Initiating self-assessment strategies in novice physiotherapy students: a method case study

Student self-and peer-assessment strategies ideally are instigated early in programmes for health professionals. This study presents an innovative method of stimulating critical evaluation of clinical skills learned in the practical class setting for first year physiotherapy students. Twice in the semester (beginning and end) students assessed mock clinical demonstrations using examples of two widely discrepant approaches to evaluation of clinical skills: (1) a detailed analytical rubric of listed criteria and (2) a broad holistic, competency-based proforma. Anonymously, 67 students rated the usefulness of the activity to learning. They provided estimates of individual self-efficacy to make fair and reliable judgements in grading the demonstrations using the rubric and proforma and contemporaneous levels of personal stress with the perceived stress scale_10. Students reported that the activities aided their learning of course work on both occasions. By the end of semester the change in students' self-efficacy to grade the demonstrations with the proforma was significantly greater than that for the rubric. The changes flag a deep understanding of the analytic and holistic methods used by class examiners and future clinical educators. Practical experience with assessing clinical performances enhanced student familiarity with the practical assessment and was associated with a reduction in pre-examination personal stress levels.