Teachable Moments Matter for: An analysis of the use of Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA) scores within one professional program

Curr Pharm Teach Learn. 2017 Mar-Apr;9(2):175-177. doi: 10.1016/j.cptl.2016.12.001. Epub 2017 Feb 2.

Abstract

Editors Note: The Teachable Moments Matter category of articles is designed to offer readers insight into a methodological issue identified within a companion article. Written in collaboration with one of these authors, these articles provide an opportunity to focus on a challenge experienced by the authors and, in the process, provide one or more perspectives as to how to successfully navigate this issue. Notably, this "issue" is not necessarily a problem (as this first paper in this series demonstrates). The Journal hopes this case-based approach will help highlight an issue nuance in context, something that might get "lost" in the entirety of a full-length article. This article discusses the importance of communicating a conceptual framework (i.e., theory) as a basis for scholarly articles. A specific example in the companion article is use of validity theory. In our community of researchers, we need to better communicate a conceptual framework as a basis to allow others to build on and grow our knowledge in pharmacy education.

Keywords: Assessment; Communication; Conceptual framework; Validation; Validity.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Curriculum / standards*
  • Education, Pharmacy / methods
  • Education, Pharmacy / standards
  • Educational Measurement / methods*
  • Feedback*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care / methods*
  • Students, Pharmacy / psychology
  • Teaching / standards*
  • Teaching / trends