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Perception of students on the integrating of knowledge project: Ordinal versus metric analysis

Abstract:

Introduction: The knowledge integration project (PIS) is a research exercise using the tutorial method for the student to acquire knowledge. It is a new teaching-learning method in the Obstetrics course. To evaluate new methodologies, student opinion is the fundamental axis, and using the Likert scale is one of the most used tools. However, this collects quantitative data. On including ordinal measurements in its design, representing the categories of interest, the distances between the responses may not be the same. This may make it better to examine and interpret their results using ordinal analysis methods. Method: Cross-sectional study using a secondary source that included all first semester students of the degree. The results of the Likert-type questionnaire were compared using the classic t-test, Bayesian t-test, and Bayesian analysis with ordinal models. Results: There was a notable difference regarding the initial and final perception of students with the PIS methodology to achieve their objectives. Although the metric analysis models had questions that received a greater number of positive responses in the final survey, the ordinal method did not demonstrate this difference. Conclusion: The PIS methodology significantly and positively changed student perceptions as regards the fulfilment of their objectives. It is recommended to use ordinal methods, combined with Bayesian statistics, in the analysis of questionnaires using the Likert scale, in order to avoid errors in interpretation.