I ran a test comparing lecture to team-based learning last semester. I taught one section of lecture (approximately 150 students) and one section of team based learning (approximately 90 students arranged in tables of 9 students). The team-based class required students to cover more material outside of class and class time was spend in experiments, discussion or activities. It was a difficult transition and I will freely admit I didn't do as good a job in the team-based course. I tried to do too much during one class period (e.g., three in-class memory experiment/demonstrations instead of one).
The classes were taught back-to-back on the same day of the week (a challenge in itself) but this allowed me to use some of the same test items in each section. While I found some individual item differences (the team-based class did a serial position effect experiment resulting in 75% correct on that question compared to 40% in the lecture class) there were no significant differences in the average exam scored between the two sections. There was however an interesting different in the distribution of scores. In the lecture class had a higher percentage of A's D's and F's than the team-based class. It does appear that the team based environment (which did include some peer-to-peer instruction as well as team based quizzes, encouraged group study). I collected some additional data in a survey coordinated with our center for teaching and learning and am collecting a follow-up data-set on both course content and interest to study psychology this semester. I hope to write all of this up in conjunction with a member of our CTL staff. All in all I think the team-based environment has a lot of potential. It is difficult to get out of the lecture mode, and trust a good deal of content to the textbook and outside of class work. It is also awkward to spend so much class time on one topic but it does provide the depth that I'd like to see for students. For example we spent an entire class period on a brain scavenger hunt (I am fortunate to have a medical school on campus that can provide numerous brain specimens for students to view). The one change I would make would be to add senior level TA's to lead each table. They could help coordinate experiments, and ensure that smaller table discussions stayed on task. The limitation to teaching this format again is the class size and the enrollment in lecture. I teach 250-260 in one lecture section compared to 90-100 in the team-based environment. With enrollment a priority for budget I can't imagine assigning a faculty member to a section of introductory psychology that is 2/5th the size of the lecture class. We currently meet on-campus student demand with three large enrollment sections. To use team-based instruction would require 7. Doug P.S. The room is an active learning classroom set up so that each table has a 50" monitor and 8 ports to connect laptops to the monitor at the table. I have two projectors and can project any student input to every table, the projectors or both. I can also project from the instructor station to the table, projectors or both (including different images on the table monitors and the projectors. Doug Peterson, PhD Associate Professor of Psychology The University of South Dakota Vermillion SD 57069 605.677.5223 ________________________________________ From: Marc Carter [[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 4:36 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: RE: [tips] Lecturing vs Peer Instruction Our new gen ed uses inquiry-guided learning for the content part of the core courses; what instruction we do has more to do with skills (it's a "skills" core with linked content courses). We do very little lecturing in the core classes, but instead use group work, discussion, and student presentations of content from their linked courses. It's quite a bit of peer instruction… m -- Marc Carter, PhD Associate Professor of Psychology Chair, Department of Behavioral and Health Sciences College of Arts & Sciences Baker University -- From: Claudia Stanny [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 12:39 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: Re: [tips] Lecturing vs Peer Instruction BYU has some good videos on problem-based learning that make use of peer instruction: http://ctl.byu.edu/teaching-tips/collaborative-learning _____________________________________________ Claudia J. Stanny, Ph.D. Director Center for University Teaching, Learning, and Assessment Associate Professor School of Psychological and Behavioral Sciences University of West Florida 11000 University Parkway Pensacola, FL 32514 – 5751 Phone: (850) 857-6355 or 473-7435 [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> CUTLA Web Site: http://uwf.edu/cutla/ Personal Web Pages: http://uwf.edu/cstanny/website/index.htm On Tue, Feb 21, 2012 at 11:26 AM, Steven Hall <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: Possibly the comment originated from this source at NPR: <http://www.npr.org/2012/01/01/144550920/physicists-seek-to-lose-the-lecture-as-teaching-tool> lose the lecture<http://www.npr.org/2012/01/01/144550920/physicists-seek-to-lose-the-lecture-as-teaching-tool> Peer instruction is one of many ways to move away from the lecture as the main method of instruction. Is anyone using it or similar active learning techniques? 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