Author: Michael Begg, michael.begg@ed.ac.uk

Author: David Dewhurst, d.dewhurst@ed.ac.uk

JISC e-Learning Activity Area: e-Assessment

Higher Education Academy Subject Centre: Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine

This case study illustrates...use of specialist software, an effect on exam results, an effect on student personal development, innovation in learning and teaching, an influence on educational research, staff satisfaction with e-learning, a positive effect on retention, an influence on policy, use of resources, modifications to learning spaces, management of learning assets

Technology Used

What technologies and/or e-tools were available to you?

The OSCA application is a combined authoring and delivery mechanism that extends an in-house developed web-based, content creation tool (EROS: Edinburgh Reusable Object Sequencer). EROS comprises a range of question-based templates which enable non-technical academic staff to create e-learning resources easily and quickly. The web-based nature of the application also allows for collaborative developments. OSCA essentially has added additional question types to the system which are designed specifically for OSCE clinical examinations.

As the application was built proximally - that is to say, in close collaboration with teachers, administrators and assessment officers, the question types and section - or, station - design reflects as accurately as possible the question and response expectations of the MVM programmes.