evaluation methods of the academic achievement of students ilam university of medical sciences

Aims: Academic achievement exams have long played an important role in education and so have been always judged, reviewed and restudied. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of different types of academic achievement exams (evaluation methods) by faculty of Ilam University of Medical Sciences. Instrument & Methods: In this descriptive and cross-sectional study, faculty members of Ilam University of Medical Sciences in the second semester of 2013-14 academic year (N=90) were studied by total counting. Data were gathered by a researcher made questionnaire by 29 questions that was assessing the application level of educational progress evaluation methods by faculty members. For data analysis, SPSS 16 software was used and descriptive and inferential statistics (Student T test and one-way ANOVA) were performed. Findings: 76 of participants (93.8%) placed a greater emphasis on the final exam. The most widely used methods for students' progress evaluation was multiple-choice questions (93.8% n=76), and low used assessment method was 360 degree evaluation (4.9% n=4). Comparing of mean scores of participants based on gender and academic degree, were not showed a significant differences, but comparison of the mean scores of participants based on faculty showed a significant difference (p<0.05). Conclusion: With respect to faculty member's emphasis on use and application of the final evaluation results and preferably less effort and common procedures, as well as less variety of evaluation methods of students' progress, paying attention to the new methods of educational achievement evaluation and implementation training courses for teachers is essential.