title: Effects of Team-Based Learning on short-term and long-term retention of factual knowledge.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the effect of Team-Based Learning (TBL) on long-term retention of knowledge in comparison to a traditional curriculum.
  
  
  METHODS
  As TBL was incorporated into our curriculum in the 2008-2009 academic year, students were compared with those who received the traditional curriculum the year prior. Students in both the groups completed multiple-choice knowledge test at four time points spanning two years. Test performance was compared at each time point to assess changes in knowledge retention as a function of time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Baseline knowledge did not differ significantly between the TBL and control groups [51% versus 46%; t(84) = 0.91, p = 0.37, d = 0.20]. Performance improved after the course for both the groups, but was significantly higher in the TBL group [79% versus 59%; t(84) = 4.96, p = 0.000004, d = 0.95]. However, when assessed prior to the pediatrics clerkship, learning gains from TBL had largely disappeared and the small difference in performance was not significant [57% versus 51%; t(84) = 1.51, p = 0.14, d = 0.32].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Incorporating TBL into the pre-clinical pediatrics curriculum led to large gains in knowledge over the short-term, but these gains did not persist. Further research should focus on extending the impact of TBL on long-term knowledge retention.
authors.affiliation: a Washington University School of Medicine , USA .
authors.forename: Amanda R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Emke
authors.affiliation: b University of Texas , USA.
authors.forename: Andrew C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Butler
authors.affiliation: a Washington University School of Medicine , USA .
authors.forename: Douglas P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Larsen
mesh_terms: D002982:Clinical Clerkship / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003479:Curriculum; D005260:Female; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D019359:Knowledge; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000193:education*; D018794:Problem-Based Learning / Q000458:organization & administration*