Team-Based Learning Improves Course Outcomes in Introductory Psychology

This study investigated the influence of team-based learning (TBL) methods on exam performance and student satisfaction in an introductory psychology class. Fifteen instructors teaching 29 sections (with a combined enrollment of approximately 1,130 students) were randomly assigned to use TBL for 7 of 12 major topics or to use lecture. All students took the same midterm and final exams and completed midsemester and end-of-semester satisfaction surveys. Multilevel logistic models revealed that across both exams, students in the TBL sections performed significantly better on items that tested content covered in the TBL modules. In terms of the overall course satisfaction, there was no difference between the students taught via TBL versus lecture. These findings suggest that TBL is more effective than lecture in contributing to learning among introductory psychology studentswithout negatively impacting course satisfaction.