Berglind Eva Benediktsdóttir and Helga Helgadóttir
Team-Based Learning (TBL) is a student-centered approach aimed at enhancing teamwork and comprehension of course objectives. TBL was integrated into the undergraduate pharmacy curriculum at the University of Iceland. Initial student reactions to TBL were positive. However, it remained unclear if this enthusiasm persisted and if TBL consistently enriched student experiences.
A survey followed a pharmacy student cohort across three semesters, one course per semester containing the TBL setup, to gather perceptions on TBL. Participation was voluntary and anonymous, with 56% (n=27) responding rate. Questions were either rated on a 5-point Likert scale or open-ended.
All students either agreed or strongly agreed they invested time in reviewing course material for TBL sessions. They also felt TBL helped them understand the study material. Thematic analysis of open-ended questions revealed students valued the TBL setup and instant feedback during sessions. They appreciated the flexibility of online lectures for autonomous study while on-site sessions kept them focused. Although students wanted greater grading impact of TBL sessions in their final grade, they acknowledged its beneficial role in final exam preparation.
Pharmacy students valued the TBL approach across the three semesters, with the findings showing a consistently positive perception of TBL by students.
