Prompting medical students to self–assess their learning needs during the ageing and health module: a mixed methods study

Figures & data

Figure 1. The Visual Analogue Scale.

The Visual Analogue scale (VAS) is a graphic scale in which the respondent places a mark at a point along a line, with endpoints of 1 and 10 [8], with 1 representing very little knowledge/skills and 10 representing very good knowledge/skills. The VAS tool was completed for 6 domains in the A&H curriculum

Table 1. Focus group semi-structured questions.

The focus group will take the form of an opening introductory question followed by 4–6 semi-structured questions.

What did you feel about using the Visual Likert Scale? Did you think that using the Visual Likert scale helped you understand your learning needs in the Ageing and Health Module at the beginning of the Ageing and Health Module? Did you think that using the Visual Likert scale helped you understand about your learning needs in Ageing and Health Module at the end of the Ageing and Health Module? Did you think that using the Visual Likert scale and completing it helped you focus on what you had learned or where you had gaps in your learning in Ageing and Health? Do you think that assessing your own learning needs might link with setting up a personal development plan (PDP) for your learning needs and in use of e-portfolios? What about the importance of assessing your own learning needs as a preparation for life-long learning in your future career in Medicine?

Table 2. Comparison of Visual Analogue Scale scores for pre- and post- self-perceived assessment of learning needs for total student year group for six clinical domains.

	Pre-				Post-				t-test
Clinical Area	Mean score	Var	SD	SE	Mean	Var	SD	SE	p-value
History-taking skills	6.67	1.69	1.30	0.09	7.57	1.24	1.11	0.08	P < 0.0001
Examination skills	5.89	2.01	1.43	0.10	7.22	1.35	1.16	0.08	P < 0001
Medication use	5.68	2.46	1.57	0.11	7.03	1.66	1.29	0.09	P < 0001
Co-morbidity	5.40	1.98	1.41	0.10	7.09	1.28	1.13	0.08	P < 0.0001
Nutritional assessment	3.74	3.35	1.83	0.13	6.49	2.6	1.61	0.11	P < 0.0001
Swallowing assessment	4.35	4.59	2.14	0.15	7.72	2.50	1.58	0.11	P < 0.0001

Means in Bold; Var, Variance; SD Standard deviation; SE standard Error; P < 0.01 significant,

Comparison with unpaired two-tailed Student t-test

Figure 2. Comparisons visual analogue scores for total year student year pre- and post-scores for self-perceived assessment of learning needs.

Box plots for comparison of pre- and post-Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) responses for self-perceived Assessment of Learning Needs in each of six curriculum domains in Ageing and Health, for the total student Year, showing medians and 25% and 75% values.Analysis by Mann–Whitney U; P values <0.001 considered significant.*Significant differences between Pre-and Post-measurements for each curriculum domain.

Table 3. Comparison of pre- and post-Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores for student groups A-D for six domains of the curriculum.

Clinical area	Group A	Group B	Group C	Group D	Group E	Group F
History-taking skills	6.52[0.24] 7.02[0.27] p = 0.165	6.63[0.18] 7.58[0.17] p = 0.0002	6.77[0.19] 7.76[0.16] p = 0002	6.73[0.29] 7.30[0.25] p = 0.149	6.40[0.31] 7.79[0.12] p < 0001	6.87[0.21] 7.92[0.12] p < 0001
Examination skills	5.82[0.25] 6.86[0.24] p = 004	5.90[0.22] 7.11[0.18] p < 0001	5.83[0.26] 7.39[0,16] p < 0001	5.81[0.27] 6.95[0.25] p = 003	5.89[0.34] 7.37[0.19] p = 0002	6.04[0.21] 7.60[0.17] p < 0001
Medication use	5.03[0.30] 6.52[0.27] p = 0004	5.86[0.22] 6.96[0.20] p = 0004	5.84[0.29] 7.00[0.24] p = 0032	5.94[0.31] 7.13[0.24] p = 0038	5.44[0.29] 7.06[0.24] p < 0001	5.87[0.23] 7.52[0.17] p < 0001
Co-morbidity	5.12[0.23] 6.67[0.23] p < 0001	5.4[0.21] 7.0[0.17] p < 0001	5.48[0.27] 6.92[0.22] p < 0001	5.70[0.29] 7.21[0.21] p < 0001	5.12[0.29] 7.18[0.15] p < 0001	5.54[0.21] 7.55[0.16] p < 0001
Nutritional assessment	3.84[0.31] 5.84[0.27] p < 0001	3.82[0.28] 6.19[0.25] p < 0001	3.32[0.31] 6.27[0.29] p < 0001	3.46[0.36] 6.87[0.33] p < 0001	3.61[0.40] 6.56[0.28] p < 0001	4.26[0.29] 7.22[0.22] p < 0001
Swallowing assessment	3.89[0.36] 7.01[0.31] p < 0001	4.09[0.31] 7.41[0.26] p < 0001	4.10[0.35] 7.67[0.29] p < 0001	4.59[0.49] 8.00[0.24] p < 0001	3.93[0.37] 7.79[0.25] p < 0001	5.37[0.34] 8.46[0.20] p < 0001

Means and standard Errors []; Bold = Post-VAS Score; Comparisons of pre and post-VAS scores for consecutive Student Blocks A-D during the academic year by unpaired two-tailed Student t-test; **p < 0.01 significant. ns = non-significant.

Figure 3. Comparisons of Visual Analogue Scale scores for student group A, B, C, D, E, and F showing pre- and post-VAS scores for self-perceived learning needs for nutrition.

Box plots for comparison of pre- and post-Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) responses for self-perceived Assessment of Learning Needs in each of six curriculum domains in Ageing and Health, showing medians and 25% and 75% values; Analysis by Mann–Whitney U; P values <0.001 significant; Pre-groups are A-1, B-1, C-1, D-1, E-1 and F-1; Post – Groups are A-2, B-2, C-2, D-2, E-2 and F-2.

Figure 4. Four themes with sub-themes emerging from the focus groups discussions about student self-assessment of learning needs.

The four themes are: 1] Identifying Current Learning Needs; 2] Future Use in Identifying Learning Needs; 3] Student-Led Suggestions in VAS Use; 4] Learning Environment Issues in Use of VAS; 5] Self-Regulation in Learning.

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