Testing the Effectiveness of Team-Based Learning (TBL) in Promoting Student’s Academic Functioning in a General Education Course: A Pilot Study in Hong Kong

Abstract

General education (GE) in higher education plays a pivotal role in cultivating students’ whole person development. Given its important role, it is worthwhile for educators to make use of evidence-based approaches to facilitate and promote students’ educational outcomes through GE. Team-based Learning (TBL) is one of those approaches that has been widely tested in the disciplines of business, health care and sciences in Western cultures. However, the effectiveness of TBL has not been tested in GE courses in higher education. By using this innovative teaching approach, this study aimed to promote university students’ academic functioning. A quasi-experimental design was employed. Qualitative results supported the effectiveness of TBL in promoting students’ academic functioning in terms of quality of learning, critical thinking abilities, and professional development compared to those of students in the control class. Implications of TBL to other courses in higher education are discussed.