Comparison of knowledge acquired by students in small-group seminars with and without a formal didactic component

This study compared student knowledge gain from using a CD-ROM-based lecture only, from attending small-group seminars only, and from using a combination of both methodologies. During a required second-year case-based seminar about falls in the elderly, one third of the 96 second-year medical students were randomized into each of three study groups. One group viewed a 12-minute CD-ROM didactic presentation on falls in the elderly, another group participated in the small-group seminars, and the third group did both. All three groups took a pretest and posttest to assess any change in knowledge. The timing of the viewing of the CD-ROM and of the pretests and posttests were varied to test the effects of each modality separately and of the modalities combined. The difference between the pretest and the posttest scores was significantly different among groups. Post hoc analysis showed that the change from pretest to posttest was greater for students who participated in the combined modalities than in those who viewed the CD-ROM only or participated in case-based seminars only. The addition of a 12-minute CD-ROM on the topic to a small-group seminar appears to increase student knowledge of the material being taught.