Going virtual and going wide: comparing Team-Based Learning in-class versus online and across disciplines

Area of Science:

• Pedagogy and Educational Technology
• Higher Education
• Online Learning

Background:

• Team-based learning (TBL) is an active learning strategy designed for in-class, small-group collaboration.
• The shift towards online and blended learning necessitates adapting TBL to virtual environments.
• Limited evidence exists on student acceptance of fully synchronous online TBL sessions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare student acceptance of traditional in-class TBL versus adapted fully synchronous online TBL.
• To analyze TBL acceptance across different academic disciplines.
• To evaluate student engagement and perceived outcomes in both online and in-class TBL formats.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to 427 students from different academic programs and years.
• The survey included closed-ended questions on engagement and outcomes in TBL.
• A comparative analysis was conducted between traditional in-class and online synchronous TBL sessions.

Main Results:

• TBL received wide approval across online and in-class settings, scientific areas, and student genders.
• Student acceptance of online synchronous TBL mirrored that of traditional in-class sessions.
• Key factors influencing TBL engagement included student awareness of its benefits and the impact of activity overload.

Conclusions:

• Fully online synchronous TBL is a viable and accepted pedagogical approach, comparable to traditional in-class TBL.
• The findings support increased utilization of virtual contexts for TBL implementation.
• Pedagogical practices should focus on enhancing student understanding of TBL benefits and managing workload to optimize engagement.