Monash & Kings Pharmacy Education Syposium - Prato 2005

Assessment is a problem that plagues everyone working with students. Combined with new technologies, the increasing number of students and complexity of courses requires the exploration of new assessment methods. Which assessment methods are applicable to our needs? How useful are new assessment methods? How do we ensure meaningful assessment or determine quality of assessment? Do they really save time?

A variety of issues relating to assessment in different settings were explored during the 3-day symposium, with each setting seen as presenting its own challenges. The topics were aimed at identifying problems surrounding modern assessment methodology and considering ways they may be or have been addressed by educators from around the world. All aspects of pharmacy education were considered including undergraduate and postgraduate education, professional development, and pre-registration training.

Symposium Program

Day 1: Assessment in the Traditional Environment

Introductory presentation
Everything you ever wanted to know about assessment but were afraid to ask. NOT! Greg Duncan, Monash University  (PDF file, 55KB)

Workshops
1. Multiple Choice questions (MCQs) which demand that students apply knowledge rather than recall facts, Ieva Stupans, University of South Australia
2. Kings Workshop, Kings faculty
3. Active learning, Tom Zlatic, St Louis faculty of Pharmacy
4. Holistic assessment, Rosemary Beresford, University of Otago

Plenary Presentation
Active learning and assessment in pharmacy education, Prof. Tom Zlatic, St Louis faculty of Pharmacy (PDF file, 281KB)

Contributed papers
1. Assessment of student language and communication, Kara Gilbert, Monash University
2. Attitudes of pharmacy students, Louis Roller, Monash University
3. Student thoughts on relevance, Jeff Hughes, Curtin University
4. 'Trev' the tablet - online learning and associated MCQ development, Sue Jones, Monash University
5 MCQs - improving understanding of their use, Ieva Stupans, University of South Australia
6. Conventional written examination and problem solving exercises as assessment tools in problem-based learning (PBL), Beverly Summers, University of London

Poster Session

Day 2: Assessment in Practice Settings

Plenary Presentations
Assessment in a Practice Environment, Prof. Claire Anderson, Nottingham University (PDF file, 545KB)
Making the Best Use of Objective Structured Clinical Examiniations (OSCEs), Dr Paul Rutter, University of Portsmouth
Competence assessment, Miss Ann Lewis OBE, Royal Pharm Society GB

Workshops
1. Assessment of continuing education, Kevin McNamara, Deakin University
2. Active learning, Tom Zlatic, St Louis faculty of Pharmacy

PeArLS: Personally Arranged Learning Sessions on a variety of topics

Symposium Dinner: The Medicic Villa, La Ferdinanda

Day 3: Assessment in the Virtual Environment

Plenary Presentations
Dealing with Plagiarism/cheating, Assoc Prof. Janie Sheridan, University of Auckland
Challenges in Contemporary Assessment - Problems and Solutions, Dr Laurie Lomas, Kings faculty London  (PDF file, 70KB)

Workshops
1. Application of plagiarism software, Janie Sheridan, University of Auckland
2. Multiple choice questions, Ieva Stupans, University of South Australia

Contributed papers
Authentic assessment of placements with respect to pharmaceutical care, Rosemin Kassam, University of Britich Columbia
Assessment is not just homework, Rosemary Beresford, University of Otago
Assessment of consultant pharmacists, Bill Kelly, Australian Association of Consultant Pharmacy (AACP)  (PDF file, 151KB)
Student evaluation of assessment methods used in supplementary prescribing, Anne Lovejoy, Kings faculty