The Effects of Team-Based Learning on Social Studies Knowledge Acquisition in High School
Wanzek, Jeanne; Vaughn, Sharon; Kent, Shawn C.; Swanson, Elizabeth A.; Roberts, Greg; Haynes, Martha; Fall, Anna-Mária; Stillman-Spisak, Stephanie J.; Solis, Michael (2014). Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, v7 n2 p183-204. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1030365
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examining356Students, grade11
Department-funded evaluation
Review Details
Reviewed: December 2018
- Department-funded evaluation (findings for Team-Based Learning (TBL))
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Meets WWC standards with reservations because it is a compromised randomized controlled trial, but the analytic intervention and comparison groups satisfy the baseline equivalence requirement.
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
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Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
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Gates-Macginitie reading comprehension subtest (fourth edition) |
Team-Based Learning (TBL) vs. Business as usual |
2 Weeks |
Full sample;
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N/A |
N/A |
No |
-- |
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Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
ASK Knowledge Acquisition Subtest |
Team-Based Learning (TBL) vs. Business as usual |
2 Weeks |
Full sample;
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N/A |
N/A |
Yes |
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Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
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Female: 58%
Male: 42% -
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Race Asian 2% Black 45% Other or unknown 3% White 47% -
Ethnicity Hispanic 4% Not Hispanic or Latino 96%
Study Details
Setting
The study took place in three schools within two school districts in the southeast of the United States. (p. 187)
Study sample
Among the baseline sample, 58% of students were female. The racial/ethnic demographics were as follows: 47% were White, 45% were African American, 4% were Hispanic, 2% were Asian, and 3% were multiracial. The baseline sample included 38% of students enrolled in free or reduced-price lunch programs. The authors did not include sample characteristics for the analytic sample (p. 187)
Intervention Group
Team Based Learning (TBL) is a pedagogical practice that uses collaborative, group-based activities to examine critically content learning. This study focused on using TBL practices in grade 11 social studies classrooms. The intervention was implemented during three instructional units. Each unit was taught over a 15-day cycle. It included two short (15 minutes each) comprehension checks that occurred on Days 4 and 8, followed by a cumulative comprehension check on Day 13. Targeted instruction occurred on Days 5, 9, and 14. A culminating knowledge application activity occurred on Days 14 to 15. Students worked in teams to complete the comprehension checks and knowledge application activities. Teachers purposefully formed these teams and the teams stayed intact across all three learning units. Teachers provided short, targeted instruction to clear up misunderstandings or points of confusion that were discovered based on the comprehension checks. In total, teachers implemented the three units over the course of approximately 45 days. Class periods were 50 to 55 minutes and instruction occurred daily (pp. 189-190)
Comparison Group
In the comparison condition, teachers taught the same three units as covered by the intervention condition using their typical practices (i.e., business as usual). All general education 11th grade social studies classes in the participating schools were included in the study and covered the same subject units over the course of the school year, including the Gilded Age, Imperialism and World War I, and The Twenties (the subject units during which the intervention occurred). Class periods were 50 to 55 minutes and instruction occurred daily. (pp. 187-188)
Support for implementation
All seven teachers attended a one-day professional development session for six hours prior to implementing their first unit. Teachers learned about the TBL strategies and were informed about the importance of the study design and maintaining a firewall between the intervention and comparison conditions. Research team members also provided support to each teacher in the form of planning, meetings, and in-class assistance. For example, a research team member worked with a teacher to plan the TBL activities for each unit and model facilitation of team discussions. Research team members also provided feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of program implementation. A research team member provided assistance related to TBL implementation for a minimum of four times during Unit 1 implementation, two times for Unit 2, and one time for Unit 3. (pp. 188-189)
An indicator of the effect of the intervention, the improvement index can be interpreted as the expected change in percentile rank for an average comparison group student if that student had received the intervention.
For more, please see the WWC Glossary entry for improvement index.
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The mean score of students in the comparison group.
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and the regulations for ED discretionary grants (EDGAR Part 77).