Using Team-Based Learning to engage students

Student engagement and learning is continuing to be a topic of discussion for higher education. As learners become more diverse, instructors need to find new ways of engaging them in the classroom. This is especially difficult when class sizes limit the amount of personal interaction the instructor can have with each student. Several teaching methods can be used to increase student participation and learning, including small group activities. In support of these efforts, recent research suggests that the ability to work effectively in a team is a critical skill that employers are seeking in new employees (Robinson, Garton, & Vaughn, 2007). Team-based learning (TBL) is a special type of small group facilitation, which differs from cooperative learning or group activities. The strategy integrates a case study and applied learning approach throughout the entire semester, with student teams remaining intact for all of the small group discussions and assignments. The instructional strategy originated in the 1970’s to keep students engaged as class sizes increased. TBL has a history of successful integration in business courses and throughout nursing and medical school programs (Clark, Nguyen, Bray, & Levine, 2008; Nieder, Parmelee, Stolfi, & Hudes, 2004). However, many fields of study, including agricultural education, have been slow to adopt this approach.