Abstract:

Background: Program Evaluation plays a pivot role in Accreditation and Quality Improvement in medical education despite its time and workload constraint. Existing program evaluation administration has spent many paper works, human resources, monies and administration procedures.
Objectives: This study was intended to find alternative method replacing manual process in medical education program evaluation
Methods: A two years policy study intended to find alternative method replacing manual process in program evaluation has been conducted by medical education unit of Faculty of medicine Universitas Brawijaya, Indonesia. The study was started with analysis of variety of electronic gadget and internet behavior among students and faculties followed by internet researching of available internet based survey program. We also discovered several internet based survey program platforms that frequently used and conducted research how to use the platforms in designated educational program evaluation. After learning how to use and familiar with content management, we used each of the programs in different occasions mainly by replacing previous paper based evaluation forms with one of these programs. We randomly sampling evaluate the educational sessions based on formality of the event and heterogeneity of the attendants to give richer comments and feedback for usability issue. Time and Cost analysis were conducted as denominators for finding the most reliable program.
Results: Two well known internet based platform (paid and free services) were found to be most fit for purpose and promising tools as assistance in conducting program evaluation. Our board analysis revealed that the usage of these tools have given extremely time and cost friendly result compared to previous process. Most of the students and faculties believed the method should be incorporated in all program evaluation system and they would be featuring modern medical education. Investment in well capable IT resource person to be considered as essential prerequisite and key success factor in our case.
Conclusion: Using combined online paid and free platform can help medical education to reduce paper works, human resources, monies and administration burden in conducting program evaluation.

Keywords:

Program evaluation, technology in education management.