Teaching Addiction Counseling: A Comparison of Social Interdependence Methods and Traditional Lecture-Based Instruction

As more diverse students enter the field of addiction counseling, educators and researchers are challenged to explore more inclusive teaching methods for better academic outcomes. In this study, outcomes from an experimental group using cooperative learning methods for a course in addiction counseling were compared to outcomes from the same course taught with traditional lecture. Measures of learning perception, cooperation, and factual learning did not reveal significant differences. While cooperative learning presents an opportunity for innovation, teacher skill and acumen may weigh more heavily as predictors of effective learning outcomes. (Contains 4 tables.)