Page 22 - IJSA, Vol. 3, No 2, 2020

International Journal of Science Annals, Vol. 3, No. 2, 2020

A study in Bhopal showed that 54.3% students preferred application would be routinely assigned specific
multimedia teaching methods as the best anatomy exercises that should be done when they are leaving at
teaching methodology and it relies on scientific and does the end of the lecture.
not cause lack of attention (Jaiswal et al., 2015). Students can be encouraged by the faculty member to
As the teaching methodology majority of students feel complete the given online assessment at the earliest as it
that dissection hall teaching is the best method followed shows a great impact when it comes to a long term plan.
by slide projector/AV projection/Multimedia, A majority of the students have even found the questions
conventional chalk and board methods (Hassanzadeh et in the online assessment to be challenging as it helped
al., 2012). them to get a clear knowledge and made them remember
A study states that, 82.0% of the students agreed that the the topic on a long run (O’Byrne et al., 2008).
effectivity and reliability of the multimedia-supported A more important value of these online learning tools
anatomy teaching in both the theoretical and practical maybe their ability to appeal to learning styles that are
classes was useful was an as there was a notable increase often not addressed very strongly in the lecture room.
in the academic performance of the students. In the Undergraduate classrooms are composed of
present study, 35.3% have strongly agreed and 47.1% heterogenous populations of learners and these anatomy
have agreed that the online assessment tool was really learning tools to address some of this heterogeneity. In
helpful to them (Al-Hayani, El-Aziz, Eldeek, & a study, described four types of learning preferences:
Hammad, 2008). visual, aural, read/write and kinesthetic and developed a
In a study, majority (75.0%) of the students felt that simple online questionnaire that students can use to
multiple modes of assessment improve their knowledge recognize their primary learning style (Chapman et al.,
and skill. 32.7% of the students favoured MCQ’s as a 2013; Densen, 2011).
mode of assessment. In the present study, we have given What is the value of devoting so much time and energy
MCQ’s as a self-assessment tool in online mode and to the development of these online self assessment tool
47.1% of students have found that this MCQ based when there already many offline interactive methods
online assessment helps them in remembering the topics available to increase the knowledge and practicing way
(S. Rafique & H. Rafique, 2013). of the students?
In the study conducted, 46.7% of students were aware of The commercially available tools are indeed really
the internet as a tool to learning and judge it as an helpful, but they often get difficult for the students to
effective source of self learning. In the present study, find such books and get them at an affordable cost.
58.3% of students have agreed that the online self- The other tools might most of the times provide
assessment is an easy way of learning (Nagar et al., information that is more than required for the
2012). undergraduate level and makes it difficult for the
From the experiences of the researchers in teaching students to read them and have a self assessment
undergraduate students, a study was conducted about concerning those difficult topics.
collecting feedback on the assessment given to the But this online assessment tool is easily accessible
students. anywhere and exactly provides the information and
It was recognized that while considerable effort in recent knowledge and assessment which can help them later in
years had been focused on improving the quality of final exams too and make it a cake walk for the students.
lecturer feedback on student assessment, students This is the need of the hour more due to COVID-19
reported that they were not consistently engaging with crisis development of not only teaching online tools but
the feedback provided on assessment items. equally important is the development of assessment
In the present study students were given a feedback form tools which are student friendly and easy to operate.
on the assessment given to them and majority of them In other studies, scholars have compared knowledge
find it challenging and useful (Davis & Dargusch, acquisition by students using an SDL approach versus
2015). other more traditional modes of content delivery
When we talk about topic in anatomy, majority of them (Kooloos, de Waal Malefijt, Ruiter, & Vorstenbosch,
have found neuroanatomy, pelvis, perineum to be the 2012; Leslie, 2017; Smythe, & Hughes, 2008).
difficult topics in a study made. Murad et al. (2010) conducted a systematic review of the
In such cases we can help students by creating and effectiveness of SDL in the health professions. They
introducing these online assessment tools as it creates found moderate quality evidence that SDL activities
confidence among the students when practiced using result in gains in the knowledge domain when compared
these online tools (Kramer & Soley, 2002). to traditional teaching methods.
As we have taken online assessment as our prime Similarly, in present study too the online assessment can
method of assessment to access the students, majority of promote self-directed learning and it’s a motivation for
the students have shown interest in it and found the students too for further learning.
learning and self-testing tool to be user-friendly, In the present study, 53.0% of students felt the
relevant and helpful. assessment tool was interesting, and 50.0% felt it was
However, approximately one third of the students did challenging, 58.3% preferred the tool, 53.8% felt it’s an
not find the online assessment tool useful. easy way of learning.
One strategy that could be used to encourage students to A clear comparison of the objective data of other studies
develop a personal schedule of regular practice and of present study are shown in Table 3.

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