1-11-01

Midterm Update of the Curriculum

1. Dr. Nosek presented an informal update on electronic testing.   He recognized Ms. Irene Medvedev for the online testing system that she has designed.  An optional online version of the last Year II interim was offered to interested students in the computer classroom, which could accommodate up to 23 students.  This served as the first phase, or “pilot” step, in implementation of electronic testing.  Only four students chose the online version over the paper copy.  There were no problems, and the students provided good feedback. 

This system enables both output to a computer and the ability to make a paper version of the interim.  There will always be a paper backup.  If only half the class can do the electronic version because of computer problems, then the other half will do a paper/pencil version.  One of Dr. Nosek’s goals is to open online exams to the faculty so that they could edit their questions directly.  The following enhancements can be added to online interims:  color, videos, sound files.  Online exams can be kept secure.

It was decided to implement computer-based interim exams on a whole-class basis with the Year I class, if the Subject Committee Chair agreed to do so.  Dr. Ulrich Hopfer of the Renal-Gastrointestinal subject committee of the Homeostasis I section will offer five online quizzes before the next interim in Homeostasis I.  Tuesday, January 16, all Year I students will take a practice quiz.  During the week of January 22, students will take an online quiz for credit at their desks on computer and then go to their small groups.  Dr. Nosek highlighted the benefits of the online quizzes:

• Immediate feedback since the quiz/exam is graded instantly once the student presses a button indicating that he/she has finished

• Since the quizzes are not secure, the exam comes up and links with the electronic curriculum for review purposes.

• An analytical printout of the quiz goes to the subject committee chair, Dr. Hopfer, within fifteen minutes.

There will be five online quizzes preceding the actual February online interim.  Each of the five quizzes is worth 6%, and the interim is worth 70%.  Students’ computers need to be in good working order.  Each student gets a disk with his/her exam ID number.  The student puts the disk into his/her computer.  The student cannot access anything else; the student can only go to one place or the computer will freeze.  Rationale for the quizzes was explained:

• Since there is a tendency for students not to perform strongly on Renal Committee test questions on both the interim and on the Year I Comprehensive Examination, this is a concerted effort to improve the knowledge base in this area.

• Dr. Hopfer is using the “public” quizzes (they are not secure) to encourage students to work steadily and not to cram at the last minute.  The quizzes will also serve as a learning experience, even though they do count.

2. Brief update on Histology

Dr. Joseph Miller mentioned that Histology will still give its own practical and multiple-choice-question format exam.  Histology test results have been relatively consistent.  There is an effort to integrate one or two questions on Histology and Physiology on each interim exam.  The following faculty were recognized for their visual material work in first year Histology:   Drs. Joe Miller and Hue-Lee Kaung for small group and Dr. Ita Kaiserman-Abramof for large group lecture.  We also have a strong group of tutors that supports the second year commitment to the first years in Anatomy and Histology.

3. Brief Update on Pathology

Dr. Joseph Tomashefski chairs the Pathology subject committee in Year II.  Like Histology and Human Gross Anatomy in Year I, practical exam scores are the only scores considered for Pathology.  To date, four subject committees have had Pathology exams.  Students received their cumulative weighted Pathology percent scores based upon their performance on the Pathology practical examination administered in the four subject committees.  The cumulative score is calculated on the basis of the total number of Pathology hours in each committee.   The cumulative Pathology score represents the student’s performance on approximately 40% of the Pathology teaching in the 2000-01 academic year.  Drs. Michael Lamm and Dr. Tomashefski were commended for their involvement.

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