Do Embedded Assessments in a Dual-Level Food Chemistry Course Offer Measurable Learning Advantages?

The 2011 passage of the Food Safety Modernization Act requires managers to teach and verify that employees have learned and are engaged in science-based food safety behaviors. Instructors using embedded assessments such as clickers can receive immediate feedback on how well learners understand what is being taught, allowing instructors to provide immediate, additional clarification and motivation. The objectives of this study were to: design and implement embedded assessment learning activities for each lecture objective in a combined undergraduate/graduate-level, food chemistry course; measure students’ performance on three online examinations; and compare students’ performance on objectives reinforced by embedded assessment techniques against those objectives receiving traditional emphasis. For Exam 1, embedded assessment questions averaged 80.0% and traditional emphasis questions averaged 76.4%; for Exam 2, embedded assessment questions averaged 84.6% and traditional emphasis questions averaged 80.6%; and for Exam 3, embedded assessment questions averaged 85.9% and traditional emphasis questions averaged 73.7%. Pooling scores over all exams gave a grand mean of 83.6% for embedded assessment questions and 77.2% for traditional questions. As hypothesized, the average scores on questions reinforced by embedded assessment were considerably higher, 8.3% overall, with significantly (P < 0.05) higher scores. During lectures, students commented on the embedded assessments that then led to further discussion of any unclear points. When the class did poorly, operationalized as less than 80% correct, they petitioned to get a “do over” on the embedded assessment question after a clarifying discussion. Because the students became managers of their own learning, through embedded assessments, it is hoped that they will become more proficient instructors.