The effect of access to electronic resources during examination on medical and dental students scores in summative assessment: quasi experimental study

• DOI: 10.1186/s12909-022-03904-8
• Publication Date: 2022-12-12T13:02:38Z
• Authors: Shatha Al-Sharbatti; Hossam Hamdy; Salah Eldin Kassab; Manda Venkatramana
• Keywords: Educational measurement

Abstract Background Access to electronic (E) resources has become an indispensable requirement in medical education and practice. Objective Our objective was assess the effect of E-resources access during examination on end-course-exam scores dental students. Methods A quasi-experimental study which included two cohorts ( n = 106 & 85) three students 66, 64 69) who took end-course- exams. Each exam composed two- parts (Part I II), that encompassed equal number questions duration. allowed part-II only. Items Difficulty Index (DI), Discrimination Index, (DisI), Point Biserial, (PBS) cognitive level were determined. Results The 390 proportion items at various levels DI, DisI, PBS average values for item DisI both each comparable. significantly higher than part-I P < 0.001, 0.001 0.04) lower-order cognitive-level exams 0.0001, 0.0001). Higher- order comparable between part II all courses. significant factor change marks type course. Conclusion does not make a difference higher-order items. Question course factors when accessing E-resources. Time-restricted accessed tests examine had no academic integrity drawback.