A comparison of selected cognitive and affective outcomes among lecture, seminar, and unit mastery methods of presentation of the Psychology of Adjustment course at the University of Hawaii at Manoa

Abstract

376 students participated in a study investigating selected cognitive and affective differences among three methods of course presentation of the Psychology of Adjustment course at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Cognitive outcomes involved course content mastery and were measured by a standardized departmental examination. Affective outcomes involved social-personal development, self-actualization, and satisfaction; and were measured by four instruments including the Community Adaptation Schedule and the Personality Orientation Inventory. The three methods of course presentation compared were lecture, seminar and unit mastery. The seminars utilized upper-classmen as seminar leaders rather than regular faculty. Results showed that unit mastery students scored significantly higher than either lecture or seminar students on the cognitive measures. There were few differences on the affective measures except that the seminar students, and to a lesser extent the lecture students, rated their method higher than did unit mastery students. Lecture and seminar students were very similar except that seminar students reflected more satisfaction and involvement as measured by the Learning Method Evaluation. There was no interaction between cognitive and affective development. Although all students indicated satisfaction with their self selected method, unit mastery students significantly increased their estimation of the value of their chosen method during the semester. It was concluded that the unit mastery method was superior in cognitive outcome, while seminar students liked their method the best, and that the methods did not produce a differential result on other affective measures.