Academic performance across three team based learning formats and student perceptions of virtual TBL in reproductive pharmacology

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic precipitated a shift from traditional in-class to virtual, and digitally supported team-based learnings (TBLs), maintaining face-to-face discussion, instructor facilitation, and whole-class feedback while replacing paper scratch cards with the online learning platform Socrative for group response reporting. However, the effectiveness of these new formats in pharmacology teaching remains uncertain. This retrospective historical cohort study evaluated on “hormonal contraceptives and menopausal therapy” across traditional in-class TBL (2019, n = 172), virtual TBL (2020, n = 169), and digitally supported in-class TBL (2021–2022, n = 167, and 162, respectively) among undergraduate medical students by reporting individual Readiness Assurance Test (iRAT), group Readiness Assurance Test (gRAT), and team Application (tAPP) scores across these four TBL settings. Students’ perceptions and perceived challenges of virtual TBL were explored using anonymous online questionnaires. gRAT scores were significantly higher than iRAT scores in all cohorts indicating improved performance following team discussion. The virtual cohort showed the highest mean iRAT, gRAT, and tAPP scores compared to other cohorts. Among virtual-TBL questionnaire respondents (40.2%), most students reported adequate preparation, study time, and understanding of virtual TBL process. Textbooks were the main pre-class resource, while 38.2% reported using past examination questions. Reported barrier included internet problems, and unfamiliarity with online group discussion. In conclusion, traditional, virtual, and digitally supported in-class TBL supported collaborative learning. Virtual TBL was generally feasible and acceptable, whereas digitally supported in-class TBL combined face-to-face facilitation with practical advantages of real-time digital reporting and electronic data storage.