Methods of Daily Student Engagement in an Introductory Level Animal Science Course.

Within an introductory animal science course, information can be overwhelming depending upon the background and preparation of the student. This is especially true during the transition period between graduating high school and completing the freshman year of college. Students often struggle with the change in study habits, comprehension of more difficult material, and communication with instructor(s). After three semesters of teaching a freshman level Anatomy and Physiology of Livestock (AGR 143) course, two new methods were implemented to create more class engagement, increase student communication, and improve student success. Daily attendance cards (n = 28) and weekly Kahoot! quizzes (n = 14) were added in the Fall 2016 semester to the AGR 143 course. Kahoot! is an interactive quiz that the student takes during class and gets immediate feedback. Kahoot! was used to identify information that needed clarification from the previous week’s material. Students utilized their smartphones to log on and answer five multiple choice or true/false questions. Students within the top 5 total points for that day were awarded bonus points. Students became more competitive as each week passed. One student commented via a post-course survey that “The Kahoot! quizzes every week were extremely helpful and made me remember more of the material.” Another student added, “the instructor encourages her students to do well though healthy competitive competitions with quizzes using the Kahoot! program.” When comparing previously taught semesters average grade (n = 44 students, 67.4%; n = 37 students, 80.1%; n = 81 students, 78.9%), students in the Fall of 2016 course performed slightly better (n = 37 students, 80.8%). In addition to the Kahoot!, students were also given daily response cards to answer questions and to include additional questions and/or comments. Students had the opportunity to ask questions they did not feel comfortable asking about during class along with constructive feedback. Students asked a wide variety of questions over previously covered material, application of new material, and methods to help improve their study habits. A quick review of cards, allowed for valuable insight into the student progress within the course. Overall, student engagement in the course and average student grade was positively impacted.