Roundtable discussion presented by Charlotte Hammerton, Carys Phillips; Taylor Bennie, Lizzie Vacher and Alison Sturrock from UCL Medical School
Abstract
The UCLMS clinical portfolio, which encompasses a range of mandatory activities involving assessment, feedback and reflection, was unpopular among students. Further investigation through focus groups revealed students perceived the portfolio as a “tick box” exercise that yielded delayed, unhelpful feedback and often involved chasing “sign offs”. They found both the forms and requirements unclear, inconsistent and complex.
Working with students, educators and the technology department we employed a new platform to transform the portfolio. We focused on enabling in person, immediate feedback using clear, simple forms, aligned to requirements and consistent across years. Students were at the core of development and testing to create a portfolio for learning, not only an assessment of learning. The portfolio is now used successfully with 57% of 29,277 forms completed in real time. We will discuss the challenges of this significant change, including incorporating external requirements, student and educator perspectives, feedback and future plans.
Outline of Assessment Topic Being Discussed
The UCLMS clinical portfolio, which encompasses a range of mandatory activities involving assessment, feedback and reflection, was unpopular among students. Further investigation through focus groups revealed students perceived the portfolio as a “tick box” exercise that yielded delayed, unhelpful feedback and often involved chasing “sign offs”. They found both the forms and requirements unclear, inconsistent and complex.
Working with students, educators and the technology department we employed a new platform to transform the portfolio. We focused on enabling in person, immediate feedback using clear, simple forms, aligned to requirements and consistent across years. Students were at the core of development and testing to create a portfolio for learning, not only an assessment of learning.
We were aware instigating such a significant change was not going to be easy, and it is through ongoing collaboration, iteration and amplification of the student voice that we believe we have instigated a successful change.
Presenters represented five members of the portfolio team who had roles focused on three different aspects: development/planning, the technology and roll out/training. We facilitated discussion around the challenges of this project and factors involved in decision making as well as learning points.
Particular themes which we feel may encourage debate and collective reflection include:
- Balancing students and educator perspectives whilst meeting external (in this case GMC) requirements.
- Integrating with the curriculum and new existing technologies – including balancing the aim of a clear simple system whilst presenting numerous data and enabling a holistic approach.
- Communication, training and engagement with a large array of users, both students and educators across different sites.
- Managing a portfolio, which collates multiple assessments per student on a large scale, including discussion of both student and educator perceptions of portfolio requirements.
- Balancing a collaborative and iterative approach to change, encouraging engagement and feedback with what is feasible and our aim of a clear, simple system.
- Discussion of the adaptability of our approach and how this could be applied in other contexts across UCL.
Additional Details
- 29,277 forms (number of forms at time of abstract submission) is a large number due to the following:
- Each student completes one form per workplace-based assessment. Examples of these include: discussing a patient case, an examination, a procedure or other task, such as prescribing. These assessments are opportunistic by nature and assessors could be their supervisors or other members of the multi-disciplinary team
- Students are expected to complete a minimum number of mandatory assessments per module (typically 5), but are encouraged to complete additional assessments, (which inherently involve receiving feedback), for their learning.
- The portfolio as a whole is summative in that completion of minimum requirements is necessary for progression, however the portfolio, which is graded by supervisors in end of module reports, does not form part of a student’s overall grade. Each individual assessment is designed to be formative.