Advances in Medical Education and Practice (Aug 2018)

Team-based learning: assessing the impact on anatomy teaching in People’s Republic of China

  • Yan J,
  • Ding X,
  • Xiong L,
  • Liu E,
  • Zhang Y,
  • Luan Y,
  • Qin L,
  • Zhou C,
  • Zhang W

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 9
pp. 589 – 594

Abstract

Read online

Junhao Yan,1 Xinling Ding,2 Lili Xiong,3 E Liu,1 Yixuan Zhang,1 Yingjie Luan,1 Lihua Qin,1 Changman Zhou,1 Weiguang Zhang1 1Department of Anatomy and Histology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Anatomy, Chifeng Medical College, Neimenggu 024000, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Anatomy, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, People’s Republic of China Objectives: In this study, the effects of team-based learning (TBL) method on the anatomy course for students in People’s Republic of China were assessed. Methods: The students were randomly divided into the traditional lecture-based teaching group (traditional learning [TL] group, 99 students) and TBL teaching group (98 students). The TBL method required the students to prepare the assigned content in advance and discuss some specific topics in small groups. The test scores and questionnaire were applied to evaluate the effects of the two methods. Results: The students in TBL group had higher examination scores (81.70±8.53 vs 74.41±8.27, F[1,195] =124.6, p<0.01). The ratios of students with excellent (13.27% vs 9.09%, χ2[1] =4.00, p=0.041) and good scores (25.51% vs 16.16%, χ2[1] =4.85, p=0.027) were markedly increased in the TBL than the TL group, and the ratio of students who had just managed to pass was decreased (17.34% vs 32.33% in TL group, χ2[1] =5.91, p=0.015). The students in TBL group significantly achieved some improvement in mutual communication ability (χ2[1] =7.54, p=0.006), expression ability (χ2[1] =4.930, p=0.026), generalization capacity (χ2[1] =4.08, p=0.043), cooperative ability cultivation (χ2[1] =5.04, p=0.024), knowledge extension (χ2[1] =4.50, p=0.034), and enthusiasm mobilization (χ2[1] =4.27, p=0.039). Conclusion: TBL could improve not only the test scores of the students, but also their study enthusiasm, initiative learning ability, communication ability, and team awareness. Keywords: anatomy, lecture-based learning, student, team-based learning

Keywords