Investigation of Veterinary Student and Faculty Perspectives of Factors Affecting In-Person Lecture Attendance

A proposal was submitted to our institution's curriculum committee to discontinue lecture livestreaming to increase attendance, and we performed a study to investigate factors affecting lecture attendance. In January 2022, the faculty and students were surveyed to explore their perspectives on the impact that student attendance has on both the student and faculty lecture experience. We included a subset of common questions to allow for comparison. For students, in-person lecture attendance was not largely influenced by content or delivery. Instead, most students indicated flexibility, preserving emotional well-being, optimizing efficiency, exams, and COVID-19 as important. Students also indicated that part-time jobs, caring for family or pets, and commuting were additional reasons to select a remote lecture experience. Faculty also recognized the impact of these factors on lecture attendance, but they were concerned about student learning and preparedness for clinics, and their own effectiveness and well-being as educators. Sixty-one percent of faculty agreed that low lecture attendance negatively impacted their overall professional satisfaction and 67% indicated that it decreased their enjoyment of teaching. Faculty mentioned missing real-time feedback from students and they expressed sadness at the loss of personal interactions. After reviewing results of the study, the curriculum committee voted to discontinue livestreaming of lectures. Although students provided strong feedback on the importance of flexibility, the committee agreed with faculty concerns. It remains to be determined whether lecture attendance increases because of this decision and preparedness for clinics should be objectively measured in the future.