Team-based learning: Difference between revisions

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'''Team-Based Learning''' has two distinct usages. It was a term first used by Larry Michaelsen, the central figure in the development of the system while at Oklahoma State University, to describe an educational strategy that he developed for use in academic settings<ref>Michaelsen, L.K., Watson, W.E., Cragin, J.P., and Fink, L.D. (1982) Team-based learning: A potential solution to the problems of large classes. ''Exchange: The Organizational Behavior Teaching Journal 7''(4): 18-33.''''</ref>.

'''Team-Based Learning''' is a process for teaching and developing people in the workplace. It is a set of developmental principles and routines embedded into the day-to-day processes of a work team such that team members continuously learn and develop. The developmental activities are not new, e.g., [[coaching]], stretch assignments, review of lessons learned. However, such developmental activities are typically conducted in an irregular and inconsistent way. The benefit of Team-Based Learning is that everyone on the team participates in the developmental activities on a consistent basis, because the activities provide other benefits that motivate the team to use them. That is, the team not only develops its people but also functions better.

'''Team-based learning in academic institutions'''

The main features of the team-based learning approach are the following:

(1) Permanent (term-long) and instructor-assigned groups of 4-7 students with diverse skill sets and backgrounds

(2) Individual accountability for out-of-class work such as reading and preliminary homework being done prior to the first class of each segment course - generally based on a theme lasting from one to three weeks. This accountability is ensured by what is called the Readiness Assurance Process (RAP) in which students (a) take a short (5-15 multiple choice question) individual readiness assurance test (iRAT), (b) immediately afterward take the same test again with members of their team working on a single answer sheet (tRAT), (c) students, who have already received their individual and team RAT scores make written appeals on any questions that the team missed on the tRAT, should they find statements in their assigned reading that supports their view, and, (d) the instructor takes questions from the class on any of the questions or themes brought up by them.

(3) Incentive for working effectively together as a team by giving significant credit (course points) for team activities (such as the tRAT), the subsequent in-class activities (application exercises) that are the hallmark of team-based learning, longer term team projects, and team-member given points for "team maintenance", essentially points given to recognize contributions made to team efforts and withheld when a team member is acting as a freeloader or in some other way not pulling his or her weight.

(4) In class application exercises that are (a) significant (correlated to important course objectives, meaningful to the future work that the course might prepare a student for, (b) the same for all teams in the course, (c) about making a decision – providing a simple answer – based on complex analysis of data or application of course principles, (d) simultaneously reported to the whole class and evaluated then and there by the instructor.

Team-based learning according to Larry Michelson improves student attendance and engagement, helps students learn the course material in a deeper and longer-lasting way, and works to build professional/life skills such as effective collaboration and negotiation. Students often express higher satisfaction with team-based learning course, particularly after they've overcome their initial suspicions.

'''Team-based learning in the workplace'''

'''Team-BasedA Learning'''later isdeveloped usage of the term describes a process for teaching and developing people in the workplace. It is a set of developmental principles and routines embedded into the day-to-day processes of a work team such that team members continuously learn and develop. The developmental activities are not new, e.g., [[coaching]], stretch assignments, review of lessons learned. However, such developmental activities are typically conducted in an irregular and inconsistent way. The benefit of Team-Based Learning is that everyone on the team participates in the developmental activities on a consistent basis, because the activities provide other benefits that motivate the team to use them. That is, the team not only develops its people but also functions better.

==History==