Team-based learning in health professions education: an umbrella review

• Published in: BMC medical education Vol. 24; no. 1; pp. 1131 - 23
• Main Authors: Alizadeh, Maryam, Masoomi, Rasoul, Mafinejad, Mahboobeh Khabaz, Parmelee, Dean, Khalaf, Rusul Jasim, Norouzi, Ali
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 11.10.2024; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Active Learning; Allied Health Occupations Education; Analysis; Check Lists; Citation indexes; Citations (References); Computer Software; Content analysis; Critical thinking; Data collection; Database Management Systems; Educational aspects; Educational Strategies; Evaluative Thinking; Evidence; Geographic Distribution; Group Processes; Group work in education; Guidelines; Health Occupations; Health Occupations - education; Health professions education; Humans; Information Seeking; Integrated delivery networks; Learner Engagement; Learning Processes; Learning Strategies; Medical education; Medical personnel; Meta Analysis; Nursing; Outcomes of Education; Peer Evaluation; Problem-Based Learning; Software; Students; Systematic review; Team based learning; Team learning approach in education; Training; Umbrella review; Iran; United States > US; Team based learning; Umbrella review; Health professions education
• ISSN: 1472-6920; 1472-6920
• DOI: 10.1186/s12909-024-06147-x

Team-Based Learning (TBL) has garnered considerable attention in education research. To consolidate the existing evidence, we conducted an umbrella review with four objectives: to identify TBL review characteristics, to synthesize findings from previous reviews regarding TBL effectiveness and outcomes, to determine which student groups benefit most, and to identify the most and least researched elements. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology was followed: [1] Search strategy and literature search [2] Screening and Study Selection [3] Assessment of methodological quality [4] Data collection, and [5] Data summary. We utilized Endnote, Excel, and MAXQDA for efficient project management and analyzing data. Analyzing twenty-three reviews spanning from 2013 to 2024, we found a peak in TBL research in 2022 including more than 312 unique primary studies involving more than 63,987 participants. Notably, the United States and China accounted for over 61% of the total primary articles focused on students from medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and dentistry. Evidence supports the superiority of TBL in enhancing cognitive outcomes. However, findings related to retention are mixed. Insufficient evidence exists to draw robust conclusions when comparing TBL with other active learning methods. TBL demonstrates favorable outcomes in terms of clinical performance and engagement. Non-technical skills show mixed results. Notably, TBL positively impacts self-study, learning ability, decision-making, and emotional intelligence. Faculty experiences reveal an initial increase in workload, but generally hold positive attitude. Faculty development remain limited in duration and scope. Freshmen, academically weaker students, undergraduates, Chinese female students, and nursing students appear to benefit most from TBL. Team formation and size are the most frequently studied elements. TBL holds promise for improving learning outcomes, but ongoing investigation is essential to maximize its impact in diverse educational contexts. This umbrella review underscores the need for further research in specific areas i.e. effective pre-class learning methods and faculty workload.