“ In relation to the other assessment instruments used in the school, the Intelligent Assessment technology "appears to be related best to the written components of finals",”
- Professor John McEwen, University of Dundee
May 2007 -The Medical School at the University of Dundee is using a Web-based testing system developed by Intelligent Assessment Technologies (IAT) to test the core knowledge of 800 of the university’s medical students.
Tests were delivered on-screen using computers in the University IT suite, and students accessed the test via a standard web browser. A simple Web interface was provided to enable administrators to select which tests to mark, and to initiate the computerised marking process.
As each question in the computerised tests is tagged as to content year, body system, curriculum outcome, core clinical problem and clinical block. The computerised system automatically marks each test, but provides rich data for feedback to students and the teaching staff alike.
When all of the testing is complete, the system will have provided more than 200,000 free-text questions to the entire University of Dundee medical student community.
The computerised test has a "very acceptable 'alpha reliability coefficient' of 0.954", concludes Professor John McEwen, the academic in charge of the computerised test at Dundee. In relation to the other assessment instruments used in the school, the Intelligent Assessment technology "appears to be related best to the written components of finals".
The eAssessment technology reduces the need for human marking, reduces operating costs, enables faster release of results, and provides rich formative feedback for students, said a spokesman for Intelligent Assessment. It also provides invaluable feedback to teaching staff on student knowledge and understanding.
The computerised test is now used summatively for Year 5 students. In addition, students transferring in from other institutions must sit the computerised test to assess the level of their medical knowledge against the Dundee learning outcomes.
IAT has pioneered computerised assessment of free-text in the UK, working with many of the leading educational bodies in the UK. The company is presently working with 2in10 Ltd to identify new worldwide sales and marketing channels for its innovative technology and products.
More information on IAT’s FreeText testing system and the University of Dundee’s use of eAssessment technology is available at the Intelligent Assessment Web site (www.intelligentassessment.com). A technology paper, written jointly by IAT and the University of Dundee is also available at http://www.intelligentassessment.com/caa2.htm.
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