The Impact of Modified Team-Based Learning on the Learning of Students in an Orthopaedic Course

Background: This paper presents the results of a modified team-based learning (MTBL) in the Orthopaedic Department of the Omdurman Islamic University. It is a modification of the team-based learning (TBL) developed by Dr. Larry K. Michaelson, who explored the benefit of small group learning within large classes. TBL differs from other forms of small group work, which involves developing and using learning teams in large settings as an instructional strategy. Objectives: The main difference between conventional TBL and MTBL is that students learn in small groups in a single large class with a single facilitator in conventional TBL. In contrast, in MTBL, students learn in separate small classes with different facilitators. In this study, we investigated the impact of MTBL on the learning of students in an orthopaedic course. Students’ satisfaction and grades, following the MTBL for an orthopaedic class, were analyzed and compared to another batch of students in a conventional lecture learning strategy. The two batches were taught by the same faculty members. Methods: The MTBL was implemented as a teaching method in orthopaedics and traumatology course in 2020. A total of 282 students were surveyed for their satisfaction with this new pedagogical approach, and 153 students responded to the questionnaire. We adopted a self-administered questionnaire answering on a five-option Likert scale. The five options represented the levels of agreement. At the end of the course, students’ exam scores were compared to the results of their previous batch, in which teaching was carried out utilizing conventional lectures only (a total of 128 students). Results: The results showed that the majority of the students involved in the study (66.5%) were satisfied with the MTBL. The students thought that it increases the long retention of knowledge and should be used more frequently in the curriculum, and they recommend it to other students. The analysis of the examination results using the Chi-square test revealed a significant difference between the results of the students who studied the course in the form of MTBL and those who studied the course in the form of a traditional lecture with a clear improvement in the results following MTBL orthopaedic course (P-value = 0.0000). Conclusions: We, therefore, conclude that the MTBL where students are divided into separate small groups with different instructors improves the performance and the grades of the students in the exam. It also reveals that the students feel satisfied with the learning technique. We recommend it be more frequently used in the curriculum.