We designed a “choose your own medium” group assessment for first-year pharmacy students in our biology unit (BIOL1009), consisting of over 300 students in approximately 80 groups. The task required students to create a communication medium about a disease and its treatments, with options to submit as a poster, pamphlet, presentation, video, or podcast. Additionally, students were required to write an email to a patient, reflect on their performance, and score each team member’s contribution. Most groups opted for posters and pamphlets, but nearly 20 groups submitted presentations, videos, or podcasts. The open nature of the task allowed students to engage with the material and showcase their understanding in a format they found most effective. The additional tasks improved students’ email construction and reflection skills. Despite requiring more organization and marking, the approach was successful, with students enjoying the flexibility and creativity. This assessment format can be adapted to other units with some tweaking.
Teaching@Sydney