Using Radar Plots for Curricular Mapping to Visualize Assessment in a New Doctor of Pharmacy Program

Objective. To initiate mapping of the curriculum to the core competencies of our program and to develop a novel and visually accessible method for communicating data to all stakeholders.Design. An online survey was developed to gauge the extent to which instructors and students perceive that courses within the curriculum and assess students’ ability to achieve each of the 10 core competencies. Response data were collected and processed as radar plots in Microsoft Excel.Assessment. Response rate for faculty members was 100% and 86%for students. Radar plots provided images of the relative extent to which each course surveyed was perceived to contribute to core competencies.Conclusion. Using radar plots to present perception data is visually descriptive, makes patterns/trends readily apparent, and facilitates the development of an ongoing culture of assessment.