A trial of team-based versus small-group learning for second-year medical students: does the size of the small group make a difference?
BACKGROUND
Team-based learning is a large-group instructional modality intended to provide active learning with modest faculty resources.


OBJECTIVE
The goal is to determine if team-based learning could be substituted for small-group learning in case sessions without compromising test performance or satisfaction.


METHODS
One hundred and sixty-seven students were assigned to team-based or small-group learning for 6 case discussion sessions. Examination scores and student satisfaction were compared.


RESULTS
Instruction modality had no meaningful effect on examination score, 81.7% team based versus 79.7% small-group, p=.56 after multivariate adjustment. Student satisfaction was lower with team-based learning, 2.45 versus 3.74 on a 5-point scale, p<.001. Survey responses suggested that the very small size (8-10 students) of our small groups influenced the preference for small-group learning.


CONCLUSIONS
Team-based learning does not adversely affect examination performance. However, student satisfaction may be inferior, especially if compared to instruction in very small groups of 10 or fewer students.
Division of General Internal Medicine, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08903, USA. willetlr@umdnj.edu
Laura Rees
LR
Willett
G Craig
GC
Rosevear
Sarang
S
Kim
D003625:Data Collection; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018961:Educational Technology; D005260:Female; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011231:Preceptorship; D018401:Sample Size; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D014481:United States