Abstract

Objectives: Microbiology practices used to be assessed by a final examination including all the practical lessons throughout the semester until the period of 2002-2003, during which a new system was used involving separate examinations at the end of each practice lesson. This study assessed the influence of the new method on the students' success by obtaining feedbacks from the students.

Study Design: The study included Term III students who took Microbiology practices by both methods in two successive years; that is, Basic Microbiology of the second term with the former method, and Clinical Microbiology with the new method. Student feedbacks were obtained by means of a 17-item Likert scale. Ninety-eight percent of the students (138/141) responded to the questionnaire.

Results: The questionnaire was found to be reliable (Cronbach α=0.8677). Student feedbacks were highly in favor of the new system. In particular, female students pointed out that they had more opportunities to have open communication with lecturers during the practices, that the new system increased their willingness to research, and that practices improved their skills in microbiological procedures. Compared to the previous year exams, average grades and success rates of the students increased with the new system.

Conclusion: Examinations given at the end of each practice lesson rendered the students more successful. The questionnaire employed was efficient to evaluate student feedbacks and was successful in reflecting their views.