Predictors of Success in an Undergraduate Animal Behavior Course

Introduction Characteristics of undergraduate students enrolled in a behavior and management of farm animals course were analyzed to determine which influenced student performance on a book quiz, term project, three exams and overall grade. Data were obtained at 4-year intervals from 1982 to 1992, and were based on 267 surveys. The number of science courses completed had a strong positive effect on grades for all measures. Students who had completed more science courses received higher grades. Most of the other 22 student characteristics measured had no effect on performance. Students with no agricultural background earned a higher grade on the term project than students who had an agricultural background. Data regarding experience with six agricultural species were collected, but only cattle experience had an impact on performance. Students having no cattle experience earned a higher grade than students who had cattle experience. The results suggest that students who prioritize earning high grades in an undergraduate farm animal behavior and management course outperform other students, regardless of their experience with a particular species. Academic advisors, guidance counselors, and career counselors need to predict which students will succeed in higher education. Students who lack academic ability may not benefit from the education being offered and their admittance may preclude other more capable students from entering the institution. Similarly, if resources are used on students who do not succeed, the program may not be able to provide resources for to those who would succeed (Lovegreen, 2003). The prediction of grades, success in college, and long-term career success is also important to students. Higher education is a costly endeavor, in both time and money. It benefits the student to pursue course work that suits their strengths and weaknesses. Unfortunately, predicting academic success in college is difficult because students have varied characteristics and abilities that influence academic outcome (Lovegreen, 2003). Previous studies to determine factors that predict higher education performance have had contradictory results. Some studies suggested that college performance could be predicted (Boyer and Sedlacek, 2001; Edge and Friedberg, 1984; Harrison, 1996; Lam, 1999, McKenzie and Schweitzer, 2001; Troutman, 1978) while others did not (Baron and Norman, 1992; Crouse and Trusheim, 1991; Trusheim and Crouse, 1984; Wainer, 1993). High school GPA in conjunction with either ACT or SAT scores is used by admission boards to determine admittance and to predict which students will do well in college or university. Students who succeed in their first semester will be more likely to continue their education and graduate with a degree (Lovegreen, 2003). Some studies have shown that performance in high school and higher education is related. For example, Fletcher et al. (1999) found a positive correlation between high school grades and overall college success. When considering performance in a specific program, Lam (1999) found that high school GPA correlated with graduation with an engineering degree. The research also suggested that both high school GPA and ACT scores correlated with the GPA received while working on an engineering degree. Other studies have demonstrated that SAT scores are poor predictors of college success (Baron and Norman, 1992; Crouse and Trusheim, 1991; Trusheim and Crouse, 1984; Wainer, 1993). In fact, research indicates that cognitive measures (e.g. SAT scores) predict only about 25% of college performance and that non-cognitive variables (e.g. first or second generation college student) account for the remaining 75% (Lovegreen, 2003). Boyer and Sedlacek (2001) found that several student characteristics such as self-confidence, availability of a support person, realistic selfappraisal, an understanding of racism, leadership skills, and a preference for long range goals successfully predicted college GPA. Previous academic performance, integration into the university, and self-efficacy were able to predict first-year college students' grades at an Australian university (McKenzie and Schweitzer, 2001). In addition to general performance in higher education, researchers have examined the ability to predict success in specific courses. Algebra pretest scores and high school rank predicted grades in a calculus course (Edge and Friedberg, 1984). 51 NACTA Journal • September 2006 Similarly, Troutman (1978) found that IQ, high school math grades, College Board scores, and high school rank predicted grades in a mathematics course. In a study investigating possible predictors for success in a music course for non-music majors, previous musical performance experience was the only variable to successfully predict grades (Harrison, 1996). Students with extensive livestock experience often believe that their experience will contribute greatly to their success in a course that emphasizes the behavior and management of livestock (T. Friend, personal communication). The authors of the present research were interested in determining if this belief had merit. It was hypothesized that students who had knowledge in the course topic, such as those who had grown up in a farm setting or those who participated in agricultural activities (e.g. Future Farmers of America) would earn higher grades than students who did not have this background. The same instructor has taught Animal Science 310 (Behavior and Management of Domestic Animals) at Texas A&M University for over 25 years. The course material, objectives, and projects have changed little over the last 20 years although there was considerable experimentation with the lectures and laboratories before 1982. The number of laboratory sections was reduced from three to two in 1982 and a limit of 16 students per laboratory section was instituted. Course objectives involved developing an understanding of basic ethological principles pertaining to domestic farm animals, learning speciestypical behavior of domestic farm animals, learning the factors that can influence animal behavior, developing observational skills, learning how to report behavioral observations, and becoming proficient with some of the m e t h o d s o f e t h o l o g i c a l research. The course emphasized beef and diary cattle, sheep and goats, horses and swine and poultry, with pet, exotic and other species utilized to illustrate specific points. Course grade was determined from the percentage of points earned out of the total possible. There were three major exams, each of which covered approximately one-third of the semester's lectures and labs. The last exam contained a comprehensive section that included questions from previous exams. Exams were composed of true/false, multiple choice, short answer, and short essay questions. A quiz on the contents of Konrad Lorenz's (1952) 215-page book, King Solomon's Ring, was given at the end of the second week of each semester and was similar in structure to the exams. Finally, students designed and conducted behavioral research, delivered a 12minute oral presentation of their project, and wrote a report of the project that followed the Journal of Animal Science format. All students were asked on the first day of class to complete a survey that collected information on student characteristics (Table 1). Information from the class surveys was sampled for two semesters at four-year intervals in Spring-Fall 1982, Fall 1986Spring 1987, Fall 1996-Spring 1997, and Fall 2001Materials and Methods Description of the Course Survey Instrument Table 1. Information collected from survey (n=267) given to students the first day of an undergraduate course on the behavior and management of farm animals 52 NACTA Journal • September 2006 Predictors