A Comparison of Two Formats for an Instructor's Guide

Abstract

This study assessed the role of instructor materials in ensuring quality-teaching performance from occasional line instructors, that is, instructors who are business professionals and who teach infrequently, perhaps once a year or less. The question posed for this research was: To what extent are scripts, cues, and directives necessary to ensure effective and consistent delivery of instruction from an occasional line instructor? A detailed and an outline format of five topics in a business consulting school for new professional staff were compared. Since significant cost savings are possible with an outline format, conditions were varied to provide an optimal chance for success. If, under these conditions, the outline format was ineffective, further consideration of this format for course development or research would be deemed unwarranted. The outline format provided objectives, properly sequenced content, and fundamental direction to instructors, but it minimized the scripts, cues, and directives that were contained in the detailed version. A quasi-experimental study was designed in which data were obtained from 42 instructors and 785 students across 10 sessions of the school. The faculty consisted of experienced business professionals who, although not experienced as instructors, generally had experience in making business presentations. Results showed that the outline format was an effective teaching tool for the occasional line instructor. Additionally, a comparison of the two formats shows that significant cost reductions are possible with the outline format. The study points out the need for training professionals to critically examine and weigh the benefits of highly detailed instructor guides against the costs of such materials and the capabilities of their instructor pool.