Portfolio as a method for continuous assessment in an undergraduate health education programme

Figures & data

Table

Practice points
•Students prefer portfolio assessment compared with a traditional test.
•Teachers need training in evaluating the portfolio and performing the teacher–student discussion on the portfolio.
•Other types of tests should be included in the assessment system.

Table 1.  Compulsory content of the portfolio

First discussion (4 weeks)	Second discussion (10 weeks)	Third discussion (20 weeks)
Reflection on personal strengths and weaknesses in connection with learning at the university and especially in this study programme	Reflection on personal performance and achievements so far	Reflection on the students’ present idea of the professional role of a biomedical scientist
	‘Driver's licences’ in seven different basic laboratory areas	Short laboratory manuscript
	Results from measurement in the laboratory	Certificate on the student seminar or poster presentation
	Laboratory logbook	Laboratory logbook
	Certificate from the PBL tutor	Certificate from the PBL tutor

Figure 1. Correlation between indexed result on the traditional test with the best student as 100 and the groups of judgement from the portfolios. Excellent pass (1), pass (2), poor pass (3) and fail (4) (R = −0.59).

Table 2.  Indexed results from traditional test, judgements after the second and third discussions and end of course judgements

Student	Trad. test	10 weeks	20 weeks	Course total
1	100	2	2	1
2	92	2	2	1
3	71	4	2	1
4	59	2	2	1
5	55	4	2	1
6	54	4	2	1
7	31	2	2	1
8	*	2	2	1
9	73	4	2	2
10	69	4	4	2
11	66	4	2	2
12	47	4	4	2
13	30	4	2	2
14	*	4	2	2
15	*	4	2	2
16	30	4	2	3
17	29	4	4	3
18	22	4	4	3
19	15	2	2	3
20	46	2	4	4
21	*	4	4	4

Notes: Scale of judgements: 1 = excellent pass, 2 = pass, 3 = poor pass and 4 = fail. * = did not participate.

Table 3.  Students’ opinions on nine statements about the course

Statement	n	Mean	Standard deviation	Mean former groups
To work with the portfolio has stimulated me to think about the competences that I need to develop to be able to work as a biomedical scientist	21	4.1	1.2	3.2
The portfolio gave me a feeling of making progress during the course	21	4.8	1.3	3.8
The course can be assessed from an examination by student and teacher of the portfolio at the end of the course	20	4.4	1.3	4.1
The course can be assessed through a written test at the end of the course	20	3.0	1.7
The discussion about the content and function of the portfolio has been sufficient during the course	21	4.9	1.3
The portfolio discussions with a teacher have stimulated my learning during the semester	21	4.1	1.4
The PBL sessions have stimulated my learning during the semester	21	4.9	1.3
The laboratory work has stimulated my learning during the semester	21	5.1	0.7
The discussions about the laboratory work have stimulated my learning during the semester	21	4.4	1.5

Note: Six-point scale with 1 = no agreement, 6 = full agreement. Means from former groups are included for comparison.

Table 4.  DREEM domain results for the present group of student (n = 21), a fourth-year medical group from Lund (n = 18; unpublished result) and a first-year group from Nepal (n = 29; Roff et al.) included for comparison

Subscale	Lund first semester (this study)	Lund medical fourth year	Nepal first year
Perceptions of learning	3.0	2.8	2.5
Perceptions of teaching	2.9	2.8	2.2
Academic self-perception	2.7	2.9	2.6
Perceptions of atmosphere	3.1	3.1	2.5
Social self-perception	3.2	2.8	2.4