A comparison of slide/audiotape and Web-based instructional formats for teaching normal intraoral radiographic...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between individual learning styles, test performance, and attitudes toward the use of Web-based self-instruction and slide/audiotape self-instruction

Participants consisted of 33 junior, first-year dental hygiene students enrolled in a university-based dental hygiene program. A stratified random allocation (by gender, English as a second language, and prior dental experience) and random number table were used to assign participants into one of two groups. Group one studied the mandibular arch using the slide/audiotape format and the maxillary arch using the Web-based format, and group two studied the mandibular arch using the Web-based format and the maxillary arch using the slide/audiotape format. A post-test was taken at the completion of each instructional format. The Kolb Learning Style Inventory was used to assess preferred learning styles, and a written survey was used for instructional format preference. Descriptive analyses, Pearson correlations, and unpaired t-tests were used to analyze the data.

Thirty-one subjects completed the study. By group, no difference in mean post-test performance was seen based on the sequence or order of instructional method (P > 0.05) or by arch (P > 0.05). No difference in post-test performance based on Web-based and slide-tape instructional methods was seen. Predominate learning style did not predict preference of instructional format nor were they correlated with post-test scores. However, almost 70% of all participants reported that they preferred using the Web-based format to the slide/audiotape.

A variety of learning styles and preferences may be accommodated when substituting Web-based self-instruction for slide/audiotape self-instruction in normal radiographic anatomy.