European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT TOOL FOR ACTIVE LEARNING

*Dr. Sanam Anwar

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Formative assessments are considered as means of ensuring deeper learning and understanding. They provide feedback that moves learners‟ forward, activating students as instructional resources for one another. Objectives: This study was done to evaluate the feedback instrument for validity and reliability, and seek student opinion about formative assessment used in the course so that further batches can be benefitted with a better teaching learning exercise. Methods: For evaluation of formative assessment, Likert scale with 11 items was constructed and administered to the students taking the course of Epidemiology in MD program of College of Medicine. Factor analysis was used to see similar pattern of responses in the Likert scale items. Scree plot was used to see „leveling off‟ of Eigen values. Cronbach‟s alpha was used to see the internal consistency of the items in the scale. Results: Eleven questions relating to formative assessment in Epidemiology course were factor analyzed using principal component analysis with oblimin rotation. Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test and Bartlett‟s test of sphericity both indicated that the set of variables are at least adequately related for factor analysis. Substantively, two factors were identified for formative assessment, in class assignments and group presentations. Conclusion: Overall, these analyses indicated that two distinct factors were underlying student responses to the formative assessment scale items and that these factors were internally consistent. Students liked formative assessment and found it useful in the course of Epidemiology.

Keywords: Factor analysis, reliability, Likert scale, formative assessment.