Effect Of Increasing Student Engagement On Multiple-Choice Test Scores In The Theriogenology Diagnostics Course

Abstract

Third year veterinary students in two consecutive years completed a multiple-choice examination as a pre-test before exposure to course content. Students in Group I completed a take-home assignment and then “graded” an assignment provided by the instructor. Students in Group II completed only the take-home assignment. Students in both groups completed an on-line multiple-choice examination as a post-test two weeks after completion of assignments. Students in both groups showed significant improvement from the pre-test to the post-test. Mean pre-test scores did not differ significantly between the two groups (p = 0.57). Mean post-test scores did vary significantly (p = 0.02) with group I scores higher than those for Group II, demonstrating value in increasing student engagement in the material.