Medical Students’ Perception and Satisfaction Towards Team-Based Learning

Abstract

Background: Team-based learning (TBL) is an active learning strategy that provides learners with opportunities to apply conceptual information through a series of activities that include individual work, group work and instant feedback. It is defined as an evidence-based cooperative learning educational strategy designed around modules that are taught in three stages; learners preparation; individual and group readiness assessment test; and finally, team application. Aim: The study aimed to assess the perception and satisfaction of medical students towards TBL at Alfajr Collage for Science and Technology. Methodology: The study was a cross-sectional study, conducted at Alfajr College for Science and Technology in the year 2022. The targeted group was students from the fourth and fifth levels; the data was collected through a self-administered online interview using a pretested structured questionnaire. The data were entered, cleaned, and analyzed using SPSS version 25. The chi-square test was used for categorical variables. Results: Of 131 interviewed medical students, females were the majority constituting 61%. More than half (53%) of the students found that their performance on the examination is affected positively by their participation in TBL; and the fifth- year students stated that they benefited much from TBL specifically in the surgery course. Nearly 90% of students were satisfied with the TBL approach and they felt that they would recommend the TBL program to other universities in Sudan. There was a significant correlation between the female gender and the perception of the usefulness of TBL (p value = 0.009). Conclusion: Medical students at Alfajr College had positive perception towards TBL and the majority of students were satisfied with the TBL approach. The number of TBL activities during the course was crucial to reinforce the students' benefit from this type of activity. This was reflected in the students' opinion of the benefits of TBL in the surgery course, which happened to have the largest number of activities compared to other courses.