Redesigning team-based learning facilitation for an online platform to deliver preclinical curriculum: A response to the COVID-19 pandemic

A mixed methods, longitudinal study: characterizing the differences in engagement and perceived learning of medical students in online and in-person team-based learning classes

Background

The rapid transition to online delivery of medical curriculum has facilitated the continuation of medical education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whilst active learning approaches, including Team-Based Learning (TBL), are generally more supportive of the learner's needs during such transition, it remains elusive how different learning environments affect a learner's motivation, engagement, and perceived learning over a prolonged period. We leveraged on Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and key learners' characteristics to explore the levels of student's engagement and perceived learning in two TBL learning environments, online and in-person, over an extended period. We hypothesize that students' self-reported perceptions of engagement and learning will be lower in online compared to in-person TBL classes.

Methods

This is a mixed methods study with 49 preclinical graduate medical students completing the same questionnaire twice for each learning environment, online TBL and in-person TBL, over an eight-month period. Quantitative data were collected on learners' characteristics, basic psychological needs satisfaction, motivation, student's engagement and perceived learning. The final questionnaire also explored participants' perception on which learning environment better supported their learning.

Results

We found that autonomy support, perceived competence and needs satisfaction, and perceived learning were higher in-person than online. Additionally, most learners felt that in-person TBL was better for learning, as the concepts of learning space and the community of practice were mediated by being in-person.

Conclusions

TBL, being an active instructional method, can maintain students' engagement because it supports many aspects of SDT constructs and perceived learning. However, online TBL is unable to fully support the students' needs and perceived learning. Hence, we strongly advocate for any in-person opportunities to be included in a course, as in-person classes best supports students' engagement and perceived learning.

Twelve tips for co-production of online learning

In the digital age, experts in digital learning tools, or learning technologists (LTs), play an increasingly important role in the creation and delivery of online learning in health professions education. However, their expertise in the selection, curation and implementation of digital tools is often underutilized due to imbalanced relationships and lack of effective collaboration between faculty and LTs. Here, we describe how the co-production model can be applied to build equal and synergistic partnerships between faculty and LTs, so as to optimize the use of digital affordances and enhance online learning.

A Synchronous Hybrid Team-Based Learning Class: Why and How to Do It?

COVID-19 pandemic has transformed much of the medical curriculum delivery from in person to online. Given that interpersonal interaction facilitates team cohesion and professional identity formation, prolonged online learning with minimal social interaction might impact these competencies in medical education. To mitigate the impact of prolonged social isolation, we conducted synchronous team-based learning (TBL) classes, where half the class is physically present and the other is connected via an online platform, termed hybrid TBL. We present practical tips in implementing hybrid TBL for educators teaching in large-sized classes, should conditions exist where not all students can attend in person.

The effect of online and in-person team-based learning (TBL) on undergraduate endocrinology teaching during COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

Team-based learning (TBL) combines active and collaborative learning, while incorporating aspects of the flipped classroom approach and problem-based learning. The COVID-19 pandemic presented certain challenges in the delivery of TBL in class. In this study, we investigated the impact of TBL on the academic performance of final year Biomedical Sciences' undergraduate students in the context of an "Endocrine Disorders" study block. We did so by comparing the classical in-person approach and online delivery due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A non-compulsory TBL session was introduced to the curriculum of this block, which followed the traditional 2-h lecture delivery. Comparative analysis was performed for the exam and coursework performance of students who attended the TBL sessions (online and in-person) and those that did not.

RESULTS

Both cohorts of students who attended either in-person (n = 66) or online TBL sessions (n = 109) performed significantly better in their exams (p < 0.05) and a related coursework (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively) when compared to those that did not attend. For both these cohorts the exam mark distribution was much narrower compared to those that did not attend the TBL sessions where the majority of fails and "no shows" were recorded.

CONCLUSIONS

Online and in-person TBL, can successfully supplement traditional lecture-based teaching and enhance the learning/performance, for complex medical subjects/topics. Our findings demonstrate that it is possible to deliver these sessions online with demonstrable benefit for students suggesting that there is greater flexibility in the use of TBL in higher education.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic: The perceptions of health professions educators

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. What are health professions educators doing during the COVID-19 pandemic? A search of articles in MedEdPublish on the topics of COVID-19 revealed 39 articles published in the first 3 months of the pandemic. Topics included curriculum adaptation, guidelines for using technology, assessment adaptation, impact on students, faculty and career development, and conference adaptation. There was significant overlap among articles, particularly those discussing teaching, learning, and assessment practices. Common themes were adaptation, innovation, remote delivery, flexibility in the face of a pandemic, and how to continue to educate and graduate competent health professionals. All articles were descriptive, and none included data describing efficacy, likely due to the short timeline since the pandemic's inception. Additional study is necessary to produce evidence for the teaching and assessment adaptations described. Some changes are likely to persist longer-term and may outlast the pandemic itself.