PowerVote: an evaluation tool

The objective was to report the experience using PowerVote software to evaluate the teaching provided to Toulouse ophthalmology residents. This prospective study covers all ophthalmology residents in Toulouse during the 2006-2007 academic year. Courses were alternately given by residents and resident physicians, during a 45-minute PowerPoint presentation. At the beginning of the course, the residents answered five multiple-choice questions. A month after the end of the 12-course program, participants were tested, using PowerVote, on the content of the entire course, focusing on objectives that the residents had received at the start. The level of theoretical knowledge increased significantly, from 4.0/10 to 6.8/10. (P=0.0027). Tests using PowerVote allowed instantaneous correction of the answers to the test questions. Consequently, the teaching was easier to adapt to the students' knowledge. Descriptive statistics of the results obtained could be generated via the PowerVote software and displayed on an Excel spreadsheet. The use of PowerVote also allowed direct evaluation of student knowledge and adjustments in the teaching for the following courses. This interactive pedagogical tool has potential for development, particularly to evaluate practices in the context of on-going medical education.