Comparison of a computer tutorial with other methods for teaching well-newborn care.
Research using a computer-assisted instructional program developed for teaching well-newborn care is described. Third-year medical students were randomly assigned during their week-long nursery rotation into three groups to study the acceptability and effectiveness of using the computer-assisted instructional lessons. Group A, the control group, was not required to complete any additional educational task. Group B was assigned specific reading material. Group C completed the microcomputer-based tutorial. (The term tutorial is often used interchangeably to describe the computer-assisted instructional program.) Both groups B and C improved dramatically on a posttest in comparison with group A. There was no statistically significant difference between groups B and C on the improvement from pretest to posttest scores. However, significantly less time was spent by group C completing the tutorial compared with the total time spent reading by group B. The results of this study provide further illustration of the feasibility and effectiveness of using a computer-assisted instructional program for medical student education.
Desch
L W
LW
Department of Child Health (Pediatrics), University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine.
Esquivel
M T
MT
Anderson
S K
SK
D001292:Attitude to Computers; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007224:Infant Care; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*