Evaluating the Effectiveness of Team-Based Learning in Undergraduate Criminal Justice Courses

Abstract

Team-based learning (TBL), as developed by Larry Michaelsen, is a pedagogical strategy designed to incorporate group processes in academic settings. The effectiveness of TBL as a teaching method has been tested in a number of disciplines with mixed results. Few empirical tests of TBL in the undergraduate criminal justice classroom exist. Articles concerning TBL in the criminal justice classroom are predominantly descriptive and expository in nature, leaving questions about potential effectiveness of this teaching method in the discipline. This study evaluates the effectiveness of TBL in comparison with a lecture-based course. Results indicate that students in the TBL course reported higher levels of student involvement, preparation, and accountability. However, there were no statistically significant differences in overall student performance in comparison with those in the lecture-based course. The article reviews the potential benefits and drawbacks of using TBL.