Team-based learning in neuroanatomy

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Neuroanatomy
• Active Learning Strategies

Background:

• Team-based learning (TBL) is an active learning method used in health professions education.
• TBL involves individual work, teamwork, and problem-solving applications.
• Its effectiveness in undergraduate neuroanatomy courses needed evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of TBL in tutorials on student knowledge and satisfaction.
• To compare TBL with traditional teaching methods in neuroanatomy.

Main Methods:

• TBL was implemented in an undergraduate neuroanatomy course in 2018.
• Student grades and satisfaction were compared between TBL and traditional teaching.
• Statistical analyses included Welch's t test, Pearson's χ2 test, and linear modeling.

Main Results:

• TBL did not significantly improve student grades compared to traditional teaching.
• Overall student satisfaction was not altered by TBL implementation.
• Students reported the highest dissatisfaction with the TBL tutorials.

Conclusions:

• The 1-hour tutorial duration was insufficient for effective TBL implementation.
• Further iterations and adjustments are necessary to optimize TBL in this context.
• Adapting to new teaching paradigms requires time and refinement.