Examining the Effectiveness of Team-Based Learning (TBL) in Different Classroom Settings

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe problem of effective learning in college classrooms, especially in a large lecture setting, has been a topic of discussion for a considerable span of time. Most efforts to improve learning incorporate various forms of student-active learning, such as in-class investigations or problems, group discussions, collaborative examinations and interactive technology such as i-clicker. Team-Based Learning (TBL) is a classroom paradigm that all but eliminates the standard lecture and shifts exams from an end-of-unit exercise to a preparatory role. Adapting TBL to an introductory oceanography course has yielded mixed results. Student satisfaction as measured by course evaluations has increased in several important indicators, but not in summative questions. Final grades have also continued at high levels, and discussions around in-class investigations have become increasingly sophisticated, but performance on certain exam components associated with higher-order learning has declined. The classroom environment may play a major role, with TBL showing greater effectiveness in a TBL-designed facility compared with a traditional auditorium.