Assessing Perceptions of Group Work Using Team-Based Learning

Group work is frequently incorporated into courses; however, student perceptions of their experiences and the benefits of group work might differ based on the structure of course. In this study, we examined student perceptions of group work in a team-based learning (TBL) course. Undergraduate students completed pre- and post-surveys on their team work experiences over a semester. Students had lower agreement with the statement “working in groups usually ends up with one person doing all of the work” and higher agreement with “working in a group makes me feel as though I am part of a learning community” at post-test. On an open-ended question comparing their group work experiences in the TBL setting to previous group work experiences, students had positive reactions, indicating that their teammates were prepared, accountable, and worked well together. While our small sample size leaves room to examine individuals’ different experiences with group work more closely, as a whole, TBL appears to provide a structure for group work that ensures individual accountability prior to team work and to provide a space for students to practice transferable skills valued by employers