Slide-tape versus lecture demonstration presentation of thermal agents in a physical therapist assistant program.

A slide-tape individualized method and a conventional lecture-demonstration method of teaching thermal agents to physical therapist assistant students were compared. Performance measures included clinical procedures, written tests, attitudes toward the method used, and time spent in the learning center and in the classroom laboratory. No significant differences were found between the groups on performance of clinical procedures, written tests, or attitudes. The group using the slide-tape individualized method, however, spent significantly less time in achieving satisfactory performance on written tests and in clinical procedures.