Temporal changes in undergraduate students' self-reported perceptions of motivation of learning, grade anxiety, and instructor effectiveness in animal science courses

Abstract Text: A weekly, voluntary Likert-type survey was administered to 1 introductory and 5 upper-level undergraduate animal science courses at 2 universities to gain an understanding of students’ perceptions regarding their motivation to learn (Q1), their grade anxiety (Q2), and the instructor’s teaching effectiveness (Q3). A single instructor was responsible for teaching all 6 courses. Each week, excluding the first and final week of courses, students rated their perceptions for each parameter on a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high). Survey results were analyzed for changes across course and by week as well as correlations among the 3 responses. Linear regression for Q1 was observed using Q2 and Q3 responses (P < 0.01) but was not predictive (r² = 0.20). Likewise, cubic regression for Q3 was observed using Q2 responses (P < 0.01) and was also not accurately predictive (r² = 0.10). Rate of weekly responses steadily declined to below 60% of initial participants (P < 0.01) with an average weekly response rate of 73% of initial participants. Although grade anxiety did not change over time (5.5 ± 0.27; P > 0.10), perception of learning capacity (range: 6.1 to 7.3 ± 0.21) and teacher effectiveness changed (range: 7.1 to 7.9 ± 0.18; P < 0.01). Within just the introductory course, which is required by the regional university for all agriculture majors, overall learning capacity remained consistent across time and student major (6.6 ± 0.38; P > 0.10; however, grade anxiety and perception of teacher effectiveness were different (P < 0.01) across student major.

Keywords: learning capacity, student perception, teacher effectiveness, teaching