Fun, collaboration and formative assessment: Skinquizition, a class wide gaming competition in a medical school with a large class

Abstract

Background: Formative assessments are tools for assessing content retention, providing valuable feedback to students and teachers. In medical education, information technology-supported games can accommodate large classes divided into student teams while fostering active engagement.

Aim: To establish an innovative stimulating approach to formative assessments for large classes furthering collaborative skills that promotes learning and student engagement linked to improvement of academic performance.

Methods and results: Using audience response technology, a fast-paced, competitive, interactive quiz game involving dermatology was developed. This stimulating setting, provided on the last day of class, prepares students for high-stakes exams to continue their medical education while training collaborative skills as supported by survey outcomes and average class scores.

Summary and conclusions: Educational game competitions provide formative assessments and feedback for students and faculty alike, enhancing learning and teaching processes. In this study, we show an innovative approach to accommodate a large class divided into competing teams furthering collaborative skills reflected by academic performance.

Acknowledgements

The authors thank their colleagues Ross faculties Savita Arya, MD, Sandeep Bansal, MD, Christopher Beevers, PhD, Marc Bergeron, PhD, Alain Blanchetot, PhD, Thomas Butler, MD, Engelbert Buxbaum, Dr. rer. nat., Terri Carlson, MD, Lauri Costello, MD, Lyudmyla Golub, MD, Louise Hawley, PhD, Janice Johnson, MD, Susan Kelley, MD, PhD, Niels Larsen, PhD and Mary S. Moore, PhD for expert quiz questions and insightful comments. Thanks to Jeremy Latimer, MD, Ross alumnus, for permission to use the image, and to Paul Abney, PhD and Mr. Adonis Charles-Barnes for providing performance data.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.