Using computers for assessment in medicine
BMJ 2004; 329 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.329.7466.606 (Published 09 September 2004) Cite this as: BMJ 2004;329:606
- Peter Cantillon, senior lecturer in general practice (peter.cantillon@nuigalway.ie)1,
- Bill Irish, MRCGP examiner2,
- David Sales, deputy convenor2
- 1 Department of General Practice, NUI Galway, Republic of Ireland
- 2 Examination Department, Royal College of General Practitioners, London SW7 1PU
- Correspondence to: P Cantillon
Using computers for assessment in medicine is not a new idea, but, as information technology has become ever more important for teaching medicine, so computers have become an established means of student assessment.1 Computer based testing (also called computer based assessment or computer assisted assessment) is not just an alternative method for delivering examinations, it represents an important qualitative shift away from traditional methods such as paper based tests. In this article we consider what is meant by computer based testing, its different manifestations, and its potential uses.
What is computer based testing?
Computers are now regularly used to deliver, mark, and analyse student assessments.2 There are two main types of computer based testing. The type familiar to many students is where candidates fill in their responses on a paper form, which is fed into a computer optical mark reader. This reads the form, scores the paper, and may even report on the test reliability. The second type of computer based testing is where computers provide an assessment interface for students: they input their answers and receive feedback via a computer.
Where did computer based testing come from?
Computer based tests have been used since the 1960s to test knowledge and problem solving skills.3 The earliest versions were text based and typically consisted of factual questions for which there were definite right and wrong answers. Such testing was attractive because it was possible to automate marking, and the students could receive instant feedback. Until recently computer based testing has mainly been used for formative assessment (such as giving students feedback on performance during a course). However, it is now increasingly being used for end point, summative examinations (such as the …