Development of Case-Based Rubrics to Assess the Achieved Competencies and Performance of Novice Research Ethics Consultant Trainees through Case-Scenario Discussions

Akiko Nakada, Katsushige Katayama,
Keiichiro Yamamoto, Akira Yanagibashi, Kenji Matsui
Volume 7 Issue 1 Pages 13-34
First Published: July 12, 2024
[in English]

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Abstract

Background: Recently, the need for research ethics consultation services has increased worldwide, but the number of experts who can provide those services (research ethics consultants: RECs) remains quite limited. We have been developing educational materials and training programs for novice REC trainees, aiming to help them acquire competency and appropriate performance skills as expert RECs. However, there was no tool to assess their achieve-ments. This paper reports on our attempt to develop rubrics for novice REC training based on exercises with case-scenarios.

Methods: A case-scenario, developed according to an authentic consultation case, entitled “an observational research study with a conflict of interest (COI),” was used to make rubrics.

Results: A preliminary general scoring guide rubric, a task-specific scoring guide rubric, and a task-specific four-level scoring rubric were developed for the case-scenario. The general scoring guide rubric comprised seven pre-liminary dimensions for assessment, while the task-specific rubrics developed according to the general one com-prised the six dimensions.

Conclusion: The developed task-specific scoring guide rubric and the four-level scoring rubric appear to be useful for assessment of educational achievement in terms of competencies and performance skills as an expert REC.