I am using Team Based Learning for the first time this semester in one section of Principles of Macroeconomics.  I feel that the class is going very well, actually much better than I expected.  I can hear in the team discussions a level of reasoning and understanding that has typically been missing from my principles level students.  Their answers to the team questions I pose are excellent.  I'm quite confident that the class will gain superior problem solving and anaylsis skills over my traditional lecture students, and I even think that content knowledge (and certainly retention) will be improved.  (I am using a standardized pre and post test to document the class progress).

That said, my Associate Dean has been flooded with complaints about the class from students.  (I fail to understand why the concerns weren't address to me, as I certainly gave them opportunity and am generally veiwed as very approachable).  Two thirds of them actually signed a petition asking that I teach them in a traditional lecture format.  Students voiced a variety of concerns such as

• Would not have registered for this section had I known that it was not traditional.
• Do not want my grade based on what I learn from my team.
• For amount of money paid, don’t want to be part of an experiment.
• Very concerned about GPA and scholarships.
• We don’t understand key concepts.
• The only way the instructor talks with us is when we ask questions. We are not sure what kinds of questions to ask, and we can’t benefit from responses given to other groups. We are just not sure if we are learning what we should be learning.
• This class would be OK if there was lecture on key concepts followed by group work. Can’t benefit from explanation of examples and problems.
• Nobody enjoys this class.

In light of this, I was actually asked to change to a traditional lecture format.  At this point, my department chair is strongly supporting me in my decision to stick with TBL as it is, I believe showing very promising results.

My question to the list is, has anyone else found themselves in this situation?  I'm meeting with the class in about half an hour, and have promised to set aside some class time for them to air their (constructive) concerns.  I am happy to do this, and to further explain the potential of the technique, but I am guessing this will turn into some sort of attack the professor day.  If you've had such student complaints, how have you dealt with them?  Was that effective?  How does one deal with an administration that is seemingly siding with the complaining students rather than a faculty member trying to improve learning in his class?

Thanks in advance,

Paul

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Paul L. Hettler, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Economics
AJ Palumbo Undergraduate School of Business
JF Donahue Graduate School of Business Administration
Duquesne University
600 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15282

Office: 412-396-1775
Fax: 412-396-4764
Homepage: http://www.business.duq.edu/faculty/hettler
Econ Web: http://www.economics.duq.edu/
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The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.