title: Students' perceptions on feedback module in pharmacology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Feedback is an integral part of formative assessment though underutilized in medical education. The objective of this study was to review our feedback module through students' perceptions.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have developed a feedback module which is practiced by us for last 10 years for term ending examination that gives collective feedback to the whole class, followed by individual student-teacher interactions. Students were also exposed to 6-7 multiple choice questions (MCQs) based assessment during the course of pharmacology. Immediately after each MCQ test the answer keys is displayed along with an explanation. Two classes of students were requested to give their perceptions about the feedback by responding on Likert scale for the statements in the questionnaire. All the 206 students who volunteered for the study were enrolled in the study. Mann-Whitney test was used to calculate the difference in perceptions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 278 students of two classes, 206 responded (74%). Students' agreement varied from 93% to 98% for 5 items in the questionnaire for the feedback after term ending examinations. Perception of students attending one or more than one feedback session did not differ significantly. For MCQs, tests agreement was 91% to 98% for the 4 items. There was no significant difference between two classes in their perceptions regarding feedback practices (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Students gave a favorable opinion for our feedback module. In the medical colleges with a large number of students, this module is feasible for feedback in formative assessment in the form of written tests.
authors: Department of Pharmacology, NHLMMC, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
authors: Varsha J
authors: VJ
authors: Patel
authors: Department of Pharmacology, NHLMMC, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
authors: Supriya D
authors: SD
authors: Malhotra
authors: Department of Pharmacology, NHLMMC, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
authors: Devang A
authors: DA
authors: Rana
keywords: Feedback module; formative assessment; medical education; multiple choice question test; written test