Comparing sessions that differ in one factor
The teaching log shows two changing factors: the setting (quiet room or noisy ward with the television on) and the print size of the leaflet (standard or large). All other conditions were similar: four new points of similar difficulty, the interpreter present, and a leaflet in her language. To find which factor mattered more, compare pairs of sessions in which only one factor differs.
| Session | Setting | Print | Score |
|---|
| 1 | Quiet | Standard | 1 of 4 |
| 2 | Noisy ward | Large | 3 of 4 |
| 3 | Noisy ward | Standard | 0 of 4 |
| 4 | Quiet | Large | 4 of 4 |
Working out the effects
Hold the setting constant to see the effect of print size. In the noisy ward, large print raised the score from 0 (session 3) to 3 (session 2), a gain of 3 points. In the quiet room, large print raised it from 1 (session 1) to 4 (session 4), again 3 points. Now hold print size constant to see the effect of noise. With standard print, the quiet room raised the score from 0 to 1; with large print, from 3 to 4. The quiet room added only 1 point each time. Print size had three times the effect of noise, so the standard-print leaflet most limited her learning.
Why this fits the client
She is 69 years old and has mild cataracts, which reduce contrast and sharpness. Older adults with reduced vision need large, high-contrast print, good lighting, and their reading glasses. Because she read along with the leaflet during every explanation, a leaflet she could not read easily interfered with every point taught. Noise still mattered, so a quiet setting remains good practice, but it was the smaller barrier.
Watch out! Readiness to learn is a distractor. Her scores went 1, 3, 0, 4: they rose and fell with the conditions rather than improving steadily over time, so the pattern is explained by the environment and materials, not by readiness.
Exam takeaway
For older learners, adapt materials to sensory changes: large font, matte paper with strong contrast, adequate light, and glasses at hand, plus a quiet room when possible. Key point! When two factors vary, compare pairs that differ in only one factor; here large print raised her score by 3 points, while a quiet room raised it by only 1.