Immediate Feedback and Learning In Athletic Training Education

Context: Immediate feedback has been shown to improve student learning more efficiently than delayed feedback in lower-level general education courses. No research exists examining the effects of immediate feedback on learning in higher-level athletic training coursework.

Objective: To determine if using the Immediate Feedback Assessment Technique (IF-AT) improves retention of information taught in upper-level athletic training courses better than traditional multiple choice (TMC) exams. The second purpose of this research was to determine students' perceptions of the IF-AT.

Design: 2 x 2 randomized, crossover experimental design.

Setting: A standard higher education classroom.

Patients or Other Participants: A convenience sample of 23 students enrolled in an upper-level athletic training course.

Interventions: Examination type (IF-AT and TMC) and examination session (initial and follow-up).

Main Outcome Measures: Examination scores of the students on the initial examinations and the follow-up examinations.

Results: The interaction between examination type and examination session was not significant; F_(1,44) = .154, P = .696, 1-β = .067, ω² = .015. Students did prefer the IF-AT over traditional multiple choice as evidenced by the survey.

Conclusions: Using the IF-AT on the initial examination did not significantly improve students' scores on the follow-up examination compared to using the TMC format. However, students gave the IF-AT high scores on the satisfaction survey.