| Title | Comparison of a Computer Tutorial With Other Methods for Teaching Newborn Care |
| Author(s) | Larry W. Desch, MD; Maria T. Escquivel, MD; Sharon K. Anderson, MA |
| Source | American Journal of Diseases in Children, Vol. 145, Pages 1255-1258 |
| Publication Date | Nov-91 |
| Abstract | 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. 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. |