# A pre – post quasi-experimental study of team-based learning effectiveness for Vietnamese nursing students

## TL;DR

This study shows that team-based learning improves academic performance and teamwork attitudes among Vietnamese nursing students.

## Contribution

The study provides new evidence on the effectiveness of team-based learning in the context of Vietnamese nursing education.

## Key findings

- TBL significantly improved group performance as shown by higher t-RAT scores compared to i-RAT scores.
- Students showed improved attitudes toward teamwork and higher engagement and collective efficacy post-TBL.
- Positive student experiences with TBL included high scores for accountability, preference, and satisfaction.

## Abstract

Team-Based Learning (TBL) is a student-centered teaching strategy designed to improve problem-solving skills, knowledge, and practical abilities. Despite its increasing use in nursing education globally, limited research has explored its effectiveness in Vietnam. This study evaluates the impact of TBL on learning outcomes, accountability, preferences, satisfaction, engagement, perceptions, and attitudes of Vietnamese nursing students during the Nursing Care for Adults with Internal Medicine course.

A quasi-experimental pre-post study was conducted with 186 fourth-year nursing students at a nursing faculty in Vietnam during the 2023–2024 academic year. TBL was implemented in the course, and data were collected using validated instruments, including the Individual Readiness Assurance Test (i-RAT), Team Readiness Assurance Test (t-RAT), Classroom Engagement Survey (CES), and Perceived Collective Efficacy (PCE) scale. Data were collected from January to April 2024 and analyzed using SPSS version 20.0.

The mean t-RAT scores significantly exceeded i-RAT scores, increasing from 8.17 to 9.68 (t = -19.507, p < 0.001), indicating improved group performance. Students’ attitudes toward teamwork showed significant improvements across all dimensions, with higher post-TBL mean scores. CES and PCE scores also increased significantly post-TBL (31.37 ± 2.002 vs. 29.54 ± 2.186; t = -8.981, p < 0.001; 4.03 ± 0.488 vs. 3.64 ± 0.461, t = -8.667, p < 0.001). Additionally, students reported positive experiences with TBL, with average scores for accountability, preference, and satisfaction at 31.19 ± 2.975, 57.10 ± 5.279, and 36.54 ± 3.815, respectively.

TBL effectively enhances academic performance, teamwork attitudes, and group responsibility awareness among Vietnamese nursing students. This approach holds promise for improving nursing education in Vietnam, and educators are encouraged to expand its application to other universities and disciplines.