From Adjustment to Engagement: How Students Experience Team-Based Learning
Homaira M. Azim, Dimitrios E. Bakatsias, Yaniv N. Maddahi, Christian P. Near, Ryan Y. Lee, Haley R. Masters, Skylar J. HendersonBackground
Traditional didactic methods in health sciences education are increasingly being replaced by active learning strategies such as Team-Based Learning (TBL), which promotes engagement through collaboration, knowledge application, and peer interaction. Although the effectiveness of TBL in improving academic outcomes and teamwork skills is well established, less is known about how students experience this format and what influences their engagement. This study addresses that gap by exploring the cognitive, motivational, and social factors that shape students’ perceptions of and responses to TBL.
Methods
Study participants included students from two separate offerings of the same graduate histology course (Cohort A: n = 28; Cohort B: n = 27). All students enrolled were invited to participate in the study by completing an open-ended questionnaire and/or participating in a focus group. Eleven students completed the open-ended questionnaire (5 from Cohort A; 6 from Cohort B), and 18 participated in the focus groups (7 from Cohort A; 11 from Cohort B). Qualitative data were analyzed using an abductive approach, incorporating frame and taxonomic analyses.
Results
Four key themes were identified as conditions influencing students’ engagement with TBL: (1) preparation and self-regulated learning, (2) understanding and valuing teamwork, (3) student motivation, and (4) attitudes toward active learning.
Conclusion
Grounded in constructivist learning theory, TBL can offer a transformative educational experience by promoting self-regulation, collaboration, and deeper engagement. However, its success depends on factors such as student readiness, team cohesion, and prior exposure to active learning, which underscores the need for deliberate instructional design, explicit student orientation, and consistent faculty facilitation to ensure effective implementation.