Building Virtual Teams: Team-Based Learning Pedagogy on a Distance Education Platform

Team-based learning (TBL) is a pedagogical approach designed to scaffold learning by providing opportunities for significant learning through interactions. It allows students opportunities to learn and apply course materials, to develop skills needed for working on teams, and fosters appreciation for the team approach to solving intellectual tasks. The multiphase TBL teaching strategy requires active student participation and collaboration. Team-based learning entails three stages: individual preparation, learning assurance assessment, and team application activity.

     The TBL approach, designed to encourage team collaboration and impact team outcomes, shifts the passivity of learning to a more active and constructive process.  Promoting active participation in learning is valued as it has far reaching potential and provides students with skills that impact life-long learning.  The TBL approach design was developed for use in on-site classrooms but the concepts can be adapted to the meet the demands of distance education.

      The development of the team is essential to the success of a TBL course. Team development may be challenging in the distance education setting but may be fostered by applying some essential concepts. Strategies to encourage team-building include evaluating student accountability; a peer-evaluation process; providing constructive feedback; and encouraging competition between teams. The underlying premise with TBL design is that no member of a team outperforms the team as a whole.

     The process for implementing curriculum delivery change is necessary to match pace with national healthcare changes and student learning needs. Curriculum delivery reform must be conducted systematically. As previously outlined, applying TBL design to distance education requires modifications.

     A systematic approach was utilized to adapt the graduate nursing health assessment course to a distance education TBL designed course.  An expert panel was convened that included faculty with graduate nursing education experience, clinicians with vast health assessment knowledge, and TBL design consultants. The proposed presentation will discuss the development and implementation of a distance education graduate nursing health assessment course using this innovative educational method.  The presentation will include an overview of the essentials of TBL design; detailed recommendations for adapting distance education courses for TBL; course sequencing suggestions; and specific implementation actions.