Perceptions of Assessment Literacy among Current and Prospective Veterinary Students

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Education
• Higher Education Pedagogy
• Assessment Literacy

Background:

• Veterinary medicine programs demand rapid adaptation to new learning and assessment methods.
• Students' understanding of university-level assessments is crucial for academic success.
• Bridging the gap between school and university assessment expectations is vital.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the assessment literacy of veterinary applicants and students.
• To explore how assessment understanding develops throughout the veterinary curriculum.
• To identify strategies for improving veterinary students' assessment literacy.

Main Methods:

• Utilized questionnaire-based surveys to gather data from three distinct groups: applicants, novice veterinary students, and experienced veterinary students.
• Assessed participants' perceptions and expectations regarding university assessments compared to school-based assessments.
• Analyzed survey responses to identify trends in assessment understanding across different stages of the veterinary program.

Main Results:

• A significant majority of applicants (69%) anticipated differences between school and university assessments, yet only 13% felt well-prepared.
• Over 50% of first-term students reported good assessment understanding, but this did not significantly improve with progression through the course.
• All participant groups indicated that enhanced assessment understanding would boost exam confidence.

Conclusions:

• Prospective veterinary students require better preparation for diverse assessment styles.
• Current veterinary students would benefit from targeted development of their assessment literacy.
• An integrated assessment literacy curriculum, from high school through graduation, is proposed to enhance student preparedness.