Health-Professions Education

Overview of assessments

Assessment will be by six written assignments. The subject matter will be about education (teaching, learning, assessment, curriculum, management, or related issues) and the methods are linked to skills in scholarship (e.g. selecting the methodology, gathering evidence, analysis, presentation, writing). The assignments should be seen as stages in a series of activities that prepare the student for the dissertation or thesis. However, they are also ‘stand alone’ activities in their own right.

Course 1 Principles of Heath-Professions Education

Assignment 1. (40 credits) The Case Study.

The assignment is an inquiry into a topic or question about a relevant professional issue (teaching, learning, assessment, curriculum matters). It will be in the form of an audit, case study or action research, or other relevant methodology. It should be between 4000 and 5000 words (10 sides of A4).  An appropriate structure for writing up the assignment would include the title, abstract, introduction, evidence from the literature, method, results discussion, summary of conclusions, references.  Ethical approval may need to be granted.  Examples of this assignment might be:

• Is this OSCE fit for purpose?
• Does problem-based learning produce a better doctor?
• Is the written portfolio really reflective?

Assignment 2 (20 credits) Reflective portfolio
 
The student will complete a series of 5 pieces of written work, each of about 2000 words. The work will be in the form of a case study, audit, diary or similar format, and will reflect upon topics drawn from the following: evidence, teaching, learning, assessment, curriculum. The work will be an analysis, or reflection, of the topic, with reference to the theoretical perspectives and comparing and contrasting the reality of the situation. An examples might include: planning and executing a session of teaching; an assessment event; or some aspect of curriculum evaluation.

Course 2 Evidence, policy and governance in Health-Profession Education

Assignment 3 (30 credits) Plan a Research Proposal

(Students may wish to use this as a starting point for the dissertation).
Prepare an outline of a proposal for a dissertation about an educational topic (teaching, learning, assessment, curriculum event, or management activity).  This should include:

• Ethical considerations
• Title:
• Introduction: identify the field of study (ie the academic area) and identify the epistemological or methodological approach that would be adopted
• Literature review: sufficient to summarise the most recent issues and themes
• Methodology: Outline the methodological approach and justify why it is appropriate
• Method: identify the instruments and outline the sequence of events
• Results: suggest how the results would be analysed and described.

Assignment 4 (10 credits)Poster presentation
 
The student will prepare a poster and give a 20-minute presentation. The topic will be self-selected (with approval from the course director) from an aspect of health-professions education that is drawn the student’s professional experience.

Assignment 5 (20 credits) Reflective portfolio

The student will complete a series of 5 pieces of written work, each of about 2000 words. The work will be in the form of a case study, audit, diary or similar format, and will reflect upon topics drawn from the following: teaching, learning, assessment, leadership, management and policy. The work will be an analysis, or reflection, of the topic, with reference to the theoretical perspectives and comparing and contrasting the reality of the situation.

Course 3 Assignment 6 Dissertation (60 credits)

10000-15000 word dissertation, based on an investigation, audit, case study or action research.  The subject area will be relevant to Health-professions Education (teaching, learning, assessment, curriculum development, or management issue). The overall structure will include:

• Ethical considerations
• Title
• Introduction: identify the field of study (ie the academic area) and identify and justify the epistemological or methodological approach adopted
• Literature review: sufficient to summarise the most recent issues and themes
• Methodology: Outline the methodological approach and justify why it is appropriate
• Method: identify the instruments and outline the sequence of events
• Results: analysis and description