Comparison of video instruction and conventional learning methods on students' understanding of tablet manufacturing

The objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of video teach ing to conventional learning techniques using a pretest/posttest questionna ire. The tablet manufacturing process was selected as the focus of the vide o. Students in the second professional year of the Doctor of Pharmacy curri cula at the University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy were randomized in to three groups. One group of students viewed the tableting video and a sec ond group read a section of text related to tableting. A third group watche d an unrelated video and served as a control. Average pretest and posttest scores were calculated and the data were analyzed. Pretest scores among the three groups did not vary significantly (P=0.48). Only students who viewed the tableting video showed a statistically significant improvement in post test scores (P<0.001). The results from this project suggest that video ins truction to support conventional lectures is a more effective teaching tech nique than conventional lectures alone or in combination with reading assig nments.