ review time) was determined in the summative exam. Reliability (Cronbach's α) was 0.74 for VSAQs and 0.57 for MCQs in one course. In the other course, Cronbach's α was 0.87 for VSAQs and 0.83 for MCQs. Discrimination (average Rir) was 0.27 vs. 0.17 and 0.43 vs. 0.39 for VSAQs vs. MCQs, respectively. Reviewing time of one VSAQ for the entire student cohort was ±2 minutes on average. Positive cueing occurred more in MCQs than in VSAQs (20% vs. 4% and 20.8% vs. 8.3% of questions per person in both courses). This study validates the positive results regarding VSAQs reliability, discrimination, and acceptability in undergraduate medical students. Furthermore, we demonstrate that VSAQ use is reliable among teachers with limited experience in writing and marking VSAQs. The short learning curve for teachers, favourable marking time and applicability regardless of the topic suggest that VSAQs might also be valuable beyond medical assessment.

Project description:During the preclinical years, single-best-answer multiple-choice questions (SBA-MCQs) are often used to test the higher-order cognitive processes of medical students (such as application and analysis) while simultaneously assessing lower-order processes (like knowledge and comprehension). Consequently, it can be difficult to pinpoint which learning outcome has been achieved or needs improvement. We developed a new scoring system for SBA-MCQs using a step-by-step methodology to evaluate each learning outcome independently. Enrolled in this study were third-year medical students (n = 316) who had registered in the basic microbiology course at the Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University during the academic year 2017. A step-by-step SBA-MCQ with a new scoring system was created and used as a tool to evaluate the validity of the traditional SBA-MCQs that assess two separate outcomes simultaneously. The scores for the two methods, in percentages, were compared using two different questions (SBA-MCQ1 and SBA-MCQ2). SBA-MCQ1 tested the students' knowledge of the causative agent of a specific infectious disease and the basic characteristics of the microorganism, while SBA-MCQ2 tested their knowledge of the causative agent of a specific infectious disease and the pathogenic mechanism of the microorganism. The mean score obtained with the traditional SBA-MCQs was significantly lower than that obtained with the step-by-step SBA-MCQs (85.9% for the traditional approach versus 90.9% for step-by-step SBA-MCQ1; p < 0.001; and 81.5% for the traditional system versus 87.4% for step-by-step SBA-MCQ2; p < 0.001). Moreover, 65.8% and 87.8% of the students scored lower with the traditional SBA-MCQ1 and the traditional SBA-MCQ2, respectively, than with the corresponding sets of step-by-step SBA-MCQ questions. These results suggest that traditional SBA-MCQ scores need to be interpreted with caution because they have the potential to underestimate the learning achievement of students. Therefore, the step-by-step SBA-MCQ is preferable to the traditional SBA-MCQs and is recommended for use in examinations during the preclinical years.

Project description:BackgroundChatGPT (OpenAI), a state-of-the-art large language model, has exhibited remarkable performance in various specialized applications. Despite the growing popularity and efficacy of artificial intelligence, there is a scarcity of studies that assess ChatGPT's competence in addressing multiple-choice questions (MCQs) using KIDMAP of Rasch analysis-a website tool used to evaluate ChatGPT's performance in MCQ answering.ObjectiveThis study aims to (1) showcase the utility of the website (Rasch analysis, specifically RaschOnline), and (2) determine the grade achieved by ChatGPT when compared to a normal sample.MethodsThe capability of ChatGPT was evaluated using 10 items from the English tests conducted for Taiwan college entrance examinations in 2023. Under a Rasch model, 300 simulated students with normal distributions were simulated to compete with ChatGPT's responses. RaschOnline was used to generate 5 visual presentations, including item difficulties, differential item functioning, item characteristic curve, Wright map, and KIDMAP, to address the research objectives.ResultsThe findings revealed the following: (1) the difficulty of the 10 items increased in a monotonous pattern from easier to harder, represented by logits (-2.43, -1.78, -1.48, -0.64, -0.1, 0.33, 0.59, 1.34, 1.7, and 2.47); (2) evidence of differential item functioning was observed between gender groups for item 5 (P=.04); (3) item 5 displayed a good fit to the Rasch model (P=.61); (4) all items demonstrated a satisfactory fit to the Rasch model, indicated by Infit mean square errors below the threshold of 1.5; (5) no significant difference was found in the measures obtained between gender groups (P=.83); (6) a significant difference was observed among ability grades (P<.001); and (7) ChatGPT's capability was graded as A, surpassing grades B to E.ConclusionsBy using RaschOnline, this study provides evidence that ChatGPT possesses the ability to achieve a grade A when compared to a normal sample. It exhibits excellent proficiency in answering MCQs from the English tests conducted in 2023 for the Taiwan college entrance examinations.

Project description:OBJECTIVES:The study aimed to compare candidate performance between traditional best-of-five single-best-answer (SBA) questions and very-short-answer (VSA) questions, in which candidates must generate their own answers of between one and five words. The primary objective was to determine if the mean positive cue rate for SBAs exceeded the null hypothesis guessing rate of 20%. DESIGN:This was a cross-sectional study undertaken in 2018. SETTING:20 medical schools in the UK. PARTICIPANTS:1417 volunteer medical students preparing for their final undergraduate medicine examinations (total eligible population across all UK medical schools approximately 7500). INTERVENTIONS:Students completed a 50-question VSA test, followed immediately by the same test in SBA format, using a novel digital exam delivery platform which also facilitated rapid marking of VSAs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:The main outcome measure was the mean positive cue rate across SBAs: the percentage of students getting the SBA format of the question correct after getting the VSA format incorrect. Internal consistency, item discrimination and the pass rate using Cohen standard setting for VSAs and SBAs were also evaluated, and a cost analysis in terms of marking the VSA was performed. RESULTS:The study was completed by 1417 students. Mean student scores were 21 percentage points higher for SBAs. The mean positive cue rate was 42.7% (95% CI 36.8% to 48.6%), one-sample t-test against ≤20%: t=7.53, p<0.001. Internal consistency was higher for VSAs than SBAs and the median item discrimination equivalent. The estimated marking cost was £2655 ($3500), with 24.5 hours of clinician time required (1.25 s per student per question). CONCLUSIONS:SBA questions can give a false impression of students' competence. VSAs appear to have greater authenticity and can provide useful information regarding students' cognitive errors, helping to improve learning as well as assessment. Electronic delivery and marking of VSAs is feasible and cost-effective.

Dataset Information

Dynamic answer-dependent multiple-choice questions and holistic assessment analysis in high-enrollment courses.

Publications

Dynamic answer-dependent multiple-choice questions and holistic assessment analysis in high-enrollment courses.

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