29A-5 |
Effectiveness of an interactive web-based tutorial for learning food safety concepts |
C. FAJARDO-LIRA and C. J. Heiss. Dept. of Family Consumer Sciences, California State Univ., Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff St., 200-D Sequoia Hall, Northridge, CA 91330-8308 The use of a web-based computer tutorial as an adjunct to classroom instruction has many potential advantages. Students can learn at their own pace possibly increasing their retention of the material. However, the use of this teaching tool is expensive in terms of time to develop learning materials and cost of equipment. As for any new instructional technique, it should be thoroughly investigated for effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to ascertain if a web-based computer tutorial on food safety is an effective tool in the education of food science and nutrition students. Food science and nutrition majors enrolled in an upper-division food science course participated in the study. Students were randomly assigned to learn the food safety unit of the class in one of two ways: (1) through a web-based tutorial (treatment group, n=6) or (2) via classroom lecture alone (control group, n=5). Fifty item (1 pt per question) multiple choice pre- and post- tests were administered to all students. There was no significant difference in pre-test and post-test scores between those receiving classroom lecture vs. those completing the tutorial. Although there was no significant difference between pre-test and post-test scores for the group learning via classroom lecture (35.8+3.0 vs. 37.2+3.6 pts, respectively); the group learning via the tutorial increased scores significantly (p<. 05) from pre- to post-test (36.3+2.1 and 42.0+4.6 pts, respectively). Scores improved by 1.4+0.7 pts between pre- and post- test scores for those receiving classroom instruction, whereas scores improved by 5.7+1.8 pts for those completing the tutorial. This study is being continued in subsequent food science courses to see if results and trends are similar with an increased sample size. Results from this study suggest that a supplemental computer-based tutorial can assist students in learning about food safety in an upper-division level food science course.
Session 29A, Education: General
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