ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND PERCEPTIONS OF ACTIVE LEARNING IN AN UNDERGRADUATE PARASITOLOGY COURSE.

Area of Science:

• Parasitology education
• Undergraduate science curriculum

Background:

• National scientific societies are developing educational guidelines.
• The field of Parasitology currently lacks standardized learning objectives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate a pre- and post-assessment for undergraduate Parasitology.
• To measure the impact of active learning on student understanding of parasite morphology, identification, and life cycle transmission.

Main Methods:

• Developed a pre- and post-assessment based on student learning objectives.
• Administered the assessment to 46 undergraduate students over two academic years.
• Incorporated active learning exercises focusing on parasite morphology, identification, and transmission.

Main Results:

• Student performance improved significantly, with pre-test averages below 60% and post-test averages near 90%.
• Student reflections indicated that active learning exercises were highly beneficial.
• The designed learning objectives and assessment materials are adaptable for various Parasitology courses.

Conclusions:

• Active learning strategies effectively enhance student comprehension in Parasitology.
• The developed assessment tools and objectives provide a adaptable framework for Parasitology education.
• There is a need for standardized learning objectives in the field of Parasitology.