Audio and Video Recording With Oral Questioning In nursing education, effective evaluation strategies are essential for assessing students’ knowledge, skills, and competencies. Among the various methods employed, oral questioning and audio/video recording have gained prominence as effective outcome evaluation strategies. These approaches not only assess cognitive and affective domains but also facilitate critical thinking and clinical reasoning. This paper will explore the use of oral questioning and audio/video recording as outcome evaluation strategies in nursing education, detailing their advantages, disadvantages, and issues.

What is Oral Questioning?

Oral questioning is a traditional method used by educators to assess students’ understanding and ability to think critically. This technique allows faculty to engage students in dialogue, prompting them to elaborate on their thoughts and justify their answers. The format is particularly useful in nursing education, where students must demonstrate both theoretical knowledge and practical skills.

At the graduate level, oral questioning is often employed during thesis or dissertation defenses, requiring students to exhibit a comprehensive understanding of their field. For health professions, oral questioning during clinical learning sessions is crucial in evaluating students’ cognitive and affective skills. Questions can vary from factual inquiries to those requiring higher-order thinking, such as comparisons and rationales.

Advantages of Oral Questioning as an Outcome Evaluation Strategy in Nursing Education

1. Immediate Feedback: Oral questioning provides the opportunity for immediate feedback, allowing students to clarify misunderstandings in real-time. This immediacy can enhance learning and facilitate the growth of critical thinking skills.
2. Cost-Effective: Oral questioning requires minimal resources—no special equipment is necessary, making it an economical choice for assessment.
3. Flexibility: This method can be adapted to various contexts, from one-on-one interactions to group discussions. Faculty can tailor questions based on students’ responses, promoting a more dynamic assessment process.
4. Encouragement of Critical Thinking: By prompting students to justify their responses, oral questioning fosters critical thinking and encourages deeper engagement with the material.
5. Assessment of Communication Skills: Oral questioning helps assess students’ verbal communication skills, which are essential in nursing practice. It allows faculty to evaluate how well students articulate their thoughts and reasoning.

Disadvantages of Oral Questioning as an Outcome Evaluation Strategy in Nursing Education

1. Stress for Students: Many students experience anxiety during oral assessments. This stress can hinder performance and may not accurately reflect their understanding of the material.
2. Variability in Faculty Skill: Not all faculty members possess the same level of expertise in providing feedback. Studies show that many educators overestimate their ability to give constructive criticism (Al Wahbi, 2014).
3. Subjectivity in Grading: Oral assessments can be influenced by various biases, such as first impressions or fatigue. Without a recorded session, there is often no permanent record of the interaction, complicating the assessment’s reliability.
4. Need for Established Criteria: To ensure fairness and consistency, clear criteria for assessment must be developed before the questioning session. Lack of established guidelines can lead to discrepancies in evaluation.
5. Potential for Leading Questions: If not carefully constructed, questions can lead students toward specific answers, compromising the assessment’s integrity.

Issues of Oral Questioning as an Outcome Evaluation Strategy in Nursing Education

1. Distinction Between Assessment and Learning: It is essential to differentiate between using questions for assessment and using them to promote active learning. Questions should not be leading or loaded, and students should be given time to formulate their responses.
2. Interruptions During Responses: Faculty should avoid interrupting students while they are answering to allow them to express their thoughts fully. This approach promotes a more supportive learning environment.
3. Focus on Improvement: Feedback should primarily aim to improve future performance rather than merely assigning a grade. Faculty training in effective feedback practices is essential.
4. Lack of Permanent Record: Without recording, oral questioning sessions lack a permanent record, increasing the risk of subjectivity and bias in evaluation.

What is Audio and Video Recording as an Outcome Evaluation Strategy in Nursing Education?

Audio and video recording has become increasingly popular in nursing education for evaluating various competencies, including communication skills, clinical simulations, and interviewing techniques. These methods provide a comprehensive assessment of both verbal and nonverbal communication, allowing educators to observe students in action.

Advantages of Audio and Video Recording as an Outcome Evaluation Strategy in Nursing Education

1. Comprehensive Assessment: Video recordings capture the full range of a student’s actions and interactions, including body language, tone of voice, and communication skills. This comprehensive approach allows for a more thorough evaluation of competencies.
2. Immediate Self-Assessment: Students can review their recordings to identify areas for improvement. This self-assessment fosters reflection and encourages continuous learning.
3. Non-Intrusive Evaluation: Recording student performances allows faculty to assess without disrupting the student-patient dynamic. This non-intrusiveness can lead to more authentic assessments of clinical skills.
4. Flexibility and Convenience: With the widespread availability of recording devices, capturing student performances has become easier and more cost-effective. Students can schedule their recordings at their convenience, reducing stress.
5. Facilitates Debriefing: Recorded sessions provide valuable material for debriefing after simulations. Faculty can review recordings with students, promoting discussions about strengths and areas for growth.

Disadvantages of Audio and Video Recording as an Outcome Evaluation Strategy in Nursing Education

1. Difficulty in Identifying Voices: In group recordings, distinguishing between individual voices can be challenging. Clear identification at the beginning of the recording can mitigate this issue.
2. Limited Scope of Evaluation: Audio recordings focus solely on verbal communication, potentially omitting nonverbal cues critical to effective interaction.
3. Technical Challenges: Successful audio/video recording requires technical proficiency. Poor camera positioning or audio quality can significantly impact the evaluation’s effectiveness.
4. Privacy Concerns: Recording sessions may raise ethical and legal issues, particularly concerning patient consent and confidentiality under HIPAA regulations. Clear protocols must be established to protect privacy.
5. Stress for Students: The presence of recording equipment can create additional stress for students, particularly those who may feel self-conscious about being recorded.

Issues of Audio and Video Recording as an Outcome Evaluation Strategy in Nursing Education

1. Pre-Assessment Preparation: Students should be adequately prepared for the recording process, including understanding its purpose and how their performances will be evaluated.
2. Confidentiality and Consent: It is crucial to obtain consent from all individuals involved in the recording, including patients. Educators must ensure compliance with HIPAA regulations regarding patient information.
3. Scoring Protocols: Faculty must establish clear scoring protocols before implementing recording as an evaluation strategy. This clarity is essential for consistent and fair assessments.
4. Practice Opportunities: Students should be given opportunities to practice recording techniques before they are graded. This practice helps alleviate anxiety and enhances performance quality.
5. Sample vs. Complete Recordings: Faculty must decide whether to evaluate the entire recording or a selected segment, as this choice impacts the assessment’s scope and focus.

Conclusion

Oral questioning and audio/video recording are valuable outcome evaluation strategies in nursing education, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Oral questioning facilitates immediate feedback and encourages critical thinking, while audio and video recording provides a comprehensive assessment of both verbal and nonverbal communication skills. However, challenges such as student anxiety, the need for clear evaluation criteria, and ethical considerations must be addressed to enhance the effectiveness of these strategies. By implementing best practices and ensuring proper training for faculty and students, nursing programs can utilize these evaluation methods to better prepare future healthcare professionals for the complexities of clinical practice.