Team-based learning: A practical guide: AMEE Guide No. 65

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Practice points

TBL is a learner-centered, instructor-directed strategy for small group active learning in large group educational settings. Learners are accountable; expected to prepare outside of class and collaborate with their team members to solve authentic problems and make decisions in class. Only one content-expert instructor is needed for the whole class in one room. Students learn how to work in teams through the process of TBL – they do not need additional instruction nor does the instructor need be a group process expert. A backward design, outcomes-based approach is used to stay focused on what the learners should be able to do. One must use TBL's key components and follow the process for TBL to be successful.

Figure 1. TBL steps – students’ perspective.

Figure 2. Backward design process.

Figure 3. TBL steps – instructor's perspective.

Table 1.  Comparisons between PBL and TBL

	PBL	TBL
Key principles and assumptions about learning	• Emphasizes student-directed learning and use of knowledge, stimulated by a small group reviewing an authentic, complex clinical case • Learners benefit from learning how to determine what they need to know to best understand the clinical case presented, followed by learning as much as they can	• Emphasizes application of teacher-specified learning goals to solve specifically stated problems posed in one or more authentic, complex clinical cases • Learners benefit most from the opportunity to apply what they learned outside of class to in-class-posed problems through discussions in teams, followed by immediate feedback on their decisions
Basic instructional methods and learning sequence	• Tutors progressively disclose previously prepared cases • Learners analyze disclosed information to identify important facts and surface deficiencies in their knowledge needed to solve a case • Between sessions, learners address knowledge deficiencies and come prepared to apply their new knowledge in tutor-led discussions	• Instructors clearly identify content learners need to learn • Learners come to class prepared to demonstrate their knowledge of this content on RATs, first as individuals and then as teams • Learners apply this knowledge to choose and share solutions to given problems in intra- and inter-team discussions
Incentives which shape learner behavior	• Learners tend to be motivated to participate in group discussions and to study outside of class because of their interest in the case and to contribute their share. An end-of-unit exam may be a motivator. Tutors and peers provide evaluation of participation and contribution	• Learners are motivated to prepare for class – both as individuals and as teams – to do well on RATs. Further motivation to actively participate in the team decision-making comes from the grading of their decisions. An end of course exam is a motivator if the questions are preparatory. Peer evaluation can be an added incentive
Desired outcomes	• Given a complex clinical case, ability to identify what one needs to learn to better understand, reason, think critically. Content mastery. Communicate effectively and work collaboratively in tutor-led small group	• Mastery of content and application of content to solve instructor-defined problems. Think critically, interpret and evaluate data, communicate effectively, work collaboratively in autonomous teams within large class
Role of instructor in the learning process	• Construct cases in such a way that they will stimulate learners to pursue relevant learning issues; facilitate small group discussions; give learners feedback and guidance as needed about their participation, reasoning, mastery of material. Based on observation, grade individuals on their contributions to the group	• Set learning goals; create challenging application questions that stimulate meaningful team discussions; prepareRATs; identify core content and resources; anticipate and address learners’ questions and misconceptions.