A Content Analysis of Undergraduate Introductory Animal Science Courses Pertaining to Industry References

Abstract

The consistency of instruction between various sections of introductory courses is a concern in higher education, along with properly preparing students to enter careers in industry. The study was conducted at Texas A&M University, using an introductory course, General Animal Science, within the Department of Animal Science. This course was chosen due to the utilization of specific animal science industry related terminology within the course content in support of learning outcomes. The study was a quantitative nonexperimental research method, and a content analysis that was conducted over several semesters. General Animal Science is a large-scale course that contains multiple sections and this study evaluated assessments and lectures created by individual faculty members who instructed different face-to-face sections. These sections were selected as they were composed of both animal science majors and non-majors. Assessment questions and lectures were collected throughout the semesters and were compiled into individual documents for coding. Specific industry-related terms were chosen from literature to use as a benchmark to establish methodology for content analysis using priori coding. Comparing the use of specific industry coded terminology in assessment questions yielded no significant difference (p<0.05). These findings demonstrate consistent use of industry related terminology in assessment questions across multiple sections, irrespective of individual instructor or student major. Industry-related terminology was determined to be utilized in the introductory animal science course lectures at varying frequencies depending on the term. Varying frequencies of industry-related terms were seen across the semesters which would be expected as one section was a summer session. This benchmark study provides the necessary foundation for future analysis of lectures and assessments within courses in the animal science department. *Reprinted with permission from “Late-Breaking: Consistency of industry related terminology utilized in assessment questions across instructors of an introductory animal science course” by Burnett, Kirstin, L. Frenzel, W. Ramsey, K. Dunlap, 2019. Journal of Animal Science, Volume 97, 324-325, Copyright 2019 by Oxford University Press.