Approaches to Teaching Biometry and Epidemiology at Two Veterinary Schools in Germany

Abstract

In a thematically broad and highly condensed curriculum like veterinary medicine, it is essential to pay close attention to the didactic and methodical approaches used to deliver that content. The course topics ideally should be selected for their relevance but also for the target audience and their previous knowledge. The overall objective is to improve the long-term availability of what has been learned. For this reason, an evaluation among lecturers of German-speaking veterinary schools was carried out in 2012 to consider which topics in biometry and epidemiology they found relevant to other subject areas. Based on this survey, two veterinary schools (Berlin and Hannover) developed a structured approach for the introductory course in biometry and epidemiology. By means of an appropriate choice of topics and the use of adequate teaching methods, the quality of the lecture course could be significantly increased. Appropriately communicated learning objectives as well as a high rate of student activity resulted in increased student satisfaction. A certain degree of standardization of teaching approaches and material resulted in a comparison between the study sites and reduced variability in the content delivered at different schools. Part of this was confirmed by the high consistency in the multiple-choice examination results between the study sites. The results highlight the extent to which didactic and methodical restructuring of teaching affects the learning success and satisfaction of students. It can be of interest for other courses in veterinary medicine, human medicine, and biology.