SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-The Owl Checklist: Developing a Novel Whiteboard Mini-Lecture Assessment Tool

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The document describes the development and preliminary validation of the <strong>Optimizing Whiteboard Lectures (OWL) Checklist</strong>, a new tool for assessing <strong>Whiteboard Mini Lectures (WMLs)</strong> in medical education.

WMLs are small-group teaching sessions that use hand-drawn text and visuals to improve learner engagement and simplify complex concepts. Although they are widely used and valued by medical students and residents, there has been no formal instrument to evaluate their effectiveness.

The study’s goal was to create an assessment tool and gather validity evidence for it. To do this, the authors reviewed existing literature on clinical teaching and lecture evaluation tools, then adapted key elements relevant to whiteboard-based teaching. Through iterative review by medical education leaders, they developed four main domains: <strong>Learning Environment, Whiteboard Design, Learner Engagement, and Promotes Understanding & Retention</strong>.

The final checklist includes <strong>20 observable behavioral items</strong> scored dichotomously, plus a <strong>global teaching performance rating</strong> from 0 to 4. The maximum score is 24. The tool was pilot tested with a small sample of WMLs before broader use.

For validation, the researchers used <strong>Kane’s four-stage validity framework</strong>: scoring, generalization, extrapolation, and implications. They trained nine raters across four sites using a standardized workshop. The instrument was then applied to <strong>51 observed WMLs</strong> delivered by residents, fellows, and attendings. Additional data were collected through rater and teacher perception surveys.

Overall, the OWL Checklist was designed as a structured, practical way to assess the quality of whiteboard mini lectures and support better teaching in medical education.

Asset Subtitle

Ryan E. Nelson

Meta Tag

Author List Daniel N. Ricotta, Jason Freed, Maria Nardell, Ryan E. Nelson

Category Innovations

Concept Optimizing Whiteboard Lectures Checklist

Concept Whiteboard Mini-Lecture

Concept Learning Environment

Concept Whiteboard Design

Concept Learner Engagement

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School

Presenting Author Ryan E. Nelson

Track Education

Keywords

Optimizing Whiteboard Lectures

OWL Checklist

Whiteboard Mini Lectures

medical education

teaching assessment

validity evidence

Kane framework

learner engagement

whiteboard design

lecture evaluation

Optimizing Whiteboard Lectures Checklist

Whiteboard Mini-Lecture

Learning Environment

Whiteboard Design

Learner Engagement