Longitudinal follow-up comparison of educational interventions: multimedia textbook, traditional lecture, and printed...

The goal of this prospective, interinstitutional study was to compare the long-term instructional effectiveness of a pediatric multimedia textbook (MMTB) to that of a standard lecture and a printed textbook.

A randomized cohort of 89 3rd-year medical students from two institutions were initially evaluated from June 1992 to June 1993 and reevaluated in May 1994. Students were randomly assigned to one of four instructional groups: computer-aided instruction by means of MMTBs (n = 21), traditional lecture (n = 23), printed textbook (n = 19), and a control group (n = 26). After instruction, all groups were tested by means of a multiple choice test at the end of their pediatric clerkship; they were given this same test 11-22 months later.

The long-term instructional effectiveness of the MMTB, printed textbook, and lecture were the same as that in the control group, as determined by analysis of variance of mean test scores.

The educational advantage of MMTBs observed immediately after instruction was not detected 1 year later. Because attrition reduced statistical power, further research is necessary to determine how educational fading affects these instructional formats.