Improving Student Learning through a Team-Based Learning Approach in a Retailing Math Course

Abstract

Passive learning attitudes and lack of enthusiasm in a retailing math course is quite common and a significant number of students do express their frustrations and struggles by seeking extra help outside the classroom. In order to promote students` active participation in class and to improve their performance and overall satisfaction with the course, a modified team-based learning (TBL) method was implemented in a retailing math course in two consecutive semesters. Implementing TBL into a retailing math course would improve students` accountability for their own learning, increase student interactions and engagement, and develop teamwork and collaboration skills. The scores on the midterm and final tests indicated that students` performance improved especially for the students who scored below 80% on each test when TBL was implemented. Students` reflection on the TBL activities done in class throughout the semester indicated that these TBL activities help them solidify the concepts taught in class better. They were able to realize their own mistakes and other group members who got the question right helped them understand. To maximize the benefit of TBL, it is suggested to implement TBL within the flipped classroom. Further research is called for to evaluate the effect of TBL on long-term knowledge retention among college students.