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Team-Based

Learning

Mahnaz Modanloo

Golestan University of Medical Sciences

WHAT IS TBL?

TBL ≠ small groups

WHAT IS TBL?

• Strategy for learning content

• Strategy for content application

Why TBL?

• Enhance student learning

• Promote student involvement

• Foster team building

What using TBL means

• Course goals will shift from memorization to

application of knowledge.

• Role of teacher will shift from dispenser of

knowledge to manager of student-driven

learning.

• Role of students will shift from passive learners

to active learners and collaborative team

members. 6

Advantages of TBL

• Students are more likely to read

• Enhanced understanding/application of course

material

• Interpersonal and team skills

• Active learning

• More fun for everyone!

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Collaborative/Cooperative Learning

• Collaborative learning is one of the most powerful tools instructors have in higher education.

• Students get a chance to speak, share personal views, and develop the skill of working with others.

• Requires that group members work together to complete a given task.

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Debates

• Debates staged in class can be effective tools for encouraging students to think about several sides of an issue.

• Debates can vary from simple, in-class presentations to more elaborate work over a period of time and with a group.

• Debates can be particularly powerful learning tools when students have to switch sides.

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Your Turn

• Pick an authentic problem or scenario from your

discipline

• Identify the issues and facts that students would

have to know and consider

• Create specific choices that require both the

understanding and application of course

concepts

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Implementing TBL

Partitioning the course content

– Content should be divided into modules

• 6-8 hours of content

• What are the major themes of the course?

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Designing Application Exercises

Questions to consider when designing TBL learning activities

• What do I want students to be able to do?

• What will they need to know to do it?

• What do they already know? (So I don‟t have to teach it)

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Change Your Teaching Role

to “Guide on the Side,” and asking open-ended questions

to prompt the team to find the information

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Phase 1

Preparation

(Pre-class)

Phase 2

Readiness Assurance

(In-class)

Phase 3

Application of

Course Concepts

Individual Study

Individual

Test

Group

Test

Instructor

Feedback

Small Group

Assignments

Team

Appeals

TBL Phases

IRAT and TRAT assess student’s

preparation to begin Group

Assignment

-Attend a lecture

-Read textbook or journal

articles

Read case history and

view visuals, then apply

core concepts to complete

group assignment

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Essential Principles of TBL

• Teams must be properly formed and

managed

• Students must be made accountable

• Team assignments must promote both

learning and team development

• Students must receive frequent and

immediate feedback

FORMING TEAMS (Groups)

Team formation process:

Teams must be properly formed and managed

– Minimize barriers to cohesiveness

– Distribute member resources

• Within – Diverse

• Between – Evenly matched

– Permanent

– Fairly large (5-7 members)

– Formed by instructor

Sequence of Learning Activities

Out of class

• Reading

• Homework

• Homework

• Review project/exam

In class

• RAP process

• Group work

• Group work

• Group

Four to seven learning modules per semester

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• Readings

– Selected readings assigned in advance

– Students really are responsible for these readings

• Readiness Assurance Process

– Individual test >Team test > Appeals > Instructor

feedback

• In-Class Application Exercises

– Simple to Complex > In-class practice then

assignments for grading

TBL Activity Sequence

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Review reading assignment (handout)

Individually complete test (scantron sheets)

Hand-in individual test (it will be immediately scored)

Complete the same test with your team (IF-AT sheets)

Review Appeal Form

Instructor will then clarify any questions or issues from the readings or test

Readiness Assessment Process Demo

RAP Process

• Individual study

• Individual Readiness Assessment Test (RAT)

Usually true-false or multiple choice covering content

• Team Test (RAT) – Same as individual

• Appeals

• Corrective instruction / Instructor mini-lecture

Students Must Be Accountable

• For individual pre-class preparation

• For high-quality team performance

• For contributing to their team

Appeals

• Each team must appeal separately

• Appeals must be written

– Question ambiguity – provide alternative wording

– Ambiguity in readings – provide specific page

numbers and quotations

• iRAT grades will change for members of team

that successfully appeals

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Grading Components

• Individual performance

– RAT

– Individual exams or papers

• Group performance

– RAT

– Projects or activities or exams

• Peer evaluation

Key Principles

Students must have frequent and timely

feedback

– Instant grading on RATs

– Instant grading on team projects

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Assignments promote learning

and team development • Overcome forces that promote “social

loafing” (uneven member participation)

• Make assignments to promote group

cohesiveness

– Key variables

– Avoid assignments that reduce cohesiveness

“Social Loafing” Forces

• Some resist participation

• Some prefer to dominate

• Some believe they lack content knowledge

• Some may not be committed to group success

• Some concerned about being disagreeable or overly aggressive

• Task may be completed by one or two members working alone

• Task does not require member agreement

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Making Application Assignments Work

Group assignments (3 S’s)

– Same Problem. Individuals/groups work on the

same problem, case or question.

– Specific Choice. Individuals/groups must use

course concepts to make a specific choice.

– Simultaneous Report. Individuals/groups report

their choices simultaneously. Visibility of student

thinking.

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Assignment Phrasing Affects Individual

Thinking, Intra- & Inter- Team Discussion

• “Make a list” • Low cognitive skills

• Low commitment to output

• Low accountability

• “Make a specific choice” • Focuses on „why?‟

• Higher cognitive skills

• Higher commitment to output

• Higher accountability/cohesiveness

Mahnaz Modanloo (assistant Professor) Modanloo1@yahoo.com

Promote Group Cohesiveness Assignment Key Variables

• High level of individual accountability

• Bring members into close proximity

• Motivate discussion among team members

• Insure immediate, unambiguous and

meaningful feedback

• Provide explicit rewards for team performance

Individual Accountability

• Advance preparation (RAT – individual)

• Each member contributes (RAT group)

• These promote learning and

– Bring shy students into discussion

– Tones down dominant members; they start to

listen

Proximity of members

• Use in class assignments

• Avoid assignments that can be completed

outside of class by members working

individually

• Promotes team development

Motivate Discussion

• Make assignments that require a concrete decision that is based on

analysis of a complex issue

• The shorter the answer the better

• Promotes content learning

• Reinforces aspects of group interaction

– Other member‟s input is important

– Accomplish more working together than each can on their own

Provide Meaningful Feedback

• Powerful

– Compare to other groups

• Motivates groups to be the best

• Must defend group’s choice against challenges

• The more immediate the feedback the better

Reward Group Success

• Must count for the grade

• Love of learning is generally not a sufficient motivator

• Without reward for group success, members see

themselves as only competing with other members

Feedback

• The quicker the better

• Other group members

• Other groups

• Instructor

Effective Group Activities

• Prior to group discussion

– Are group members working on the same

assignment and required to make a specific

choice, individually and in writing?

Effective Group Activities

• During discussions within groups

– Are groups required to share members‟ individual

choices and agree on a specific choice?

– Will the discussion focus on Why/How

– Will the group‟s choice(s) be represented in a form

that enables immediate and direct comparisons with

other groups?

Effective Group Activities

• During discussions between groups

– Are group decisions reported simultaneously?

– Do group “reports” focus attention on absolutely key

issues?

– Are groups given the opportunity to digest and reflect

on the entire set of “reports” before total class

discussion begins?

– Will the discussion focus on Why/How?

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Ethics

Ethics – the discipline concerned with what

is morally good and bad, right and wrong.