Tackling Freshman Biology Content and Teaching Critical Thinking with Team-Based Learning Rebecca Orr, Collin College

My Challenges Student diversity in terms of: ◦ Skills ◦ Experience ◦ Time ◦ Commitment to the course Balancing Vision and Change recommendations with state/institution content pressures and requirements

My “Toolkit” Students with high skills/experience/commitment to the course Learning Theory ◦ Retrieval vs. Storage: Practicing retrieval => Increase in retention/understanding ◦ Peer Instruction to address the “Curse of Knowledge” Incredible online resources

Team-Based Learning Facilitates transition from passive lecture environment to active learning activities. Creates accountability for students to acquire basics of content before class. Ensures that all students leave every assessment knowing what the correct answers are and why. Utilizes class time to ensure that students: ◦ Engage in critical thinking ◦ Practice retrieval ◦ Benefit from peer-instruction

Components of TBL Permanent teams ◦ Evenly divide “assets” and “liabilities” ◦ Questions or online tools ( Readiness assessed by individual and team quizzes. Effective application activities: ◦ Present a significant (interesting) problem, promoting higher-level learning ◦ Require teams to work on the same problem ◦ Engage teams by requiring a specific choice ◦ Require simultaneous reporting of choices

Framework Implement backward design ◦ Divide course into content modules Utilize case studies, modeling strategies, role-playing activities, scenarios, etc. to: ◦ Require that students apply content in class ◦ Provide them opportunity to practice retrieval ◦ Ensure that they articulate their reasoning by justifying the “why” behind their answer Structure provides support for less prepared students and challenge for more prepared students.

My TBL Classroom Flow Mastering:Learning Catalytics: Learning Catalytics: Assignments,Team-Based Response Instructor-Led Video Synchronous Response, Lectures Case Studies

Graded Components of TBL Individual (at home and in class) ◦ Individual Score: Readiness Assurance Process ◦ Homework ◦ Final ◦ Exams Team (in class) ◦ Team Score: Readiness Assurance Process ◦ Team Activities Peer Evaluation

Benefits of TBL Forces the students to think through the arguments being developed as they defend their answer to classmates. Enables students and the instructor to assess understanding of the concepts even before students leave the classroom. Increased class attendance Students learn to be responsible for their own learning. Creates opportunity to develop student skills that are unrelated to content but critical for the workplace.

Some Essential Resources Team-Based Learning Collaborative: National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science: Learning Catalytics: CATME Smarter Team Network: HHMI BioInteractive: Teammates: Dr. Bjork’s Learning and Forgetting Lab