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Abstract
BackgroundTeam-based learning (TBL) is an effective teaching method for medical students. It improves knowledge acquisition and has benefits regarding learner engagement and teamwork skills. In medical education it is predominately used with undergraduates but has potential benefits for training clinicians. The aims of this study were to examine the impact of TBL in a sample of psychiatrists in terms of classroom engagement, attitudes towards teamwork, learner views and experiences of TBL.MethodsForty-four psychiatry residents participated in an Addictions Psychiatry TBL module. Mixed-methods were used for evaluation. Self-rated measures of classroom engagement (Classroom Engagement Survey, CES) were compared with conventional lectures, and attitudes regarding the value of teams (Value of Teams Scale, VTS) were compared before and after the module. Independent t-tests were used to compare ‘lecture’ CES scores with TBL CES scores and pre and post scores for the VTS. Feedback questionnaires were completed. Interviews were conducted with a subset of residents and transcripts analysed using thematic analysis.ResultsTwenty-eight residents completed post-course measures (response rate 63.6%). Seven participants volunteered for qualitative interviews–one from each team. There was a significant difference in the mean CES score lectures compared to TBL (p < 0.001) but no difference was found in mean VTS score pre and post for either subscale (p = 0.519; p = 0.809). All items on the feedback questionnaire were positively rated except two regarding session preparation. The qualitative analysis generated seven themes under four domains: ‘Learning in teams’, ‘Impact on the individual learner’, ‘Relationship with the teacher’ and ‘Efficiency and effectiveness of the learning process’.ConclusionsIn this group of residents, TBL significantly improved learner-rated classroom engagement and seemed to promote interactivity between learners. TBL was generally well-received, although required learners to prepare for class which was difficult for some. TBL did not change these clinicians’ views about teamwork.
Highlights
Team-based learning (TBL) is an effective teaching method for medical students
Classroom Engagement Survey (CES) An independent t-test was used to compare the difference between the mean CES score following the didactic session and the CES score following the TBL module
TBL was thought to be excellent at covering basic concepts, but learners felt that it was less effective at conveying advanced material and did not permit experts to present their latest research. These findings show that for this group of psychiatry residents, TBL led to a significant improvement in classroom engagement compared to learning via conventional lectures
Summary
Team-based learning (TBL) is an effective teaching method for medical students. It improves knowledge acquisition and has benefits regarding learner engagement and teamwork skills. In medical education it is predominately used with undergraduates but has potential benefits for training clinicians. Team-based learning (TBL) is an educational method suited to teaching the problem-solving and teamwork skills required in medicine [1,2,3]. When compared to a lecture-based course for residents, TBL led to a similar increase in knowledge with greater participant engagement, residents perceived TBL to have less educational value than lectures [14]. As clinicians are used to solving patient problems and learning from them, TBL may be a natural way of learning for doctors in residency training
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