The Role of Faculty Learning Communities in Supporting Team-Based Learning

In this paper, the authors describe the faculty development initiatives and the role of faculty learning communities (FLCs) in supporting Team-Based Learning (TBL) at a large, research-intensive university. A systematic review of the initiatives found FLCs provided crucial support for both new and seasoned TBL practitioners and fostered connections between members, resulting in a need to give back to the community through mentorship. Results also showed members were eager to share their knowledge with the larger community and further research into TBL though scholarship, supporting the sustainability of the TBL community and further development of members\u27 teaching and scholarly practice

The Role of Faculty Learning Communities in Supporting Team-Based Learning

In this paper, the authors describe the faculty development initiatives and the role of faculty learning communities (FLCs) in supporting Team-Based Learning (TBL) at a large, research-intensive university. A systematic review of the initiatives found FLCs provided crucial support for both new and seasoned TBL practitioners and fostered connections between members, resulting in a need to give back to the community through mentorship. Results also showed members were eager to share their knowledge with the larger community and further research into TBL though scholarship, supporting the sustainability of the TBL community and further development of members' teaching and scholarly practice.This article is published as Rands, Melissa L., Holly Bender, Meghan T. Gillette, and Lisa Orgler. "The Role of Faculty Learning Communities in Supporting Team-Based Learning." The Journal of Faculty Development 31, no. 3 (2017): 61-78. Posted with permission.</p

Measuring the Effectiveness of Team-Based Learning Outcomes in a Human Factors Course

This paper will describe a synopsis of the development and application of a survey instrument to assess team skills and professional development outcomes of Team-Based Learning (TBL) in a human factors course. TBL is an advancing teaching pedagogy that shifts instruction from a traditional lecture-based teaching paradigm to a structured learning sequence that includes individual student preparation outside of class followed by active, in-class problem solving exercises completed by student learning teams. As an evolving teaching method, TBL appears to be producing new empirical learning outcomes in areas that have only preliminarily been explored. Traditionally, the effectiveness of TBL has been assessed through grades and numeric measures of performance; however, TBL was designed to both enhance learning as well as team collaboration and critical thinking skills. Thus there a need for a validated measurement instrument emerged to assess the development of team skills in TBL classes. The newly developed survey instrument is designed to assess three overarching factors within the TBL framework: 1) attitudes and beliefs about learning; 2) motivation to learn; and 3) professional development. A pilot survey was created and administered in the summer of 2013 to 25 undergraduate students at a large Mid-Western university and was tested for internal consistency. To further improve the quality of the survey, two focus groups were also conducted. In the fall of 2013 the revised survey was administered to 182 undergraduate students and in the spring of 2014 to 197 undergraduate students. Based on encouraging results, the survey was used to assess the learning outcome gains in a graduate level human factors course. Preliminary results for this sample showed modest gains in critical thinking and external motivation. The survey has the potential to provide instructors a mechanism to measure student learning gains in TBL educational settings.Copyright Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 2015. Posted with permission.</p

Measuring the Effectiveness of Team-Based Learning Outcomes in a Human Factors Course

This paper will describe a synopsis of the development and application of a survey instrument to assess team skills and professional development outcomes of Team-Based Learning (TBL) in a human factors course. TBL is an advancing teaching pedagogy that shifts instruction from a traditional lecture-based teaching paradigm to a structured learning sequence that includes individual student preparation outside of class followed by active, in-class problem solving exercises completed by student learning teams. As an evolving teaching method, TBL appears to be producing new empirical learning outcomes in areas that have only preliminarily been explored. Traditionally, the effectiveness of TBL has been assessed through grades and numeric measures of performance; however, TBL was designed to both enhance learning as well as team collaboration and critical thinking skills. Thus there a need for a validated measurement instrument emerged to assess the development of team skills in TBL classes. The newly developed survey instrument is designed to assess three overarching factors within the TBL framework: 1) attitudes and beliefs about learning; 2) motivation to learn; and 3) professional development. A pilot survey was created and administered in the summer of 2013 to 25 undergraduate students at a large Mid-Western university and was tested for internal consistency. To further improve the quality of the survey, two focus groups were also conducted. In the fall of 2013 the revised survey was administered to 182 undergraduate students and in the spring of 2014 to 197 undergraduate students. Based on encouraging results, the survey was used to assess the learning outcome gains in a graduate level human factors course. Preliminary results for this sample showed modest gains in critical thinking and external motivation. The survey has the potential to provide instructors a mechanism to measure student learning gains in TBL educational settings