RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Alignment of Pharmacotherapy Course Assessments With Course Objectives
JF American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education
JO Am J Pharm Educ
FD American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
SP 76
DO 10.5688/aj740576
VO 74
IS 5
A1 Kristina Wittstrom
A1 Catherine Cone
A1 Krista Salazar
A1 Rucha Bond
A1 Karen Dominguez
YR 2010
UL http://www.ajpe.org/content/74/5/76.abstract
AB Objective. To determine whether instructor-prepared classroom examinations for pharmacotherapy courses were aligned with course goals and objectives.Design. Assessment items from examinations in 2 pharmacotherapy courses were evaluated. Four categories of alignment (depth of knowledge, categorical concurrence, range of knowledge, and balance of representation) were used to match course assessments with objectives.Assessment. While assessments met the criteria for acceptable alignment, there were areas for improvement. Goals and objectives were unevenly assessed, with 1 goal aligning with 45% of all assessment items. The assessments covered all content categories and the range of knowledge established by the objectives, but objectives under specific goals were not evenly assessed.Conclusion. This alignment study provided quantitative data useful for review and revision of pharmacotherapy course objectives and assessments and demonstrated the usefulness of alignment assessment as a tool for continuous quality improvement.