Study: 86136

Department-funded evaluation

Review Details

Reviewed: December 2018

At least one finding shows moderate evidence of effectiveness

At least one statistically significant positive finding

Meets WWC standards with reservations

For:

Department-funded evaluation (findings for Team-Based Learning (TBL))

Using:

Rating:

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

Comprehension outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome measure	Comparison	Period	Sample	Intervention mean	Comparison mean	Significant?	Improvement index	Evidence tier
Gates-Macginitie reading comprehension subtest (fourth edition)	Team-Based Learning (TBL) vs. Business as usual	2 Weeks	Full sample; 356 students	N/A	N/A	No	--

Social studies achievement outcomes—Statistically significant positive effect found for the domain
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; 356 students	N/A	N/A	Yes	8

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.

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)

The Effects of Team-Based Learning on Social Studies Knowledge Acquisition in High School