AN EVALUATION OF THE TIME FORMATS USED IN TEACHING THE MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY CENTER INTRODUCTORY TRAFFIC ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION COURSE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of selected traffic accident investigation course formats offered by the Michigan State University Highway Traffic Safety Center.; The comparison of the traffic accident investigation classes was studied by analyzing the test results of 114 students who received traffic accident investigation training.; Student test scores and student responses to questionnaires from the five traffic accident investigation courses presented in different locations throughout the state of Michigan were analyzed in this study.; All five traffic accident investigation courses were identical with the exception of the format in which they were presented. Students in the school at Muskegon Community College, Muskegon, Michigan; Lake Superior State College, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; and Madonna College, Detroit, Michigan, received instruction seven hours per day for five consecutive days. At Lake Michigan Community College, Benton Harbor, Michigan, instruction was presented seven hours per day for one day the first week, and seven hours per day for two days a week for two successive weeks. At Jackson Community College, Jackson, Michigan, the instruction was presented seven hours per day for one day a week for five successive weeks.; The methods selected for comparing the three formats were to measure (1) what learning took place by means of a pre-test given at the beginning of the course and a post-test given at the end of the course, (2) how students evaluated the course by means of analyzing the student course evaluation questionnaire, and (3) whether the students were utilizing the knowledge they received and (4) whether their overall performance in traffic accident investigation was increased by analyzing a follow-up questionnaire completed by the students four months after they completed the training.; The following conclusions were reached on the basis of the analyses of students' pre-test scores, post-test scores, student responses on the background questionnaire, student responses on the course evaluation questionnaire, and student responses on the follow-up questionnaire: (1) At the 95% level of confidence, significant differences in mean-gain scores obtained by comparing pre-test and post-test socres were found for all five groups. All five groups had positive gain scores varying from 21.37 points to 27.86 points, with the total mean gain score for all five groups being 24.57 points. It was concluded that learning did take place as measured by these scores. (2) The passing grade established for this course was 70%. The traffic accident investigation courses would be considered to be a complete success since all 114 students equalled or exceeded the grade of 70% on the post-test. (3) There was evidence that after pre-course effects were removed, the instructional format used did have an effect on the amount of learning that was achieved. It could be concluded that both the one-week format and the three-week format produced significantly greater learning than did the five-week format. (4) There was evidence that the instructional format used had an effect on how the students rated the course. It was concluded that the students who attended the five-week format were significantly less satisfied than those who attended the one-week or the three-week format. (5) Even though there were reported differences between formats of instruction and students' course evaluation ratings, all five groups rated the accident investigation course highly. (6) It was concluded from the analyses of the students' follow-up questionnaires that the students' overall performance in traffic accident investigtion was increased, and there was evidence that new accident investigation skills were being utilized.