Preparing nursing students to be competent for future professional practice: applying the team-based...

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Educational Psychology
• Pedagogy

Background:

• Team-based learning (TBL) is widely used in business and science but under-researched in nursing education.
• Limited studies explore TBL's impact on nursing students' learning outcomes and behaviors.
• Nursing education requires innovative pedagogical approaches to improve student performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To apply Team-based Learning (TBL) in four core nursing courses.
• To evaluate TBL's effect on nursing students' learning outcomes and behaviors.
• To assess TBL's impact on class engagement, self-directed learning, and academic performance.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental study involving 387 nursing students across four courses at a Taiwanese university.
• Implementation of TBL in adult health, maternal-child, community health, and medical-surgical nursing courses.
• Comparison of individual readiness assurance test (IRAT) scores with group readiness assurance test (GRAT) scores and final examination performance.

Main Results:

• TBL significantly improved nursing students' class engagement (p < .001) and self-directed learning (p < .001).
• Group readiness assurance test (GRAT) scores were significantly higher than individual readiness assurance test (IRAT) scores.
• Final examination scores were significantly higher than IRAT scores, indicating enhanced academic performance.

Conclusions:

• Team-based learning (TBL) effectively improves nursing students' learning behaviors and academic performance.
• Enhanced learning behaviors, such as engagement and self-directed learning, are crucial for future professional development.
• TBL is a viable and beneficial pedagogical strategy for broader implementation in nursing education.