A comparison of a multi-media instructional module with a traditional lecture format for geriatric pharmacy training

The purpose of this study was to develop, produce, and test the effectiveness of a multi-media instructional module versus a traditional lecture format. The subject selected was geriatric care in relation to pharmacy practice. A pretest/posttest control group design was used, differing only in the method of presentation of the material. The control group received four fifty-minute traditional lectures, and the treatment group utilized the module for the acquisition of the information. An evaluation of the pretest scores showed that the groups were equal in knowledge (no significant difference at P = 0.05) before exposure to the information. A comparison of the posttest scores of the two groups showed that the module was as effective a learning strategy as the traditional lectures (no significant difference at P = 0.05). The comparison of the pretest and posttest scores within each group showed that significant improvement occurred following the utilization of both methods of instruction at P less than 0.05. The results of this project indicated that the module is an effective learning strategy when compared to a traditional lecture format. It was also evident that the multi-media module can be used as an instructional alternative in the education of pharmacy students.