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 retention and application over time through short answer questions based on clinical scenarios addressing history taking and diagnosis skills in medical 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 Shariati Hospital, which is a teaching hospital affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences. We compared TBL with the conventional lecture-based method. The assessments were performed after implementation of TBL by the Classroom Engagement Survey (CES) and Team-Based Learning Student Assessment Instrument (TBL-SAI). The assessment for application of knowledge was conducted in 3 time-points through short answer questions on rheumatic diseases. The comparison of results was made by Student’s t-test and repeated-measures analysis of variance (RM-ANOVA) using SPSS software, version 16. RESULTS: The CES scores indicated a high level of engagement in TBL (Mean±SD=26.7±3.70, p=0.0001) but not in the lecture-based sessions (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 indicating a favorable outcome (p=0.0001). The student scores obtained from the short answer questions showed that over time the students’ scores had declined significantly less for the TBL sessions in comparison 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.