Perceptions and Attitudes of First-Year Medical Students on a Modified Team-Based Learning ( TBL ) Strategy in Anatomy

Abstract

Objectives: Although team-based learning (TBL) is widely used in medical education, its evaluation from the perspectives of the students exposed to it has been limited. This paper reports on a quantitative and qualitative evaluation of perceptions of first year medical students towards TBL. Methods: Lectures in an anatomy course were transformed into a series of TBL sessions for two cohorts of first-year medical students. Each session consisted of pre-class reading, in-class readiness assurance tests, and problem-solving of clinical cases by student teams. At the end of each course, students were surveyed using qualitative and quantitative instruments to assess their perceptions of the strategy. Internal consistency of questionnaire items was determined by a reliability analysis (Cronbach's alpha). Principal component factor analysis and correspondence analysis were conducted on the quantitative data. Open-ended questions were explored by thematic analysis. Results: Students' evaluations indicated that TBL is a welcome alternative to lecture-based teaching; as implemented in this study, it encouraged clinical problem solving and fruitful in-class discussion. Principal component factor analysis identified five factors (Cronbach's alpha 0.602-0.875). However, the majority of students disapproved of mixed gender TBL teams. Most students agreed that the strategy facilitated consistency in their study, generated an increased awareness about selfdirected learning, and had a positive impact on their learning attitudes. Conclusion: TBL is a welcome instructional strategy as reported by our first-year medical students. It was perceived to be a better approach compared to content-based lectures. The effect on actual student performance is currently being investigated. O ne of the global trends in teaching in medical schools has been a move towards more student-centered, integrated, clinical application models. [1][2][3] In addition, teaching strategies that promote active learning and problem-solving are increasingly being advocated. [4][5][6][7] An example of such a strategy that combines features of student-centeredness and problem-solving attributes is team-based learning (TBL). 8 In its classical format, TBL employs a structured three-phase sequence during which learners study an advanced assignment defined by faculty, demonstrate knowledge through individual and group readiness assurance tests (IRATs, GRATs), and apply course concepts to problemsolving exercises designed by faculty and analysed by teams. 9 The method employs strategies that incorporate the effectiveness of small group learning methods like problem-based learning (PBL) into large-group, lecture-oriented sessions. 10,11 Adequate knowledge of basic sciences such as anatomy, with a strong emphasis on 'clinical application' , logical learning, and developing effective problem solving skills is considered crucial for effective and safe clinical practice. 12,13 Although numerous strategies have been employed to develop these skills, implementing t...

Engaging Multidisciplinary First Year Students to Learn Anatomy Via Stimulating Teaching and Active, Experiential Learning Approaches

“…While these teaching approaches are aimed at supporting and assisting first year health science anatomy students to develop their knowledge and learning skills in anatomy, they also appear to produce more motivated and selfdirected learners. Our findings are consistent with previously reported self-directed learning approaches [7,8,12,13,15,18,21,23,24,26,27,29,31,[36][37][38]; however, the present study offers a greater variety of innovative, active teaching approaches that cover all four of the major sensory modalities for learning than those previously reported.…”

Team-Based Learning Experiences of Fourth-Year Pharmacy Students in a South African University

“…1 In a study conducted in Oman, students were randomly sorted into teams consisting of members of the same gender because of the cultural sensitivities in this country regarding mixing of genders. 32 When these students were asked whether they would prefer to be in a mixed gender TBL team, students strongly disagreed. The authors concluded that this behavior could be due to the fact that university is the first setting where both genders share a common learning environment.…”

Is a Team-based Learning Approach to Anatomy Teaching Superior to Didactic Lecturing ? = هل نهج طريقة التعلم القائم على الفريق لعلم التشريح أفضل من إلقاء المحاضرات التعليمية ؟

“…13 The teaching of anatomy using TBL has received much attention in recent years. [14][15][16] As an understanding of anatomy is fundamental to the understanding of other subjects in the physical therapy curriculum, especially the anatomy of the limbs and the vertebral column, it has to be learned effectively. In limb anatomy, the anatomy of related bones, muscles, and nerves are taught together.…”