Applying the ADDIE model to eAssessment in Applied Skills for Nursing

Clinical nursing skills are essential to deliver safe and effective patient care. At UWS, the undergraduate adult nursing programme assesses clinical skills in practice and throughout clinical skills modules formatively as well as summatively, through the use of an Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE’s). However, OSCE’s are typically associated with high levels of assessors and increased levels of stress that can impact on performance of clinical capability and learning (Muldoon et al 2014). As part of curriculum development the Applied Skills module assessment was developed into an online one that tests students’ knowledge and understanding, with formative assessment taking place throughout the twelve weeks of the module and within practice placements.

This online assessment was developed by the module team in consultation with Education Futures and is now in its second year of implementation with 952 students across four campuses having been assessed. The redesign of the assessment has resulted in number of benefits with a high pass rate demonstrating underpinning knowledge of the module content, reduction in time and staff resources when compared with the previous OSCE type assessment. Online formative assessments with immediate feedback were designed for students to practice in advance of the summative assessment.

This presentation will discuss the merits of online testing of practical knowledge including the benefits and challenges of adopting this approach. Questions were designed to objectively test students’ knowledge and decision making skills with clear alignment to the practical experience. The impact of utilising this approach will be discussed in this presentation.

Muldoon, K., Biesty, L., Smith, V. (2014) “I found the OSCE stressful”, student midwifes’ attitudes towards an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), Nurse Education Today, 34, (3), 468-473.