Dr PM Bradley, Dr R StaceyDr PM Bradley, Dr R Stacey

SMSED, Newcastle UniversitySMSED, Newcastle University

The use of Student Appraisal to support Personal and Professional

development in the MBBS curriculum.

E-portfoliosE-portfolios

Introduced to support student learning and Introduced to support student learning and to prepare students for professional to prepare students for professional practicepractice

Portfolios allow students to accumulate Portfolios allow students to accumulate evidence of their achievements evidence of their achievements

In order to support portfolio use it was In order to support portfolio use it was decided to introduce an end of year decided to introduce an end of year appraisal of portfolio content in Stage 1appraisal of portfolio content in Stage 1

Formative not summativeFormative not summative

Appraisal sessionAppraisal session

Twenty minutes with an appraiser who was not directly Twenty minutes with an appraiser who was not directly involved with the student’s education to dateinvolved with the student’s education to date

Students informed in advance what the appraisal would Students informed in advance what the appraisal would comprisecomprise

Appraisers had a structured form to complete which was Appraisers had a structured form to complete which was submitted to the office afterwardssubmitted to the office afterwards

Appraiser asked to consider with student:-Appraiser asked to consider with student:- Completion of Completion of My EvidenceMy Evidence section of portfolio section of portfolio Issues with study skillsIssues with study skills Support needsSupport needs But But don’t don’t deal with problems – just flag for referraldeal with problems – just flag for referral

My evidenceMy evidence

AppraisalAppraisal

The appraisal session is designed to be The appraisal session is designed to be supportive and helpfulsupportive and helpful

‘‘How’s it going?’ ‘Where can you How’s it going?’ ‘Where can you improve’improve’

rather thanrather than

‘‘Why is your portfolio so poor?’Why is your portfolio so poor?’

EvaluationEvaluation

The session was well facilitatedThe session was well facilitated 97%97% The appraisal session was a positive The appraisal session was a positive

experienceexperience 58%58% The appraisal will influence my learning for The appraisal will influence my learning for

next yearnext year 48%48%

Evaluation – positive commentsEvaluation – positive comments

““Gave me a good insight into what I need Gave me a good insight into what I need to do in the future in my portfolio” to do in the future in my portfolio”

““My learning style has changed over the My learning style has changed over the year and it was useful to review that”year and it was useful to review that”

““It was nice to feel the university is kind of It was nice to feel the university is kind of 'monitoring' us. That we aren’t just 'monitoring' us. That we aren’t just candidate numbers.” candidate numbers.”

Evaluation – negative commentsEvaluation – negative comments

““It didn’t highlight anything I didn’t already It didn’t highlight anything I didn’t already know” know”

““It wasn't long enough” It wasn't long enough” ““Timing. It was in the midst of our revision Timing. It was in the midst of our revision

for our exams.” for our exams.”

ConclusionConclusion

Appraisal was seen as beneficial by a Appraisal was seen as beneficial by a surprising number of students surprising number of students

Now rolled out to Stage 2 and Stage 3 Now rolled out to Stage 2 and Stage 3 studentsstudents

At each stage a slightly different focus to At each stage a slightly different focus to the appraisal sessionthe appraisal session

Sustainable?Sustainable?

Resource intensiveResource intensive Need to weigh value against benefitNeed to weigh value against benefit But- if portfolios are to be used then some But- if portfolios are to be used then some

mechanism to monitor usage appears to mechanism to monitor usage appears to be needed and probably needs to be be needed and probably needs to be administered centrally by Faculty to administered centrally by Faculty to ensure uniformityensure uniformity