Examining Student Perceptions of Their Experience in a TBL Formatted Capstone Course

Abstract

While shown to be less effective than active learning strategies, traditional methods of content delivery in post-secondary classrooms are the most prominent. Flipped classrooms, an example of an active learning approach, have been shown to be effective in long-term student outcomes. TeamBased Learning (TBL), a specific application of the flipped approach, has been linked to an increase in student performance, engagement, and satisfaction. TBL emphasizes the application of content knowledge through structured problem solving and decision making activities. The capstone farm management course at Iowa State University was recently restructured to implement TBL. This course revision sought to emphasize the development of skills necessary for success in an evolving workforce. The purpose of this study was to examine student perceptions concerning their attitudes and beliefs about learning, their motivation to learn, and their professional development through critical thinking. Pretest and posttest measures were compared and showed statistically significant increases across all three areas. These results offer valuable insight for the adoption of student-centered teaching methods, specifically TBL. Further examination of this teaching method compared to traditional teaching methods is warranted and recommended.