Hi everyone, Like Karla, I also just started team based learning this semester and I seem to have a similar problem with teams not willing to defend their answers. For example, last week they completed a case study on speciation of maggot flies (http://www.sciencecases.org/maggot_fly/maggot_fly.asp) and each of the 6 teams wrote their short answers (without explanations) on the board at the same time. It seemed to me that if 4 of the teams came to the same answer then the other 2 teams felt they must be wrong. I even tried to indicate that I thought the minority answers were better but the teams seemed content and felt they had finished. I am wondering if this part of the team builiding process and it might just take some time. However, I still feel I could have done something differently. Some of my students are also making comments that may be common, but they do make me feel a little bit uneasy about the team-based learning. A few have said things like: I don't like that we are forced to learn this all on our own. When are you going to lecture, I don't learn anything from the others in my team. I don't have any notes and I don't know what to study for the test ( even after I explained that their notes during team discussions were their notes for the class and they will have open book tests) Are these common or are they warning signs that I am not doing something right??? Bill Bromer "Derek R. Lane" <[log in to unmask]> 02/09/2004 12:59:45 PM >>> Karla, The problem may be that you are not having the students simultaneously reporting. If you have specific choices and each team is required to make a choice and report at the same time, you will actually have more interaction and enthusiasm as the teams "defend" their answers. Just a thought. -Derek At 12:28 PM 2/9/2004, Kubitz, Karla wrote: >Hello all, >I'm new to team based learning, having implemented it in my classes just >this semester. I've a question that those with more experience might be >able to help with. I've come up with team assignments that fit >Michaelsen's criteria... same problem, make a specific choice, sharing >responses at the same time, etc. and they seem to 'work' when the teams >are working towards making their choices. For example, I gave the teams a >set of handouts about different ways to measure physical activity and told >them I was doing a research study and needed them to decide which was the >best way. The students seemed interested and involved. However, things >seem to fall a bit flat after they report their answers. That is, there >seems to be minimal interest in what the other teams have decided or in >talking about the differences in the answers and the rationales behind >those answers. They seem to be thinking... we're done... time to go. I >guess I'm not sure how to facilitate that last bit of the process. Any >suggestions? Karla > >Karla A. Kubitz, Ph.D., FACSM >Associate Professor >Department of Kinesiology >8000 York Avenue >Towson University >Towson, MD 21252 >410-704-3168 (ph) >410-704-3912 (fax) ********************************************* Derek R. Lane, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Communication 231 Grehan Building Lexington, KY 40506-0042 (859) 257-4102 (office) (859) 257-4103 (fax) [log in to unmask] (email) http://www.uky.edu/~drlane (web page) ********************************************* Bill Bromer a.k.a. bb "Take nothing on its looks; University of St. Francis take everything on evidence. 500 N. Wilcox There's no better rule." Joliet, IL 60435 Charles Dickens Great Expectations Phone: (815) 740-3467 Fax: (815) 740-4285 E-mail: [log in to unmask]