An Examination of Pre-Service Teachers’ Interpersonal Dispositions in the Readiness Assurance Stage of Team-Based Learning

ABSTRACT

Team-based learning (TBL) is a type of small-group collaborative learning that promotes students’ accountability and intellectual growth. The readiness assurance stage of TBL, though having a great potential of addressing the widespread course preparation problem, has not been given enough attention. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of the readiness assurance stage in online and on-campus TBL and to enhance our understanding of how pre-service teachers’ interpersonal dispositions affected their learning in both environments. Results of the mixed-method study showed that both online and on-campus modes were effective in improving pre-service teachers’ understanding and applying pedagogies in teaching. Students’ conceptual understanding of pedagogies was positively associated with their learning behavior and negatively affected by the conformity in online TBL. However, none of the interpersonal dispositions were found to significantly affect pre-service teachers’ application of pedagogies in online TBL. Likewise, those interpersonal dispositions did not significantly affect pre-service teachers’ understanding and applying pedagogies in on-campus TBL. Based on these results, we offer suggestions for educators and researchers who are interested in implementing or examining TBL.

KEYWORDS:

• Team-based learning
• accountability
• conformity
• social learning style
• online learning

Acknowledgments

We thank Drs. Julie Estis and David Williams at the University of South Alabama for their help in implementing the online TBL.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Shenghua Zha

Shenghua Zha is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Counseling and Instructional Sciences at the University of South Alabama. Her research includes technology-integrated learning community, small group collaboration and interaction, and computational thinking. Dr. Zha currently teaches pre-service teachers educational technology and graduate students instructional design courses.

Pamela Moore

Pamela Moore is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Counseling and Instructional Sciences at the University of South Alabama. Her research interest includes the relationship between technology acceptance and use and personal innovation. Dr. Moore teaches pre-service teachers and coordinates the Educational Media & Technology graduate program.

Brandon Browning

Brandon Browning is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Counseling and Instructional Sciences at the University of South Alabama. His research focuses on gratitude, hope, forgiveness, posttraumatic growth, and counselor development as well as instructional methods to improve students’ learning.

Jennifer Fetner

Jennifer Fetner is a graduate student in the Educational Media & Technology program at the University of South Alabama.

Yolany Lagos Ortiz

Yolany Lagos Ortiz is a doctoral student in the Instructional Design & Development program in the Department of Counseling and Instructional Sciences at the University of South Alabama.