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If it's far enough into the semester that groups have really become teams, I'd be inclined to let it go.  This has happened to me only once in almost 10 years of using TBL.  The team was definitely at a disadvantage, but it worked out okay.

If it's very early in the semester, I've adjusted teams myself, trying to disrupt as few students as possible, sometimes just breaking up one group and spreading them around to several other teams.  I've only had to do this a few times and it also usually works okay because strong team identy hasn't usually formed yet but the core of teams (except the one spread around) remains to keep building teamwork.

I've had to address the issue a couple of times a little further into the semester, say more than a week or so.  What I've done then is ask for a volunteer from one of the larger teams (say of 7) to move to the small team.  That's worked well as there is minimal disruption.

I'm also interesting in hearing what others have done.

Molly Espey, Professor
John E. Walker Department of Economics
Clemson University

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From: Team-Based Learning [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Leonard, Timothy [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, March 07, 2012 4:11 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: TBL team/group size

I had a fantastic experience at my first TBLC meeting last week.  Thanks to all who planned and participated!

I am working with a group of other people at my institution to implement TBL throughout a new integrated Year-1 and Year-2 undergraduate medical curriculum.  We anticipate having approximately 30 teams of 7 students each in our Year-1 class, and these students will work together within these teams throughout the entire academic year (probably average one TBL session every two weeks).  I am wondering what others would advise if any of the TBL groups drop to 4 or fewer students due to “permanent attrition” (withdrawals, academic failures that trigger either dismissal or repeating the year, etc.).

Thanks for any input/advice,

Tim Leonard
Clinical Sciences Dept.
WVSOM
Lewisburg, WV