Tutor versus computer: A prospective comparison of interactive tutorial ...

04/09/07

Tutor versus computer: A prospective comparison of interactive tutorial and computer-assisted instruction in radiology education Gillian B. Lieberman, M.D. Richard G. Abramson, M.D. Kevin Volkan, Ed.D., Ph.D., M.P.H. Patricia McArdle, Ed.D.

Objective. The purpose of this study is to compare the educational effectiveness of interactive tutorial with interactive computer-assisted instruction (CAI) and to determine the effects of personal preference, learning style and/or level of training. To our knowledge, this is the first such study comparing these formats and the first where the CAI being assessed was created by the sole tutor presenting the comparison. Materials and methods. 58 participants were prospectively randomized to receive instruction from different sections of an interactive tutorial and an interactive CAI module. In a modified crossover design, students switched formats halfway through, learning different subject matter in the two halves. Students took tests of factual knowledge at the beginning and end of the course, and a test of visual diagnosis at the end. Students completed questionnaires to objectively evaluate their preferred learning styles and to subjectively elicit their attitudes toward the two formats. Mean scores between the tutorial and CAI groups were compared by analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and by two-tailed repeated measures F-test. Results. Both the tutorial and CAI groups demonstrated significant improvement in post-test scores (p