Numerous attempts have been made to assess the "effectiveness" of innovative teaching techniques such as audio-tutorial methods and computer-assisted instruction (CAI). The results of such studies turn out to be quite variable, sometimes showing improved student performance, and sometimes not. One reason for this rather disturbing variance may arise from the common practice of comparing the performance of two groups of students differing only in that one group is exposed to the new technique and the other is not. Many instructional media, particularly those that emphasize individual study, cannot be exploited to their maximum effectiveness when they are used in conjunction with an otherwise "conventional" lecture-oriented course format.
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