Do Veterinary Students See a Need for More In-Course Discussion? A Survey

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Education
• Pedagogical Research
• Higher Education

Background:

• Traditional veterinary curricula often rely on frontal teaching methods.
• Student-centered approaches and critical thinking are underutilized in current veterinary education.
• There is a perceived lack of opportunities for in-course discussion among veterinary students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess veterinary students' perceived usefulness of in-course discussions.
• To determine if adequate opportunities for discussion are provided and supported by lecturers.
• To identify barriers affecting student motivation and engagement in course content discussions.

Main Methods:

• A survey was conducted in December 2013 among fourth-year veterinary students.
• The survey collected data on student preferences for in-course discussions.
• 105 students completed the survey, providing insights into their learning experiences.

Main Results:

• The majority of students (105) found in-course discussions highly useful for learning.
• 85.7% of students cited improved learning as a key benefit.
• 92.4% of students valued the opportunity to explore topics from multiple perspectives.

Conclusions:

• Veterinary education exhibits a significant deficit in and demand for in-course discussion opportunities.
• New teaching strategies are needed to foster independent thinking and critical questioning.
• Implementing well-moderated discussion settings is recommended to enhance veterinary pedagogy.