Tutor versus computer: a prospective comparison of interactive tutorial and computer-assisted instruction in radiology education.

Full Abstract

RATIONALE

AND OBJECTIVES:
This study compared the educational effectiveness of an interactive tutorial with that of interactive computer-assisted instruction (CAI) and determined the effects of personal preference, learning style, and level of training.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Fifty-four medical students and four radiology residents were prospectively, randomly assigned to receive instruction from different sections of an interactive tutorial and an interactive CAI module. Participants took tests of factual knowledge at the beginning and end of the instruction and a test of visual diagnosis at the end. They completed questionnaires to evaluate their preferred learning styles objectively and to elicit their subjective attitudes toward the two formats. Mean test scores of the tutorial and CAI groups were compared by means of analysis of covariance and two-tailed repeated-measures F test.

RESULTS:
Both the tutorial and CAI groups demonstrated significant improvement in posttest scores (P < .01 and P < .01, respectively) with the tutorial group's mean posttest score marginally but significantly higher (32.84 vs 28.13, P < .001). There were no significant interaction effects with participants' year of training (P = .845), objectively evaluated preferred learning style (P = .312), subjectively elicited attitude toward learning with CAI (P = .703), or visual diagnosis score (tutorial, 7.61; CD-ROM, 7.75; P = .79).

CONCLUSION:
Interactive tutorial and optimal CAI are both effective instructional formats. The tutorial was marginally but significantly more effective at teaching factual knowledge, an effect unrelated to students' year of training, learning style, or stated enjoyment of CAI. The superiority of the tutorial is expected to increase when it is compared with commercially expedient CAI modules.

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Author information

Author/s: Lieberman, Gillian (G); Abramson, Richard (R); Volkan, Kevin (K); McArdle, Patricia J (PJ);

Affiliation: Department of Radiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Clinical Trial; Comparative Study; Journal Article; Randomized Controlled Trial; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Academic radiology (Acad Radiol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-Jan; vol 9 (issue 1) : pp 40-9

Dates: Created 2002/03/28; Completed 2002/09/11; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 11918358, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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