title: Comparing the efficacy of team based learning strategies in a problem based learning curriculum.
abstract: We introduced two variants of team based learning (TBL) strategies in pathology course to seek their efficacy in a problem based learning (PBL) curriculum. The TBL strategy was adopted in two different sessions. One during regular resource session (RS-TBL) and other during a weekly review session (RVS-TBL) of the PBL curriculum. The study involved 104 second year students during their 8 weeks of cardiovascular-respiratory units and 3 weeks of hematology units. RS-TBL was adopted for cardiovascular-respiratory unit and RVS-TBL for hematology unit. The first 8 weeks of the course were implemented as RS-TBL and the last 3 weeks as RVS-TBL. The results showed that the group performance was markedly improved than individual performance in both RS-TBL and RVS-TBL (p < 0.001). Comparison between the RS-TBL and RVS-TBL revealed that individual student and group performance was better in the RVS-BL (p < 0.001). The result of the student attitudinal survey indicated an 88% agreement that TBL enhanced their understanding of pathology concepts and critical analysis. Most of the participants (85%) found RVS-TBL to be more useful. Post-TBL, end of semester examination results proved beneficial for the students in risk. The study demonstrated that RVS-TBL may be preferably adopted to enhance the philosophy of TBL in a PBL curriculum.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Sciences Department, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. nwarkhursheed@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Khurshid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Anwar
authors.forename: Abdul Ahad
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Shaikh
authors.forename: Nihar Ranjan
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Dash
authors.forename: Saqib
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khurshid
mesh_terms: D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D018794:Problem-Based Learning / Q000379:methods*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013337:Students, Medical