Teaching Food Science Using Team-based Learning

Joye M. Bond, PhD, RDDepartment of Family Consumer Science

Background

Food Science (FCS 340) = Frustration! “Designing Courses for Significant

Learning” Workshop—Dee Fink & Associates

Shift to a learning-centered course perspective

Team-Based Learning Model Michaelsen, LK, Knight, AB and Fink, LD.

2004. Team-Based Learning: A Transformative Use of Small Groups in College Teaching. Stylus Publ., Sterling, VA

Team-Based LearningInstructional Activity Sequence (for each unit)

Readiness Assurance Process Ensures:1. Effective and efficient content coverage.2. Development of real teams and team interaction skills.3. An experience-based insight about the value of diverse input.4. Development of students’ self-study & life-long learning skills.5. Class time to develop students’ application/critical thinking skills.

Preparation(Pre-class)

Readiness Assurance

Diagnosis-Feedback1 hour + or - A few minutes to several hours (Integrative)

1. Individual Study

3. Team Test

4. Written Appeals (teams)

6. Application/Critical Thinking-focused

Activities & Problems

Application of Course ConceptsDevelopment of Students’ Critical Thinking Skills

2. Individual Test

5. Instructor Input

Learning Objective: Mastery of course subject matter

Traditional

Lecture Class discussion Individual study

TBL

Pre-class individual study Readiness Assurance

Process (IRATS & TRATS)

The larger type-size reflects the amount of class time used for each activity—the larger the type, the greater the class time used.

Learning Objective: Develop ability to use course content in thinking and problem solving Traditional

Class discussion Individual exams/projects Group presentations or papers (work

done outside class)

TBL In-class team work

(problem-based discussion within group)

Individual exams/projects

Learning objective: Enhance interpersonal and team interaction skills

Traditional “Sink or swim” (Since any group work

is usually outside of class, instructor can’t help students learn from working in a team)

TBL In-class team

work (Tasks require cooperation; feedback and rewards for both individual and group performance are provided)

Learning objective: Prepare to be a life-long learner

Traditional (counterproductive)

Adapted from Team-Based Learning by Michaelsen, Knight, & Fink

TBL Active learning

(Exposes students to multiple learning strategies; learners become confident & resourceful)

Learning objective: Enjoy the course!

Traditional Course is well-organized Instructor delivers content

with enthusiasm and “style”

Lectures supported with high quality visuals, etc.

TBL Team assignments that

are interesting, relevant, and challenging

Immediate feedback Friendship & social

support

Introduce class to TBL

PPT Explain why Team Rules (H/O-1) “Getting to Know You” (H/O-2)

Set up Your Teams

Consider both assets and liabilities Diverse Fairly large (6-7) Teacher sets up the teams

Pre-class Individual Study

“Flipped” classroom Pre-assigned reading Individual and team accountability

IRAT

“Individual Readiness Assessment Test”

20 MC questions on pre-assigned reading material (a unit)

Individual Accountability

TRAT

“Team Readiness Assessment Test” Same as IRAT, but taken as a team Both scores count Team accountability Peer assessment (H/O-3)

Written Appeals

After both IRAT and TRAT are completed, teams can appeal an answer (written) using a pre-set procedure (H/O-4)

Instructor Input after RATs

Appeals are accepted or rejected Clarification of any unclear concepts

Team Questions (TQs)

Need to promote learning and team interaction

Use course concepts to solve problems (H/O-5)

Promotes lifelong learning Sometimes use “mini-lectures”

before the TQs to explain important concepts

Instructor Input for Team Questions

Available to answer questions If there seems to be confusion, I

sometimes do another “mini-lecture” at the end of class or beginning of next class addressing those issues

TQ rubric (H/O-6)

Results so far…

Excitement! Student ownership of their learning &

that of their peers ( TRATs & peer assessment)

Using higher level thinking skills

Ongoing changes…

More immediate feedback on tests and team questions

More mini-lectures & videos for clarification Rescheduling of lab and class time to better

accommodate the process Better structuring of team questions so

teams work together Better assessment of individual learning

Additional Resources Fink, LD. 2003. Creating Significant Learning

Experiences: An Integrated Approach to Designing College Courses. Jossey-Bass , San Francisco, CA

Michaelsen, LK, Parmelee, DX, McMahon, KK, Levine, RE. (Eds.) 2007. Team-Based Learning for Health Professions Education: A Guide to Using Small Groups for Improving Learning. Stylus Publ., Sterling, VA

http://www.teambasedlearning.org/ http://www.designlearning.org/ Dr. Mary Hadley, Department of Chemistry,

Facilitator for TBL in CETL