Team‐Based Learning (TBL) in upper‐division biochemistry: Identifying critical components for student learning

Abstract

Team‐based Learning (TBL) is an evidence‐based instructional practice (EBIP) commonly used in medical biochemistry contexts that requires students to acquire basic content knowledge outside of class and then work in collaborative groups to apply, extend, and/or synthesize knowledge in class (Michaelsen et al. 2004). An instructional approach that can be traced back to the 1970s, the “key ingredients” of TBL are well established. TBL is comprised of a three‐step cycle beginning with an individual preparedness test, a collaborative group preparedness test, and application‐based team exercises. The instructional design is informed by several core principles that are used to prescribe how teams are formed, the readiness assurance process (i.e. individual and team readiness), provision of immediate feedback to teams, how to incentivize engagement, and the need for peer review. The efficacy of canonical TBL as compared to didactic instruction has been demonstrated in a variety of contexts (e.g. undergraduate STEM, medical school education). The fidelity with which instructors implement TBL as prescribed is variable (Haidet et al. 2014). Indeed, it is common, if not inevitable, for instructors to adapt instructional approaches in response to local contexts and conditions. Yet it is unclear from the literature how adaptations of canonical TBL affect learning outcomes. In this research, we adopt a fidelity of implementation (FOI) approach (Stains et al. 2017) to empirically determine the effects of adapting TBL on student learning in an upper‐division, two‐semester biochemistry course. Specifically, we report on the effects of adaptations of the team formation and readiness assurance processes on student performance as observed in a multi‐year study.