Use of Formative Assessment Methods to Improve Student Perception and Performance in an Introductory Animal Science Laboratory Course

The adjustment to higher education can be challenging and overwhelming for first year students. They often find it intimidating to communicate with instructors and are tasked with developing study habits that will allow them to succeed in a university setting. The Introduction to Animal Science course seeks to provide students with a solid foundation of general livestock knowledge while encouraging students to become self-directed learners through a combination of classroom lectures and hands-on laboratory sessions. In addition to reinforcing and applying the lecture material, the laboratory periods offer an opportunity to engage students in self-directed learning habits and promote communicate with instructors. Our objective was to test if weekly assessments during laboratory periods were associated with weekly quiz grades in these lab periods. A formative assessment tool was administered to facilitate student engagement and improve study methods in an introductory level laboratory course. Weekly quiz scores from students (n = 161) enrolled in the Introductory to Animal Science Laboratory course (AS101) were compared to evaluate the influence of formative assessments on student performance. Of the 6 total laboratory sections, 3 laboratory sections (n = 27 per lab; 81 total) were randomly selected to complete assessments at the conclusion of each laboratory period. Students were randomly assigned a number for the duration of the semester, allowing anonymity while providing a means to track student progression over the course of the semester. The assessment forms were comprised of 3 short answer questions and 2 five point Likert scale questions. The short answer questions were designed to facilitate reflection, application, and clarification of the material presented during the laboratory period, while the Likert scale was used to evaluate student perception of subject knowledge pre- and post-laboratory period. Based on the assessment responses, students were provided with feedback and clarification at the beginning of the following laboratory period. No significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed between laboratory sections that did or did not complete weekly assessments. Outcomes from the study indicate that formative assessments may have little impact on weekly quiz scores. However, assessment responses enabled instructors to provide directed feedback that facilitated discussion and reflection of previous material in a timely manner and offers potential benefits for long term student performance. Further research is in progress to evaluate the impact of formative assessments on student perception and performance on final exam grades.