Is Team-Based Learning Effective for the Medical Student in Difficulty?

TL;DR

Team-based learning helps medical students learn together, but students struggling may not benefit as much due to low confidence and group dynamics.

Contribution

The study identifies that students in difficulty may not benefit from team-based learning due to confidence and group dynamics issues.

Findings

Students in difficulty may not use team-based learning effectively to improve their learning.

Struggling students are often less confident and less likely to share opinions in group settings.

High-achieving students can dominate team-based learning sessions, limiting participation from others.

Abstract

Team-based learning is a widely accepted technique for small group, active learning, in medical courses. The nature of team-based learning allows students to discuss and explore topics in a structured way. The tasks that are set develop problem-solving skills and professional attitudes. Students are encouraged to collaborate and share knowledge to build confidence and a clinical language. There is more variability in the learning experience from team-based learning compared to lectures. However, for the student in difficulty, who may have failed an assessment, maintaining the current team-based learning environment may not yield beneficial results. Here, responses showed that a subset of students in difficulty do not utilise team-based learning to develop their learning. Students in difficulty can be less confident than other students and less willing to express their opinions within a group, particularly when there are highly achieving students dominating the session.