The effectiveness of online team-based learning in introduction to medical ethics education for medical students at a medical college of Nepal: a pilot study

Abstract

Background: The effectiveness of online classes is always a concern, and it can be overcome by opting for active learning strategies like team-based learning (TBL). This study was conducted to find out the effectiveness of online TBL as an active learning strategy. We also aimed to explore the satisfaction and perception of students toward TBL. Methods: This is a mixed-method study conducted among 29 third-year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) students of Gandaki Medical College using purposive sampling method in the duration of January to September 2021. Three two hours online TBL sessions were used for teaching introduction to medical ethics. The individual readiness assurance test (IRAT) scores were compared to the group readiness assurance test (GRAT) scores to evaluate the effect of TBL through cooperative learning. Learner reactions and satisfaction of students towards TBL were assessed using a validated questionnaire comprising of a five-point Likert scale. An open-ended question asking the participants to describe their overall experience of the TBL sessions was also included to explore their perceptions towards TBL. The data were collected using Google form and exported to Microsoft Excel and the quantitative data were then analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0. To check the normal distribution of the data, Kolmogorov Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk test were used. Non-parametric tests were used for the non-normally distributed data. P value of < 0.05 was regarded as significant. Thematic analysis was conducted for the qualitative data. Results: The median GRAT scores were significantly higher (p = 0.006 in TBL 1 and 0.001 in TBL 2) than IRAT scores. Learner reactions toward TBL sessions were positive as shown by the mean scores which were in the range of 3.59 to 4.66. Five themes were generated from the codes: “effective learning method”, “positive experience”, “gained knowledge”, “expression of gratitude” and “the way of conduction of the sessions”. Conclusion: Online TBL in medical ethics was effective as a teaching learning tool in our setting. The students were satisfied with the learning process and rated the learning strategy positively.

A comparative study on the effectiveness of online and in-class team-based learning on student performance and perceptions in virtual simulation experiments

“…This shift has forced institutions to confront new challenges, such as recreating the in-class interactions and dynamics which are considered essential for engaging students in active learning instruction. With the help of the highly structured form of small group learning, online TBL provides students with opportunities to apply conceptual knowledge through active cooperative learning activities [ 21 – 23 , 25 ]. However, there is limited research on the effectiveness of online implementation of such instructional strategy, particularly in the context of virtual simulation experiment courses.…”

“…Recently, online TBL has also been successfully implemented [ 21 , 22 ], but research on its effectiveness remains limited. Babenko et al found that in-person and online TBL classes resulted in comparable learning of student clinical reasoning during a family medicine clerkship [ 23 ].…”

Teachers’ Lived Experiences on Collaboration in Online Teacher Education: A Phenomenological Study

“…A study by Subedee et al (2022), which investigated whether online team-based learning in medical ethics has been an effective teaching tool in medical education, demonstrates the significance of collaboration in education. The students gave the learning strategy a positive review and were pleased with the learning process.…”

Online palliative care education and mentorship in Nepal: Project ECHO – a novel approach to improving knowledge and self-efficacy among interprofessional health-care providers

“…ECHO participants in Bangladesh reported that the program improved their knowledge, comfort, and attitudes toward palliative care (Doherty et al 2022). Several recent studies have described using online education for UG medical training in Nepal during COVID-19; however, the use of online CPD education in Nepal has not been reported (Nepal et al 2020;Subedi et al 2022). Developing and evaluating online palliative care education for HCP in Nepal is an important topic which warrants further study.…”