Introducing Team Based Learning (TBL) in Undergraduate Pharmacology

Authors

Dr Yeshwanth Rao K

Theme

Innovating in medical education

Category

Problem-based learning

INSTITUTION

Kasturba Medical College - International Center (KMC-IC)

Conclusion

Innovative teaching methods like TBL promotes active learning with the help of a single facilitator irrespective of the student strength in a single classroom.

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Background

TBL is a student-centered but instructor-led method of learning. It employs strategies to incorporate the effectiveness of small group learning methods like PBL into large-group lecture oriented sessions.

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Summary of Work

This exercise was introduced to the 6th sem batch of 36 (n) students, who were randomly divided into 6 teams with 6 students in each team.

A topic of clinical relevance (fluoroquinolones) was chosen and six short case histories pertaining to this topic were made and distributed along with the learning objectives a week prior to the TBL session. Each case was followed by 3-4 questions. A pretest and posttest of 5 MCQs was used for the assessment. After the pretest, each case was discussed by a group, picked randomly by the facilitator. Posttest was followed by a structured questionnaire to know the students feedback about TBL.

Take-home Messages

Self study activities like TBL can be incorporated in the Pharmacology curriculum for small topics like antiplatelet agents, tuberculosis, antibacterial agents, inflammatory bowel disease etc.

Acknowledgement

 

I would like to extend my gratitude to FAIMER (CMCL), My Dean, My colleague Mr Ganesh Shenoy and above all my dear students of September 2011 for their support and cooperation.

Summary of Results

The mean and the standard deviation between pretest and posttest scores of the TBL shows a significant difference (p=0.0052). Also evaluation of the questionnaire shows that 57% agree to have gained a higher knowledge of the topic and 60% claim to have a better understanding of the topic when taught by this method.

 

 Mannwhitney statistics of the pre and the posttest scores

             Parameter

                   Pretest

                  Posttest

Mean

3.667

4.242

No. of points

33

33

Standard deviation (SD)

0.8165

0.6629

Standard error (SE)

0.1421

0.1154

Minimum

2.0

2.0

Maximum

5.0

5.0

Median

4.0

4.0

Lower 95% CI

3.377

4.007 

 Upper 95% CI

3.956

4.478 

Two tailed p value = 0.0052

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References

  Hubert Wiener, Herbert Plass, Richard Marz. Team-based Learning in Intensive Course

  Format for First-year Medical Students Croat Med J. 2009; 50: 69-76

 

   

 

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Conclusion

Group discussion plays a valuable role in the all­round education of students, whether in problem based learning and team projects or in the more traditional academic scenario of the tutorial or seminar. When it works well, discussion can allow students to negotiate meanings, express themselves in the language of the subject, and establish closer contact with academic staff than more formal methods permit

 

 
Background

 

 

 TBL  has been described as bringing “together theoretically based and empirically grounded strategies for incorporating the effectiveness of small-group learning into large-group, lecture-oriented sessions”. It allows a single instructor to manage multiple small groups simultaneously in one classroom and has the potential to promote small group, interactive learning without requiring large numbers of faculty facilitators. Hence this study to try this novel instructional method.

 

 
Summary of Work
Take-home Messages
Acknowledgement
Summary of Results

Statistical analysis was done to compare the pretest and the posttest scores. Graphpad instat (GPIS) software was used for the statistical analysis. Paired‘t’ test was initially applied  as the pretest and posttest scores were paired for every student. In paired, non-parametric test was chosen as the sample size was not large enough to assume a Gaussian distribution of the samples. As a result of this, Wilcoxon‘t’ test was applied using the software. But this test failed to establish a significant correlation between the pretest and the posttest scores and hence effective pairing wasn’t seen, and the software adviced unpaired test. Nonparametric unpaired‘t’ test (Mannwhitney test) was applied and the ‘p’ value showed a very significant difference between the pre and the post test scores (p=0.0052).

 

Percentage wise distribution, Median and Average scores of various parameters in the questionnaire

 

     ITEM NO.

      

                    MEDIAN SCORE

     

    (SA – 5, A – 4, NS – 3, D – 2, SD – 1)

 

                AVERAGE SCORE

 

             1

 (better knowledge 

 with TBL)

 

                                 4.0

 

(SA-6%, A-51%, NS - 21%, D-18%, 12%)

 

                              3.05

 

             2

(understanding

 better with TBL)

 

                                 4.0

(SA-12%, A-48%, NS-12%, D-24%, SD-6%)

 

                               4.0

 

            3

(incorporation into curriculum)

 

 

                                 3.0

 (SA-6%, A-18%, NS-45%, D-9%, SD-18%)

 

                               2.84

 

           4

(TBL reduces the time needed for self-study)

 

                                 3.0

(SA-0%, A-33%, NS- 21%, D-11.3%, SD-1.75%)

 

                               2.64

 

           5

(recommend to other dept/institutions)

 

                                  2.0

(SA-3%, A-15%, NS-24%, D-42%, SD-15%)

 

                               2.54

 

          6

(team learning better than single learning)

 

                                  3.0

(SA-6%, A-27%, NS-27%, D-30%, SD-6%)

 

                               2.87

 

          7

   (TBL-increased self confidence)

 

                                  4.0

(SA-3%, A-30%, NS-33%, D-27%, SD-15%)

 

                               2.84

 

          8

(working in a team)

 

                                  3.0

(SA-0%, A-24%, NS-45%, D-24%, SD-6%)

 

                              2.84

 

           9

(TBL vs PBL)

 

                                  2

(SA-9%, A-18%, NS-15%, D-24%, SD-33%)

 

                             2.45

 

            10

(pharm’logy in clinics) - a

 

                                  3

(SA-3%, A-21%, NS-27%, D-27%, SD-21%)

 

                               2.60

 

 

Results of the item analysis of the Pre and Posttest scores:

A. Pretest:

 

Question number

Facility value (FV)

Discrimination index (DI)

01

24%

0.12

02

75%

0.54

03

70%

0.6

04

100%

0.06

05

100%

0.06

B. Posttest:

 

Question number

Facility value (FV)

Discrimination index (DI)

01

48%

0.84

02

90%

0.12

03

100%

0.06

04

93%

0.06

05

100%

0.06

 

 

 
References

2. Britta M. Thompson, Ruth E. Levine, Frances Kennedy, Aanand D. Naik, Cara A. Foldes, John H. Coverdale. Evaluating the Quality of Learning-Team Processes in Medical Education: Development and Validation of a New Measure. Acad Med. 2009;84(10 Suppl):S124–S127.

3. Shankar N, Roopa R. Evaluation of a modified team based learning method for teaching

4. Tabinda hasan and Hussein Ageely. The Scope of Student Centered Learning in Medicine. J.Basic. Appl. Sci. Res., 1(7)638-643, 2011

5. David Jaques. ABC of learning and teaching in medicine Teaching small groups. BMJ;326: 492-94.

6. P B A Smits, J H A M Verbeek, C D de Buisonjé. Problem based learning in continuing

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