Evaluating the Effectiveness of Team-Based Learning in Undergraduate Criminal Justice Courses

Abstract

Team-based learning (TBL), as developed by Larry Michaelsen, is a pedagogical strategy designed to incorporate group processes in academic settings. The effectiveness of TBL as a teaching method has been tested in a number of disciplines with mixed results. Few empirical tests of TBL in the undergraduate criminal justice classroom exist. Articles concerning TBL in the criminal justice classroom are predominantly descriptive and expository in nature, leaving questions about potential effectiveness of this teaching method in the discipline. This study evaluates the effectiveness of TBL in comparison with a lecture-based course. Results indicate that students in the TBL course reported higher levels of student involvement, preparation, and accountability. However, there were no statistically significant differences in overall student performance in comparison with those in the lecture-based course. The article reviews the potential benefits and drawbacks of using TBL.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

¹ While originally intended for the use in higher education, a different version of TBL has also been used in the workplace learning environment (Mukherjee, 2010). As such, their version of TBL differs from TBL used in an academic setting. To avoid confusion, this article will concern TBL used in academic settings only.

² The IF-AT is available for sale through Epstein Educational Enterprises. The use of the IF-AT requires the instructor to organize the answers to the questions to match the answer key in the IF-AT form. To prevent students from learning the pattern, there are a number of versions of the IF-AT form.

³ Sisk noted that of 14,383 articles on TBL, only 17 were in reference to studies conducted on unmodified TBL (as designed by Michaelsen & Sweet, 2008) and used some type of experimental conditions.

⁴ This conflicting result may be the byproduct of selection bias (only 11 students from the courses participated in the focus group). Alternatively, it may be a function of a testing effect. In spite of statements that course evaluations will not be reviewed until after course grades are applied, students may fear negatively evaluating a course during the semester.

⁵ This is a requirement of all courses offered by the university’s criminal justice department.