Audiotape and booklet self-instructional materials in physiology: an evaluation of their effectiveness and acceptability in the pre-clinical curriculum

Audiotape and booklet self-instructional materials in physiology have been evaluated for their effectiveness and acceptability in the pre-clinical course. Learning effectiveness was determined by comparison of pre-test and post-test scores on multiple choice tests, and acceptability was determined by scores on a specially constructed and validated Likert type questionnaire. It is concluded that in three out of the four physiology topics studied, audiotape and booklet was a significantly more effective method of study than the conventional method of text books and lecture notes. Self-instructional material in the form of audiotape and booklet is acceptable to students both in absolute terms and when compared with other methods of learning. Use of the self-instructional material enabled students to achieve the required learning objectives.