Good Afternoon,

In the following report, Best Practices in Team-Based Learning in Higher Education, Hanover Research discusses best practices in team-based learning in higher education, with particular emphasis on the use of technology and ability to foster multidisciplinary learning.

KEY FINDINGS

v  Collaborative software platforms can effectively supplement the positive benefits of TBL. The use of technology extends team interactions beyond the time and space of the classroom. The major benefit of leveraging collaborative software in this way is the facilitation of synchronicity—a condition where “individuals work simultaneously with shared focus and understanding.”

v  Research examining the outcomes of using social media as a supplement to TBL is mixed. Possible advantages to using a social media platform as an online collaborative tool in TBL are that the majority of students are already familiar with it and it has no cost. A study from a Malaysian university found positive outcomes from the use of Facebook to supplement a TBL course, while a study of the use of Twitter in a graduate TBL course in the United State reported negative outcomes—specifically that students found it distracting to learning and did not understand its purpose.

v  Multidisciplinary team-based learning can improve students’ cross-disciplinary communication skills. Reviews of multiple group- or team-based initiatives that involve students from multiple disciplines show that a key outcome is that participants “[learn] to speak each other’s languages” and solve problems across disciplines. Although such initiatives commonly combine students from closely related fields, such as engineering and manufacturing, projects have also successfully brought together students from disparate fields such as health care and computer science or physics and education.

 v  Multidisciplinary projects can also expand students’ knowledge base. Multiple studies report that these types of projects aid in students’ knowledge construction by allowing them to look at problems through the lens of other disciplines. On the other hand, such projects can also allow them to see their own disciplines a new light, and perhaps to discover gaps in their own knowledge.

v  The TBL framework requires instructors to foster an environment that promotes effective student interaction and team building. Institutions should keep this in mind with all aspects of course planning—including the formation of teams, feedback mechanisms, and assignment creation—in order to achieve the desired learning outcomes. TBL increases overall student accountability by making students accountable for their own individual preparation before class, for their team contributions, and for their team’s overall performance.

v  Creating assignments that foster both accountability and thoughtful collaboration while deepening student understanding may be the most challenging aspect of TBL for college instructors. Best practices research indicates that successful assignments need to be built around what students perceive to be relevant issues that capture their interest and should require teams to make a specific choice and use sound reasoning to justify it. Teams should concurrently work on the same problem and group results or deliverables, which teams should share with the class either simultaneously or sequentially.

v  Effective use of the readiness assessment process (RAP) in TBL can foster teamwork while ensuring individual accountability. Continuous feedback, face-to-face interaction with teammates, a vested interest in group outcomes, and the encouragement of pre-class preparation all contribute positively to the internalizing of course content and help students build their teamwork skills. 

v  A scan of recent scholarship indicates high levels of student satisfaction with TBL. Studies have consistently found that students prefer to TBL to traditional lecture style courses, and that students perceive it to enhance their levels of engagement and learning. Research indicates that student satisfaction with TBL rests most critically on perceptions of enhanced teamwork and professional skills. Students grow more satisfied with the method as they gain more experience with it.