Pre-athletic training students perform better on written tests with teacher-centered instruction

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Sports Medicine Education
• Instructional Design

Background:

• Limited experimental research compares the effectiveness of various instructional methods in academic settings.
• Understanding optimal teaching strategies is crucial for student learning outcomes and skill acquisition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare student examination scores based on teaching style: teacher-centered versus student-centered instruction.
• To investigate the impact of teaching style on written and practical assessments in athletic training education.

Main Methods:

• A 2x2x6 factorial design was employed with teaching style, order, and learning style as independent variables.
• Forty pre-athletic training students were randomly assigned to either teacher-centered or student-centered instruction groups.
• Written and practical examinations on gait and crutch fitting were administered, with scores analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance.

Main Results:

• A significant difference was observed in the combined written and practical exam scores based on teaching style.
• Teacher-centered instruction yielded significantly higher scores on the written examination compared to student-centered instruction.
• No significant difference was found between teaching styles for the practical examination scores.

Conclusions:

• Teacher-centered instruction appears more effective for improving theoretical knowledge, as evidenced by written test performance.
• Direct teacher involvement may enhance initial skill learning and performance, particularly for written assessments.
• Further research is needed to explore the nuances of teaching styles and their impact on practical skill acquisition.