Teaching Feedback Techniques to Medical Students as part of Team-Based Learning Peer Evaluation
Edward E. McKee, Ph.D. and Stacey A Jackson, M.S. Indiana University School of Medicine – South Bend
Background: Peer evaluation is an important component of Team-Based Learning. Instruments used for peer evaluation ask team members to evaluate each of their team mates based on a Likert scale quantitation of a series of questions addressing behaviors relevant to team based learning. Following the quantitative section is usually a section for comments. In our initial use of this tool we found the comment section to be rarely utilized and when used the comments were too often not useful to those receiving this feedback. Our goal was to develop the confidence and ability of team members to provide quality feedback to other members of the team as part of the peer evaluation process.
Description: For the last two years during the orientation program, students were asked to read an article on the role of feedback in medical education (Ende, J. Feedback in clinical medical education. JAMA. 1983;250:777-781). Following a general discussion period in which characteristics of good feedback were presented and discussed, teams were given certain scenarios and asked to write both positive and improvement feedback comments. These were subsequently defended and critiqued in a team-based learning format. During the course in Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology learners participated in 13 team-based learning exercises. After the third exercise, students completed a formative peer evaluation form for each member of their team. Each learner was required to write a positive and an improvement related comment for each team member. These comments were evaluated independently by two instructors, scored, and feedback given to the learner on the quality of the feedback provided. This was repeated at the end of the course, only the score was now summative and used as part of their TBL evaluation and grade.
Evaluation: At the end of each year, students throughout the Indiana University School of Medicine system complete a self/peer assessment that is independent of team-based learning. This tool has a section for voluntary comments which we are using as an indicator of learner confidence and ability to provide feedback. Preliminary data will be presented that indicates that the number of comments made in this section by the first class that received training exceeded earlier classes by 4 fold, and were of uniformly higher quality.
Conclusion: The confidence and ability of medical students to give peer feedback can be substantially improved with a small amount of instruction and required practice, which strengthens the peer evaluation component of team-based learning.
