Abstract
The relative instructional effectiveness of five teaching methods, Reading, Lecture-traditional, Lecture-audiotape, Programmed Instruction and Multimedia, was studied. Comparisons were based on test scores obtained by trainee nurses on three different occasions following instruction on a topic in renal physiology. The Multimedia method appeared to be most immediately effective, and the two Lecture methods least effective, in terms of students' ability to recall information following an instruction session. On short term retention of information with no reinforcement of material presented during the instruction session, the situation apparent on immediate recall persisted but differences in effectiveness were less marked. On long term retention of information, with no reinforcement, the effect of the five teaching methods was virtually indistinguishable.