%0 Journal Article
%T The influence of objectives, learning experiences and examination blueprint on medical students' examination preparation
%A K McLaughlin
%A S Coderre
%A W Woloschuk
%A T Lim
%A D Muruve
%A H Mandin
%J BMC Medical Education
%D 2005
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1472-6920-5-39
%X Students received a pre-examination questionnaire to identify components from the intended curriculum (objectives and examination blueprint), and informal curriculum (content emphasised during lectures and small groups), used during examination preparation. Multiple logistic regression was used to study the relationship between these variables and student performance (above versus at or below average).Eighty-one students participated. There was no difference in the proportions using the examination blueprint, content emphasised during lectures, and content emphasised during small groups (87 ¨C 93%) but fewer students used objectives (35%, p < 0.001). Objectives use was associated with reduced odds of above average examination performance (adjusted odds ratio 0.27 [0.07, 0.97], p = 0.04).When preparing for the renal course examination, students were influenced at least as much by the informal as the intended curriculum. Of the two intended curriculum components, the examination blueprint appeared to be more widely used than the course objectives. This decreased use of objectives on examination preparation did not appear to have a detrimental effect on student performance.Medical curricula are generally organized into three major pillars: objectives, learning experiences and evaluation [1]. While it is assumed that all three exert an influence on the process of learning, the relative contribution of each has not been studied [2,3]. All structured educational activities should, ideally, have a single curriculum that guides student learning ¨C the 'intended curriculum' [4,5]. Hafferty defines this as "the stated, intended and formally offered and endorsed curriculum" [4]. This curriculum is best reflected by course objectives and the examination blueprint, linked to congruent learning experiences and evaluation as depicted by the 'cybernetic model' (figure 1). Any incongruence within these pillars of education may lead to the development of an alternative curriculum. For
%U http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6920/5/39