Introducing Undergraduate Students to Kinesiology Using Team-Based Learning

ABSTRACT

Team-based learning (TBL) is an evidence-based collaborative pedagogical strategy that engages student knowledge through group collaboration. Using TBL, a course is designed around units of instruction, referred to as modules. TBL has been found to motivate students by holding them accountable to themselves and their peers, while also introducing them to a variety of thought processes. Furthermore, research indicates that students have reported growing in their creative thinking and oral communication. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively examine undergraduate kinesiology students’ experiences of using TBL in an introductory course. Researchers were interested in the advantages of building communities of practice within the scholastic setting as well as using a “flipped” classroom to better prepare students for upper level courses. In order to build the course, a team of faculty brought expertise from each of the core sub-disciplines in kinesiology. The introductory course instructor then taught the course using TBL throughout the semester, including Readiness Assurance Tests, Decision Based Questions, and application based projects all done in their semester-long designated team during class instruction time. Students participated in an entry and exit interview which focused on exploring pre and post course preparedness, course engagement and communication styles, and overall feelings toward group work. Results indicated that students had overall more positive experiences and feelings toward group work and classroom engagement, while still valuing their instructor in a flipped classroom setting.

KEYWORDS:

• Team-Based learning
• introductory courses
• flipped classroom

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).