Students' Perceptions of Instructional Rubrics in Neurological Physical Therapy and Their Effects on Students' Engagement and Course Satisfaction

The influence of perceived formative assessment on the learning autonomy of medical students: the chain mediating role of psychological empowerment and positive academic emotions

INTRODUCTION

Medical students' autonomous learning is a cornerstone of their educational journey. Formative assessment is defined as a process to enhance learning and improve academic performance, and the key to the effectiveness of formative assessment is the students' perceptions of it. The present study investigates the impacts of perceived formative assessment on the learning autonomy of medical students, explores the chain mediating role of psychological empowerment and positive academic emotions, and offers strategies for facilitating medical students' autonomous learning.

METHODS

A cross-sectional investigation was conducted using a convenience sampling method involving 713 medical students (mean age 19.72 ± 1.18 years; 207 male and 506 female students; the proportion of participants is 93.69%) in Shandong Second Medical University. Perceived formative assessment was performed using a self-designed questionnaire of Perceived Formative Evaluation for Medical Students, learning autonomy using the Autonomy in Learning Rating Scale for College Students, positive academic emotions using the General Academic Emotion Questionnaire for College Students, and psychological empowerment of medical students using the Chinese version of Psychological Empowerment Scale (PES). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, multiple regression, and mediation analysis using the SPSS26.0 program and PROCESS3.1.

RESULTS

Perceived formative assessment significantly predicted learning autonomy (β = 0.06, p < 0.05). It also positively predicted psychological empowerment (β = 0.20, p < 0.001), and psychological empowerment positively predicted the learning autonomy of medical students (β = 0.36, p < 0.001). Psychological empowerment also positively predicted positive academic emotions (β = 0.64, p < 0.001), and positive academic emotions positively predicted learning autonomy (β = 0.44, p < 0.001). The direct effect value of perceived formative assessment on learning autonomy was 0.18, while the total indirect effect was 0.43. The mediation effect of psychological empowerment on the relationship between perceived formative assessment and learning autonomy was 0.22, and the chain mediation effect of psychological empowerment and positive academic emotions was 0.18, accounting for 30%, 70%, 36%, and 30% of the total effect, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Perceived formative assessment directly enhances medical students' learning autonomy. This relationship is partially mediated by psychological empowerment and positive academic emotions. The results suggest that formative evaluation boosts psychological empowerment, which fosters positive academic emotions and further promotes learning autonomy.

Equitable Grading Practices in Physical Therapist Education: A Case Report

OBJECTIVE

To optimize learning in physical therapist education, learners need opportunities to grow from their unique starting points. Traditional grading practices like A to F grades, zero grades, and grading on timeliness and professionalism hinder content mastery and accurate competency assessment. Grading should focus on mastery of skill and content, using summative assessments for final grades, a no-zero policy, and actionable feedback. Equitable grading supports learners from all backgrounds and identities and promotes academic success. This case study provides guidance and recommendations for implementing equitable grading practices in academic physical therapist programs.

METHODS

Over a 2-year period, a doctor of physical therapy program began implementing 5 strategies to create more equitable grading practices: (1) eliminating zero grades, (2) allowing late assignment submissions without penalty, (3) using low-stakes formative assessments throughout the semester, (4) weighing end-of-course assessments more heavily than initial ones, and (5) offering a no-stakes anatomy prep course before matriculation.

RESULTS

Outcomes from implementing equitable grading practices varied. Some learners felt increased stress from fewer points opportunities, while others appreciated the reduced anxiety from low-stakes assessments. Some saw multiple attempts for peers as unfair. Faculty faced higher workloads due to detailed feedback and remediation but believed it benefited learners. Median final grades improved in some courses, remained stable in others, and slightly decreased in one. Overall, the changes had minimal impact on most learners' grades but significantly improved outcomes and retention for struggling learners.

CONCLUSION

This case report documents the implementation of equitable grading practices in a Doctor of Physical Therapy program, offering valuable insights and recommendations for other institutions aiming to adopt similar practices.

IMPACT

Inequity in assessment widens the gap between learners entering professional programs. Equitable assessment practices level the playing field, enabling learners from diverse backgrounds and identities to succeed. Increased diversity benefits everyone, especially patients, by reducing health disparities for historically marginalized groups.

Improving assessment of procedural skills in health sciences education: a validation study of a rubrics system in neurophysiotherapy

BACKGROUND

The development of procedural skills is essential in health sciences education. Rubrics can be useful for learning and assessing these skills. To this end, a set of rubrics were developed in case of neurophysiotherapy maneuvers for undergraduates. Although students found the rubrics to be valid and useful in previous courses, the analysis of the practical exam results showed the need to change them in order to improve their validity and reliability, especially when used for summative purposes. After reviewing the rubrics, this paper analyzes their validity and reliability for promoting the learning of neurophysiotherapy maneuvers and assessing the acquisition of the procedural skills they involve.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional and psychometric study, six experts and 142 undergraduate students of a neurophysiotherapy subject from a Spanish university participated. The rubrics' validity (content and structural) and reliability (inter-rater and internal consistency) were analyzed. The students' scores in the subject practical exam derived from the application of the rubrics, as well as the rubrics' criteria difficulty and discrimination indices were also determined.

RESULTS

The rubrics´ content validity was found to be adequate (Content Validity Index > 0.90). These showed a unidimensional structure, and an acceptable internal consistency (α = 0.71) and inter-rater reliability (Fleiss' ƙ=0.44, ICC = 0.94). The scores of the subject practical exam practically covered the entire range of possible theoretical scores, showing all the criterion medium-low to medium difficulty indices - except for the one related to the physical therapist position-. All the criterion exhibited adequate discrimination indices (rpbis > 0.39), as did the rubric as a whole (Ferguson's δ = 0.86). Students highlighted the rubrics´ usefulness for learning the maneuvers, as well as their validity and reliability for formative and summative assessment.

CONCLUSIONS

The changed rubrics constitute a valid and reliable instrument for evaluating the execution quality of neurophysiotherapy maneuvers from a summative evaluation viewpoint. This study facilitates the development of rubrics aimed at promoting different practical skills in health-science education.

Students' perceptions, engagement and satisfaction with the use of an e-rubric for the assessment of manual skills in physiotherapy

INTRODUCTION

In recent years, formative assessment has gained importance in health care education to facilitate and enhance learning throughout the training period. Within the frame of active methodologies, rubrics have become an essential instrument for formative assessment. Most rubric-based assessment procedures focus on measuring the effects of rubrics on teachers. However, few studies focus their attention on the perception that students have of the evaluation process through rubrics.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey study was carried out with 134 students enrolled in the pre-graduate Physiotherapy education. Assessment of manual skills during a practical examination was performed using an e-rubric tool. Peer-assessment, self-assessment and teacher´s assessment were registered. After completion of the examination process, students' perceptions, satisfaction and engagement were collected.

RESULTS

Quantitative results related to students' opinion about e-rubric based assessment, students' engagement, perceived benefits and drawbacks of the e-rubric as well as the overall assessment of the learning experience were obtained. 86.6% of the students agreed upon the fact that "the rubric allowed one to know what it is expected from examination" and 83.6% of the students agreed upon the fact that "the rubric allowed one to verify the level of competence acquired". A high rate of agreement (87.3%) was also reached among students concerning feedback.

CONCLUSIONS

E-rubrics seemed to have the potential to promote learning by making criteria and expectations explicit, facilitating feedback, self-assessment and peer-assessment. The importance of students in their own learning process required their participation in the assessment task, a fact that was globally appreciated by the students. Learning experience was considered interesting, motivating, it promoted participation, cooperative work and peer-assessment. The use of e-rubrics increased engagement levels when attention was focused on their guidance and reflection role.