Design, implementation and evaluation of end-of-course skills of undergraduate students in environmental health engineering using Objective Structured in field Examination (OSFE): An action research study

Introduction: Evaluation is an integral part of educational programs and Undoubtedly, for conducting appropriate evaluation Students should be evaluated in simulated conditions of the future workplace. The purpose of this study is to design, implement and evaluate an objective structured practical test to assess the practical capabilities of environmental health engineering students at Yasuj college of Health in 1399-1400. Materials and Methods: In this action research study, 18 final year undergraduate students of Environmental Health Engineering of Yasuj School of Health and Nutrition Sciences in1400 were studied. The study instruments were checklists from eleven different stations, which were prepared based on the training program of the relevant course and Its content validity was examined by a panel of experts. Students' skills were evaluated in each station by the evaluator using a checklist. At the end, students completed the test evaluation form After collecting the data, it was entered into SPSS20 software and t-test, Mann-Whitney and correlation tests were used to analyze the data. Results: The results showed that the average score of stations is more than 50% (63.54). students in 9 stations have a score above 50%, which shows that the selected stations can be a suitable criterion for evaluating practical skills and OSFE exam is a suitable alternative to written and oral tests at the end of the semester. The score of two stations was less than 50% and This was due to the virtual nature of universities during the COVID-19 epidemic and it was not possible for the students to perform the necessary skills sufficiently during the study period. Stations with an average score of more than 70% indicate the mastery of students in the skills they have learned in laboratories and health-treatment centers. The level of students' satisfaction with the test was also 77.94%. Conclusion: According to the level of student satisfaction (77.94), it can be said that this exam is a suitable and student-friendly method for assessment and its use is suitable for different courses. Given the average scores that are above average, it seems necessary to review the evaluation methods in the practical sections.