Perceptions of Assessment Literacy among Current and Prospective Veterinary Students

Developing assessment literacy is important for veterinary students because the demands of a veterinary medicine course require students to rapidly adapt to new ways of learning and assessment. In this study, we investigate the understanding of assessments at university from applicants and current veterinary students and how this understanding can be improved and developed throughout the course. Data were gathered from three groups-applicants, naïve veterinary students, and experienced veterinary students-using questionnaire-based surveys. Of the applicants, 69% expected university assessments to be different from those at school, whereas only 13% agreed they had a good idea of what assessments would be like at university. More than 50% of students in their first term agreed they had a good understanding of assessments at university, although students had no significant improvement in their understanding of assessments as they progressed through the course. All three groups agreed that having a better understanding of assessments would make them feel more confident about exams. We conclude that more could be done to prepare prospective veterinary students for different styles of assessments and that current veterinary students would benefit from the opportunity to develop their assessment literacy. An assessment literacy curriculum is therefore proposed to develop students' assessment literacy from high school through graduation. Further research could investigate the development of assessment literacy interventions aimed at both applicants and veterinary students.