What is the most effective form of assessment and why?
The most effective form of assessment depends very much upon what it is you’re trying to assess. In my experience as a second year student midwife, I have been tested mainly by written essays of either 2,500 or 5,000 words, although I have also had one exam and one Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) exam per academic year, which is the unseen element of the assessment. Whilst I thrive on essay writing and can really involve myself in a topic, I find that it is often an act of pulling together quotes from respectable sources and linking them in a logical argument. The main problem I have with being assessed in this way is that the practice of midwifery is essentially a practical skill, it is about a sound evidence based understanding of practice and good communication with women, families and colleagues. Whilst I understand that the academic aspect of the degree program is essential, I find that focussing too much on the written essay is somehow at odds with the profession
