The effects of team-based learning on learning outcomes in a course of rheumatology

Introduction: We evaluated the effects of implementing Team-Based Learning (TBL) on student engagement, accountability,satisfaction, and preference for lecture or team-based learning.Moreover, we assessed the effect of TBL on knowledge retentionand application over time through short answer questions based onclinical scenarios addressing history taking and diagnosis skills inmedical students.Methods: The study was conducted in a quasi-experimental design.The study population were all of the third-year medical students(n=84) participating in a course of rheumatology in ShariatiHospital, which is a teaching hospital affiliated to Tehran Universityof Medical Sciences. We compared TBL with the conventionallecture-based method. The assessments were performed afterimplementation of TBL by the Classroom Engagement Survey(CES) and Team-Based Learning Student Assessment Instrument(TBL-SAI). The assessment for application of knowledge wasconducted in 3 time-points through short answer questions onrheumatic diseases. The comparison of results was made byStudent’s t-test and repeated-measures analysis of variance (RMANOVA)using SPSS software, version 16.Results: The CES scores indicated a high level of engagement inTBL (Mean±SD=26.7±3.70, p=0.0001) but not in the lecture-basedsessions (Mean±SD=23.80±4.35, p=0.09). The total mean score(SD) for TBL-SAI was 159.68 (14.14) for TBL sessions indicatinga favorable outcome (p=0.0001). The student scores obtained fromthe short answer questions showed that over time the students’scores had declined significantly less for the TBL sessions incomparison to the lecture-based sessions, F (2, 166)=4.624,p=0.011.Conclusion: The results indicated higher student engagement,satisfaction and long term learning by TBL.Keywords: Learning; Team-based learning; Outcome