Preamble:
Semester II is finally here and brings courses on ‘The Educational Scholarship of Discovery in Health Professions Education’ (SDE), ‘Assessment of Learning’(AOL) and ‘Program Evaluation’ (PRE).
The journey that you all have undertaken so far in your quest for learning research started in the summer break where Research module was developed and taught very diligently by Drs. Fozia, Hanaa, Nadia, Adeela, and Rukhsana,. The main goal was to help you identify a topic of inquiry, formulate research questions, and select and implement appropriate methodologies. All of this was geared to help you acquire foundational knowledge and skills to support your education research. The role of theory in designing and implementing education research including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research, how to interpret and present data, along with maintaining ethical standards and rigour in the research process, fundamentals of research dissemination and achieving impact in your research are some of the remaining steps and our endeavor is to provide you guided learning at each of these steps.
Please remember! The purpose of any research should be to contribute meaningfully to the scholarly landscape and enhance educational practices within healthcare professions. This remains our ultimate goal for you as well and we hope that new knowledge and insights related to teaching and learning, curriculum, assessment and program evaluation that you generate is shared on every possible forum, and that your contribution manages to motivate scholars and bring change.
Assessment of learning (AoL) in health care professions is a critical process that ensures healthcare professionals acquire and demonstrate the necessary knowledge, skills, and competencies essential for effective practice. It constitutes a fundamental component of educational practice and is integral to the holistic evaluation of student achievement and the enhancement of pedagogical strategies aimed at optimizing learning outcomes. Unlike formative assessments that occur during training, assessments of learning in healthcare serve to evaluate competence and readiness for professional responsibilities. Assessment methods in healthcare professions include clinical evaluations, practical skills assessments, written examinations, and simulations. These methods are structured to be rigorous, objective, and reflective of real-world healthcare scenarios. The main purpose of these assessment is to ensure that healthcare professionals are competent and possess the requisite knowledge, clinical skills, and ethical understanding needed for safe and effective patient care. They are used to validate training programs by assessing the effectiveness of educational programs in preparing students and professionals for real-world healthcare challenges. They help programs to align with regulatory standards to maintain quality and safety in healthcare delivery.
Most importantly they provide guidance for decision-making pertaining to students' academic progression, grading, and placement within educational contexts. And lastly assessments establish benchmarks against which educational institutions are held accountable for the educational outcomes attained by their students. In the end it is suffice to say that assessment of learning in healthcare professions plays a crucial role in safeguarding patient welfare, maintaining professional standards, and ensuring ongoing competence among healthcare providers.
The third course of Semester II is Program Evaluation which is the systematic process of assessing and examining the effectiveness, efficiency, and relevance of a specific program. It involves gathering and analyzing data to determine whether the program is achieving its intended goals and objectives, and whether it is being implemented as planned. Program evaluation helps stakeholders make informed decisions, improve program outcomes, and allocate resources effectively. As future leaders and educators in the healthcare field, understanding how to assess the effectiveness and impact of educational programs is crucial for ensuring the delivery of high-quality education and training.
Dr. Rukhsana Ayub, Dr. Naushaba Sadiq, Dr. Fozia Fatima, Dr. Nadia Shabnum, Dr. Hanaa Fatima & Dr Adeela Bashir (Semester Coordinator)
