393 Impact of Concurrent Enrollment in Laboratory and Lecture Sections of an Animal Reproduction Course on students’ Final Course Percentages

Abstract

Abstract As undergraduate animal science student populations shift to more diverse backgrounds, hands-on learning activities have been shown to increase engagement and are necessary for students with diverse backgrounds in animal exposure. Student feedback and engagement in the classroom suggest that students value and seek hands-on learning opportunities. The outcomes of lecture courses with concurrent enrollment in laboratory or hands-on style courses warrant evaluation. Thus, our study aimed to investigate potential impacts of concurrent enrollment in lecture and laboratory sections on final course percentages. Data were collected from students enrolled in the farm animal reproduction lecture and (or) laboratory courses in the spring semesters of 2021 and 2022 including final course percentage in lecture, college classification (sophomore, junior, senior), gender, and degree option (science or production focus). Student learning outcomes and structure of the laboratory course were designed to provide hands-on learning opportunities that coincided with concepts discussed in lecture. A total of 193 students majoring in Animal Science were included in the analysis, of which 65 were concurrently enrolled in the laboratory and lecture, and 128 were enrolled in the lecture alone. Students concurrently enrolled in laboratory and lecture had a greater (P < 0.03) final course percentage in the lecture as compared with those enrolled in lecture alone. Students in the science degree option had a greater (P < 0.01) final lecture course percentage when compared with those in the production degree option. Neither student gender nor college classification affected (P > 0.10) final lecture course percentage. At the end of the semester, students were surveyed about perceived value of the laboratory course on their learning. Among students enrolled in laboratory sections, only 1.6% indicated the hands-on activities did not improve their learning of course concepts in lecture. In 2022, 82.2% of students enrolled in lecture, but not in a laboratory section indicated they wished they had enrolled in a laboratory section, because they believe it would have improved their grade in the lecture course. These student beliefs are supported by our results which indicate that not only did taking the laboratory and lecture together improve student final course percentages, but that students valued the hands-on learning opportunities provided in laboratory sections. Benefits of hands-on learning activities warrant providing student access to these types of activities and incorporating them in lecture courses when laboratory classes are unavailable to improve student performance and experiences.