Development of guidelines for team-based learning in an undergraduate pharmacy curriculum: a case study

[摘要] English: An in-depth study was done with a view to develop guidelines for the implementation ofteam-based learning (TBL) in an undergraduate pharmacy curriculum. The research wasinitiated in response to the identification of a gap in the knowledge regarding the usage ofTBL in a management module within a BPharm curriculum in South Africa.TBL is an active, small group-based teaching strategy where students are activelyengaged with one another and the module content to solve real-life problems they mightencounter in future. This structured, student-centred strategy allows minimal time fortraditional lecture methods. Instead, students are required to acquire knowledgeindependently prior to class. This opens up time during class for students to worktogether in teams on an issue, similar to what will be expected of pharmacists as part ofthe health professions team.The aim of this study was to develop guidelines on how to effectively implement TBL inpharmacy education to enhance student learning. It was attained by means of thefollowing six objectives: to conceptualise and contextualise TBL as a teaching strategy inhigher education; to determine the experiences of the pharmacy students regarding teamwork in the pharmacy profession before they were exposed to TBL; to determinepharmacy students' learning experience of TBL in the management module of the BPharmcurriculum after they were exposed to TBL; to identify whether TBL as a teaching strategyincrease pharmacy students' understanding of the theoretical work (curriculum) presentedin the module; to determine whether TBL allows students to develop generic skills such astime management, team work, communication, change, innovation, problem solving andprecision, as required for pharmacists on a NQF level 8; and to develop guidelines on howto effectively implement TBL in pharmacy education to enhance student learning.A case-study research design was followed because a single phenomenon of interest inone fourth-year pharmacy group was investigated. A mixed-method research approachwas followed including both qualitative and quantitative methods. During the first phaseof the study in the beginning of the semester, data were collected via written narrativesas part of the exploratory design of mixed method research. This was followed by focusgroup interviews to further explore the themes identified and to establish the initialexperiences of pharmacy students regarding team work in the pharmacy professionbefore exposure to TBL. At the end of the semester, after student exposure to TBL, aquestionnaire was used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data on students'learning experiences with TBL in comparison with traditional lecture methods, whetherTBL fostered the development of a deeper approach to learning, and to investigate thepossible development of generic skills essential to the health profession team.From the results of the first phase, it was clear that students had some exposure to beingpart of the health care team. The focus group interviews pointed out that pharmacystudents could identify several contributions a pharmacist can make to the healthprofession team, which competencies they will need and how university training shouldprepare them to effectively contribute to the health professions team. The results of thequestionnaire indicated that TBL provided students with an enjoyable learning experienceand that they prefer TBL over traditional lecture methods. TBL also promoted deeperlearning and understanding of course content and fostered the development of essentialgeneric skills commonly referred to as graduate attributes or employability skills.The findings of the study were used to develop guidelines for health professionseducators to implement TBL in undergraduate pharmacy education. These evidencebasedconclusions can be used to optimise the teaching and learning of pharmacystudents in South African higher education.

[发布机构] University of the Free State