Effects of Team-Based Learning on short-term and long-term retention of factual knowledge

Abstract

Purpose: We investigated the effect of Team-Based Learning (TBL) on long-term retention of knowledge in comparison to a traditional curriculum.

Methods: As TBL was incorporated into our curriculum in the 2008–2009 academic year, students were compared with those who received the traditional curriculum the year prior. Students in both the groups completed multiple-choice knowledge test at four time points spanning two years. Test performance was compared at each time point to assess changes in knowledge retention as a function of time.

Results: Baseline knowledge did not differ significantly between the TBL and control groups [51% versus 46%; t(84) = 0.91, p = 0.37, d = 0.20]. Performance improved after the course for both the groups, but was significantly higher in the TBL group [79% versus 59%; t(84) = 4.96, p = 0.000004, d = 0.95]. However, when assessed prior to the pediatrics clerkship, learning gains from TBL had largely disappeared and the small difference in performance was not significant [57% versus 51%; t(84) = 1.51, p = 0.14, d = 0.32].

Conclusion: Incorporating TBL into the pre-clinical pediatrics curriculum led to large gains in knowledge over the short-term, but these gains did not persist. Further research should focus on extending the impact of TBL on long-term knowledge retention.

Practice points

• Team-based learning improved the acquisition of knowledge.

• Team-based learning had little impact on long-term retention of knowledge.

• Continued practice through test-enhanced learning may improve TBL’s impact.

• Medical education research should assess long-term outcomes.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Susie Mueller and Liz Scott for their help in transcribing the data and administering the tests and surveys.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no declarations of interest.This study was approved by the Washington University institutional review board under exempt and waived consent status.

Notes

* Research was conducted at Washington University School of Medicine under exempt and waived consent status.