Effect of team-based learning on critical thinking: A quasi-experimental study

Objectives: To determine the effect of Team-based learning (TBL) on the critical thinking of health professions students.

Methods: This quasi-experimental study, was done in paramedical and nursing sciences institutes using the convenience sampling technique. Students included were enrolled in the haematology course of paramedic institute from January to December 2020 and adult health course of the nursing institute of Khyber Medical University. Six dimensions of critical thinking (CT) of the students before and after TBL were determined using the critical thinking disposition inventory.

Results: The study participants included 89 students, comprising 58 students from the paramedic’s institute and 31 from the nursing institute; 67 (75.28%) males and 22 (24.71%) females. The overall pre-test score of CT was 257.46 ± 21.73, and the post-test score was 274.55 ± 19.36, which was statistically significant (p-value = 0.000). The pre-test score of six dimensions, namely, analyticity, inquisitiveness, systematicity, truth-seeking, self-confidence, and open-mindedness was 41.35 ± 5.15, 44.73 ± 4.77, 41.12±6.87, 43.17± 5.19, 44.94±6.03, 42.38 ± 5.32 respectively, whereas the post-test scores were 44.57± 5.28, 47.11 ± 4.69, 46.12± 5.54, 45.77 ± 5.05, 47.58 ± 5.65, 43.56 ± 4.56 correspondingly. Analyticity (p=.000), inquisitiveness (p=.000), systematicity (p=.000), truth-seeking (p=.000) and self-confidence (p=.000) were statistically significant. However, open-mindedness was statistically insignificant (p=.074).

Conclusion: TBL improves five out of six dimensions of students’ critical thinking. Besides its established evidence to increase knowledge, TBL can also be used as a teaching methodology for enhancing students’ critical thinking.