Lecture and Audiovisual Self-Instruction Methods for Food Systems In-Service Education

The specific objectives of this research were to (1) develop an audiovisual self-instruction series with corresponding lectures for in-service education of hospital food service personnel, and (2) test the null hypothesis that there is no significant difference in post-test scores between the conventional lecture method and the self-instruction method. Supportive personnel of a 516-bed, non-profit university hospital food service were randomly selected to participate in the study. An in-service education program series of five topics was developed and presented by two methods: lectures and an audiovisual self-instruction method using the 3M Sound on Slide projector. Observations on each subject included pertinent biographical data, pre-test and post-test scores, and the time required for instruction. The t-test was used for statistical analysis. The null hypothesis that there is no significant difference in post-test scores between the conventional lecture method and the self-instruction method was accepted (p\u3e.10). Further statistical analysis indicates that there was significant difference between the mean difference of the post-test score minus the pre-test score (p Subjects in each of the groups were divided into categories of age, educational levels, and length of employment. The mean difference in post-test scores minus pre-test scores were examined in each of the categories. Length of employment appeared to relate to the total achieved. Those subjects working in the food service less than two years benefited less from the lecture method than from the self-instruction method. The scores achieved by subjects who have worked more than two years were similar in both experimental groups