Team Based Learning

New electronic scratchcard

We have recently developed a bit of a game-changer here at Keele so that you can do TBL online using your university's or school's standard learning platform. The major stumbling block was the lack of an electronic scratchcard that can be easily integrated into learning platforms. This problem has now been solved by the new Instant-Feedback Online Scratchcard.

The card was developed at Keele by Cosma Gottardi while covering maternity leave. We have trialled it at Keele for a year and it is robust, simple to use and loved by both staff and students. Best of all, it's free!

What is TBL?

There are three distinct stages of Team Based Learning- pre-class preparation, the readiness assurance process, and application activities, as shown in the table below:

1st stage	2nd stage	3rd stage
Pre-class preparation	Readiness assurance process	Application activities
Lectures	iRAT: individual MCQs	Teams use concepts learnt in RAP to solve challenging problems
Screencasts	tRAT: team discussion of MCQs answers revealed by scratchcards	Team debate and discussion
Pre-class reading	Tutor instruction	Problems build towards exam-style questions
E-learning resources	Appeals

The least you need to know about Team-Based Learning 

This was produced by Jim Sibley and more of his excellent resources can be found on the Learn TBL website.

How do we use TBL?

TBL is a great structure for whole cohort problem classes. It allows for low staff to student ratios, stimulates student participation and generates individual and team accountability for engagement with the learning - TBL really does create active learners. You can choose to either do away with all lectures and devote all student contact time to TBL, or you can maintain lectures and use TBL as part of regular problem sessions throughout the course.

Key features:

• Stable mixed ability teams that last a whole module
• Regular testing of basic knowledge
• Team problem-solving in a structured format
• Peer and instructor feedback loops
• Effective monitoring of student progress by an instructor
• Skills improved by TBL taken from the World Economic's Forum list of future skills

Student feedback

When 80% of a class say that they have learnt something from one of their peers through TBL, something must be right. In our experience students have a very positive reaction to TBL and give excellent feedback. Check out our publications to see some of our student feedback.

TBL resources

Instant-Feedback Online Scratchcard developed at Keele University

T‌eam Based Learning Collaborative

Physical Scratch Cards

L. K. Michaelsen, Team Learning in Large Classes. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 1983, 14, 13–22.

Other UK universities