Effective or just practical? An evaluation of an online postgraduate module on evidence-based medicine (EBM)

BMC Medical Education

Table 2 Summary of the module evaluation related to the key EBM competencies

Competency	Ask	Access	Appraise	Apply	Audit
Learning outcomes aligned with competency?	Yes	No learning outcomes	Yes	No learning outcomes	Not addressed
Curriculum content aligned with competency?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	N/A
Curriculum material adequate ¹ ?	Yes	No	No	No	N/A
Teaching and learning methods	Reading material	Reading material	Reading material	Reading material	N/A
	Examples	Examples	Examples
	Practicing formulation of questions with peers	Demonstration of searches	Self-tests
	Practicing formulation of questions with peers	Practicing searching	Discussions with peers and tutor
	Discussions with peers and tutor	Discussions with peers and tutor	Discussions with peers and tutor
Assessment aligned with learning outcomes?	Yes	No learning outcomes	Yes (Not all learning outcomes assessed)	No learning outcomes	N/A
Level of assessment ² [[27, 28]]	Knows how	Knows how	Knows how	Knows how	N/A
Students’ competency	Class average: 62%	Class average: 62%	Class average: 87%	Final assignment average: 60%	N/A
Students’ self-perceived confidence ³ [[25]]	Range of scores:	Range of scores:	Range of scores:	Range of scores:	Range of scores:
Students’ self-perceived confidence ³ [[25]]	60-100% (average 85%)	30-100% (average 82%)	40-100% (average 77%)	50-100% (average 84%)	50-100% (average 82%)
Students’ attitude ⁴ [[24]]	52% positive	46% positive	92% positive	87% positive	N/A
Students’ attitude ⁴ [[24]]	48% negative	56% negative	8% negative	13% negative	N/A

¹Judgements about adequacy of material related to content on EBM enabling and key competencies, which we compared to the material used in the EBM module.
²According to Miller’s pyramid of competence [27, 28].
³According to EPIC scale that measures self-perceived EBM competence on a scale from 0% (no confidence) to 100% (completely confident).
⁴Based on Likert score ratings of EBHC statements adapted from Baum (2003), from strongly disagree to strongly agree.

ISSN: 1472-6920