Videotaped instruction, traditional lecture, and self-instruction compared for teaching preventive cardiac nutrition

Abstract

Registered Dietitians are at the forefront in educating the public to prevent chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease. Preventive cardiac nutrition education using three instructional strategies was evaluated for its effect on nutritional knowledge and participants' attitudes regarding the instructional methods. The hypothesis that a significant difference (p<0.05) would exist in the participants' nutrition knowledge and attitudes toward the instructional strategies was evaluated with a quasi-experimental design. Ninety-one Family and Community Education club members were taught by one of three methods: 1) videotaped instruction; 2) traditional lecture; and 3) self-instruction. Three one-hour sessions were provided to each group. Thirty-five multiple-choice questions on heart healthy nutrition were developed and used as a pretest and post-test. A questionnaire compared participants' attitudes toward the instructional methods. The statistical manipulation of the data involved an analysis of covariance, T-tests on the pretest and post-test scores within the groups, and Chi-square frequencies on the attitudinal questionnaire. Participants from all three groups improved in nutrition knowledge; however, no significant difference was detected among the groups. When the participants' attitudes were evaluated, it was determined that the groups differed significantly (p<0.05) on their opinions of the instructional strategies. The participants' attitudes differed the most on such aspects as ease of remaining attentive, interest of sessions, preference of teaching method, and amount learned. The traditional lecture participants had a more positive attitude toward their instructional method, while the self-instruction participants had a less positive attitude. All three of the instructional strategies used to teach a cardiac nutrition program were effective. However, the attitudes of the traditional lecture participants were more positive than those of the videotaped and self-instruction participants.