Effects of combining case-based instruction and mindfulness activities on the acquisition, application, and transfer of complex knowledge: An experimental comparison of two multiple-case treatments

In this investigation, two multiple-case instructional treatments were compared to determine their relative effectiveness for helping program participants to acquire, apply, and transfer complex knowledge about assistive devices and techniques that are available to help people with impaired vision (whether totally blind or partially sighted) to accomplish things that they need and/or want to do. The research participants (N = 38) were students in the Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation at Utah State University. They were randomly assigned to either of two case-based instructional treatments. Both treatments presented the same information about assistive technology in a printed manual and on a videodisc. The videodisc contained an introduction, six case studies consisting of interviews with real people who have impaired vision, and an audiovisual database of over 100 devices and techniques from 10 functional categories. Participants in Treatment 1 completed activities requiring a mindful (in-depth and effortful) analysis of four of the video-based cases and associated concepts. Participants in Treatment 2 completed four text-based cases in addition to the same four video-based cases. Thus, the main intervention differences were that participants in Treatment 1 did more analysis of fewer cases, and participants in Treatment 2 simply did more cases.;On measures of knowledge, performance, and transfer, there were no statistically significant differences between the mean scores for Treatment 1 or 2; however, there were statistically (p <.001) and educationally significant differences (based on standardized mean difference effect sizes) in knowledge gain scores from pre- to posttest. There was also an educationally significant difference between treatment group means on the performance measure (two video-based cases), and there was an educationally significant interaction between the factors of Treatment Group and Course Enrollment on a measure of knowledge transfer. Regarding the participants' attitude toward the module, their ratings were positive, and they commented that they liked working with case studies on the videodisc. In general, they believed that the case materials provided useful contexts for learning about the content area and that the module helped them acquire and apply important information. They also indicated that they would recommend the module to other people who want to learn about the content area.