Karel M. Stokking

What is feedback in clinical education

Objective  Feedback is important in clinical education. However, the medical education literature provides no consensual definition of feedback. The aim of this study is to propose a consensual, research‐based, operational definition of feedback in clinical education. An operational definition is needed for educational practice and teacher training, and for research into the effectiveness of different types of feedback.

Predicting the choice of physics in secondary education

Against a background of disappointing percentages of students choosing exact and technical studies and the academic choice research tradition, a study into the choice of physics in secondary education has been carried out. It focuses on the predictive value of certain characteristics of the curriculum, the differences between schools and the stability of the choice variable. Two cohorts of students in a representative sample of schools filled in written questionnaires, four times in two years. The data were analysed in several ways that complemented each other, including multilevel analysis. The main predictor of the choice of physics in secondary education is perceived future relevance and no significant differences between schools exist. The choice variable is not stable. Many students feel uncertain about their choice of study and profession. Academic choice processes should be more connected with career choice processes. Certain characteristics of the physics curriculum can be expected to further the possibilities for students to experience physics and physics-like contents and problems as being personally meaningful and interesting.

From Student to Teacher: reducing practice shock and early dropout in the teaching profession

SUMMARY Shortage of teachers is one of the major challenges facing the teaching profession. One of its causes is the high proportion of dropout in initial teacher education and during the start of the career. Since 1995, a nation-wide project has been underway in the Netherlands, aiming at a decrease of dropout by incorporating an intensive practice period in the final year of the initial teacher training programme. An evaluation of the project shows that the practice shock and the resulting dropout rate were indeed reduced. Relevant factors seem to be the degree to which student teachers were accepted and deployed in the school, the supervision and mentoring provided, encouragement of reflection, and the gradual increase of independence.

Factors Influencing the Successful Introduction of Portfolios

ABSTRACT Factors influencing the successful introduction of portfolios are described. A portfolio is a purposeful collection of all kinds of documents and other artefacts that together give an impression of how tasks were fulfilled and how competence has developed. A portfolio can also contain reflections and plans for future development. Although portfolios are often promoted as valuable instruments in innovative educational practices, the introduction of portfolios in everyday education often leads to disappointment. Factors that influence the success of the introduction of portfolios are the match between the purpose of using a portfolio and the portfolio content and structure; the educational configuration in which the portfolio is introduced; the support of teachers, students and educational leaders; and the availability of an adequate infrastructure.

Variables that affect the process and outcome of feedback, relevant for medical training: A meta-review

Feedback is considered important in medical education. The literature is not clear about the mechanisms that contribute to its effects, which are often small to moderate and at times contradictory. A variety of variables seem to influence the impact of feedback on learning. The aim of this study was to determine which variables influence the process and outcomes of feedback in settings relevant to medical education.

Developing and Validating a Design for Teacher Portfolio Assessment.

Developing and using a design for teacher portfolio assessment is a complex process including several components: the domain to be assessed (the teacher competences), the content standards or criteria, the portfolio format, the completion of the format (by teachers) with content, and the scoring of the portfolios (by raters). For a portfolio assessment to be valid, these components should be systematically linked. Using a chain model of the assessment process two links were verified: the link between content standards and portfolio format, and the link between content standards and raters’ scoring. Eight experts evaluated an initial portfolio assessment design. They greatly supported the design, including the link between standards and format. Subsequently, using the format 18 teachers developed a portfolio. Six raters scored these portfolios according to eight content standards. Their scoring was substantially based on the content standards. Implications of the results and suggestions for research are discussed.

Feedback providers' credibility impacts students' satisfaction with feedback and delayed performance.

Abstract Purpose: Medical students receive feedback during clerkships from many different sources: attendings, residents, paramedics, other clerks and even patients. Not all feedback providers have similar impact on learning. One characteristic that is believed to have impact is their credibility to the recipient. This study investigates the effects of feedback provider credibility on medical student satisfaction, self-efficacy and performance with a trained skill. Methods: A single-blind randomized controlled between-subjects design was used, with feedback provider credibility (high–low) as independent variable and examination of hearing abilities as the task. First year medical students’ (n = 68) satisfaction, self-efficacy and performance were the dependent variables and were measured both directly after the intervention and after a three-week delay. Results: Credibility did not significantly affect immediate or delayed self-efficacy. Students receiving feedback from a high-credibility source were more satisfied with the feedback. They did not perform significantly better immediately after the feedback intervention, but did so three weeks after the intervention. High credibility was associated with a perception of a negative feedback message and an unsocial feedback provider. Conclusions: Feedback provider credibility impacts satisfaction with feedback and delayed performance. If feedback is not effective in clinical settings, feedback providers may reconsider their credibility.

The explication of quality standards in self-evaluation

Education aiming at students’ competence development asks for new assessment methods. The quality of these methods needs to be assured using adapted quality criteria and accompanying standards. As such standards are not widely available, this study sets out to examine what level of compliance with quality criteria stakeholders consider satisfactory. Two professional education programmes specified the implicit standards they applied in a self-evaluation procedure designed to evaluate the quality of their Competence Assessment Programs (CAPs). They specified similar cut-off scores, but different descriptive standards. Analysis revealed that this was due to theIR experience with competence-based education and the quality of their own CAP, but influences of the selected method and the understanding of the quality criteria were also found. As such, the specified standards are local, but meaningful for the programmes’ quality assurance. Implications for self-evaluation and standard-setting procedures are discussed.

A teacher competence development programme for supporting students’ reflection skills

This study aimed to evaluate a training programme for Dutch teachers in six institutes for nursing education to support students’ reflection skills. The research question was: what are the feasibility, quality and effects of the programme? The training programme focused on four competences of teachers regarding instructing, guiding, giving feedback on and assessing students’ reflection skills. The programme development was informed by research-based features of effective teacher professional development and expertise about reflection and feedback. Nineteen teachers took part in the training programme and eight teachers formed a control group. Pre-measurements concerned teachers’ initial knowledge, experience, beliefs, practices and self-assessment of competences. During the programme, data were gathered about participants’ appraisal of the content and activities, learning concerns and perceived results. Post-measurements concerned quality and effects of the programme, using teachers’ assessment of own development, current teaching activities and repeated measurement of certain practices, beliefs and self-assessment of competences. Teachers’ appraisal of the training programme was fairly positive. Results indicate that teachers can develop competences in supporting students’ reflection skills and improve their practice in a relatively modest amount of time by participating in a purposeful and coherent programme including relevant content, active learning and expert feedback.

Efforts to Implement an Open Environmental Education Curriculum

In many countries during the 1990s, Environmental Education (EE) has become a focus of attention (Meijer, 1994; Smith, 1995). EE tries to further the awareness of children and adults of the value and vulnerability of nature and the natural environment, and of the importance of saving and protecting them. Opinions differ on the goals and prospects of EE. This is a complicating factor for the implementation of EE in schools, which has clearly been proved during the national EE project in the Netherlands, which is described in this chapter.