A retrospective look at students enrolled in an upper-level horse science class: factors that affect classroom performance.

This research undertook a retrospective study to determine the impact of various demographic and academic factors on students’ performance in ASI 521 Horse Science, an upper-level class at Kansas State University.

Objective of the Research

• The primary aim of the study was to examine demographic variables and academic preparation of students to identify their correlation with students’ performance in the course, ASI 521 Horse Science.

Methodology and Data Collection

• The study analysed data from 264 students who took the course from 2008 to 2010.
• Different factors were considered in the analysis such as the year of the course, gender, location of origin, class standing, major of the students, enrollment in the equine certificate program, completion of any individual equine class before enrolling, high school standardized test scores, and KSU GPA.

Key Findings

• Students who took the course in 2008 outperformed those in the subsequent years.
• Females slightly outperformed their male counterparts.
• The origin of the students did not have any significant impact on the grades earned.
• Transfer students attained lesser final percentages in the course.
• Students majoring in ASI performed better as compared to students from other majors.
• However, there was no significant difference in performance between pre-veterinary medicine students and non-pre-veterinary students.
• Similarly, students’ enrollment in the equine certificate program and completion of any individual equine class prior to enrolling in ASI 521 had no significant impact on their course performance.
• Scores achieved in high school standardized tests were not reflective of classroom performance.
• Kansas State University (KSU) Grade Point Average (GPA) was highly predictive of classroom performance. Similarly, scores of an identical comprehensive test taken at the beginning and end of the semester were predictive of the final percentage earned in the course.
• In general, students with high GPA showed better performance in ASI 521. Hence, the study suggests that strategies targetted at boosting classroom performance should be directed towards students with a record of poor academic performance.