Academic performance among pharmacy students using virtual vs. face-to-face team-based learning

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Educational Technology
• Comparative Learning

Background:

• Team-based learning (TBL) is a pedagogical approach used in pharmacy education.
• The shift towards virtual learning necessitates an understanding of its impact on student performance compared to traditional face-to-face (FTF) methods.
• Pharmacy curricula increasingly incorporate diverse learning modalities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the academic performance of pharmacy students in virtual TBL versus FTF TBL.
• To analyze performance differences across various academic levels (P1-P3) and didactic courses.
• To identify how demographic and academic factors influence TBL modality effectiveness.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study involving 356 pharmacy students across P1, P2, and P3 academic levels.
• Utilized generalized linear models (GLMs) to analyze performance metrics including individual readiness assurance tests (iRATs), team readiness assurance tests (tRATs), team application exercises (tAPPs), summative exams, and total course scores.
• Adjusted analyses for student age, sex, race, and cumulative grade point average (cGPA).

Main Results:

• First-year (P1) students in virtual TBL showed higher iRAT and tRAT scores but lower tAPP scores than FTF TBL.
• Second-year (P2) students in virtual TBL had higher iRAT and tRAT scores but lower summative exam and total course scores compared to FTF TBL.
• Third-year (P3) students demonstrated superior performance across all metrics (iRAT, tRAT, tAPP, summative exams, total scores) in the virtual TBL environment compared to FTF TBL.

Conclusions:

• Pharmacy student performance in virtual TBL versus FTF TBL is contingent upon the specific course content, student's academic year, and the nature of the assessment.
• Virtual TBL effectiveness can vary significantly, with upper-level students potentially benefiting more in certain aspects.
• These findings underscore the importance of context-specific evaluation when implementing virtual TBL in pharmacy education.