Assessment of Self Directed Learning

Abstract

The curriculum at the School of Medicine and Dentistry is nor problem-based but rather contains `Islets of Maastricht' When students have a choice of learning by didactic lecture or through self directed learning, most opt Sor the former. To encourage students to take self directed learning seriously it must be examined. One of the assessment methods which has been recently introduced at the School is based on seen case histories. Students are given two of these to research over the period of one week. They then sit art examination consisting of short answer questions relating to the cases they have been studying. Pass rates have increased and both staff and students have given positive feedback on the new style of assessment. Details about the assessment are presented in this paper, together with outlines of some of the other types of SDL assessment used at the School.