A Survey of Medical Student's Points of Views about the Outcomes of Immediate Feedback Assessment Tool in Team-Based Learning"! at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran

Utilizing the immediate feedback assessment to Technique (IF-AT) in team-based learning is a controversial issue due to its high cost. The aim of this study was to investigate medical students’ views about the outcomes of using IF-AT regarding the cooperation rate and method of students in team-based learning activates.
This descriptive study was conducted in 2016 at the School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran. The study population consisted of medical students who had experienced both team-based learning methods (with and without IF-AT). Convenience sampling was performed based on the willingness of students to complete a researcher-made, valid, and reliable questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS software.
The IF-AT is designed for use in multi-response questions. Based on pre-determined patterns, the answer was hidden under a surface which was scratched off by students after discussing the answer. Of the 139 participants, 55.5% stated that utilizing IF-AT caused an increase in the time of discussion, and 38.8% believed that it had small or very small effect on the participation of students who would not previously take part in the discussion. In addition, 84.2% noted that the use of this tool increased the accuracy of answers. 85 (61.1%) believed that IF-AT made team discussion more exciting. Moreover, 53.2% noted that it enhanced the depth of the discussion, and 60.4% stated that discussions became more serious. However, the majority of students (50.3%) believed that it had little effect on the integration of knowledge of other subjects in answering questions. The students’ views in the open question, in addition to approving the quantitative results, showed that students may wait for other teams to reveal the answer before using their form.
The students believed that the use of the IF-AT has positive effects on participation in team work. Although it may be a costly method, due to its positive effects from the perspective of students, the cost associated with buying or producing of the tool seems to be economical. In order to prevent the creation of a competitive educational environment, it is recommended that students be made effectively aware of the goals and rationales of using this tool. Student orientations should be done in multiple time intervals and must be taken into consideration on other related circumstance, such as professional code of conduct training.