What are the ‘best’ teamwork recipes to support our students’ professional development and enhance their learning experience?

1. TBL, PBL, EBL, SCALE-UP, Buzz,
Virtual or what? What are the ‘best’
teamwork recipes to support our
students’ professional development and
enhance their learning experience?
Prof Peter Hartley
profpeter1@me.com
Dr Chris Dearnley
cadearnley@icloud.com
1

2. Chris Dearnley
Now into my 3rd career:
 Career 1: Registered nurse and midwife
 Career 2: Academic in Health Studies with
special interest in transformative learning – from
lecturer to Associate Dean for Learning &
Teaching and National Teaching Fellow.
 Career 3: Consultant in HE inc. Project
Implementation & Evaluation, External
Examining, QA processes, business and
executive coaching
2

3. Peter Hartley
Now into my 3rd career:
 Career 1: lecturer.
Academic in Communication
Studies – from lecturer to
department head to Professor of
Communication..
 Career 2: educational developer.
National Teaching Fellow.
Professor of Education
Development.
 Career 3: educational consultant.
Visiting Professor at Edge Hill.
External examiner and writer.
Working/ed on: project
evaluation, learning spaces,
assessment strategies etc.
3rd edition, in
development
with Sue Beckingham
Planned for 2019
https://www.routle
dge.com/products/
9781138854710
http://www.routle
dge.com/books/de
tails/97804156402
82/
https://he.p
algrave.com
/page/detail
/Learning-
Developme
nt-in-
Higher-
Education/?
K=9780230
241480
3
Chapter with Ruth Whitfield in:

4. This session
 Why worry?
 What do we do with our students to improve
their teamwork?
 Different examples and approaches.
 What could/should we do with our students
to improve their teamwork?
4

5. Why worry?
 teamwork as a “fundamental skill” which is
often lacking according to employers, e.g.
 https://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/skills-and-competencies/300764-teamwork-its-high-on-the-
graduate-recruiters-wishlist
 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-29454002
 The importance of teamwork emphasised in
University careers advice for both
undergraduates and postgraduates, e.g.
 https://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sk/teamwork.htm
 https://www.ed.ac.uk/careers/postgrad/phd/making-career-decisions/identifying-your-skills
 So how do we help our students develop the
necessary skills and understanding?
5

6. The importance of teamwork
– a life-saving example
6
http://www.affinaod.
com/article/can-
achieve-better-team-
working-organisation/

7. Over to you …
the process
1. Individual reflection – write your responses
on post-its. No discussion.
2. Each person puts one response on the table
and explains it until you have covered all the
ideas.
7
Notes (not on original slide):
This process is the first 2 stages of
the Nominal Group Technique:
see slides 28 and 29.

8. Over to you …
the questions
1. How do course/programme teams in your institutions
incorporate student teamwork across the course?
2. What is the ‘ideal mix’ of student
teamwork/groupwork which offers your students the
best basis for their future professional careers?
3. What do your students expect from their courses in
terms of teamwork, and how do you manage these
expectations?
8
Notes (not on original slide):
The answers from conference delegates can be found in the Google Doc at:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fm-
pjADNgUazAKGUKXVnalu9R1VHUzWVA1EcRdGdsBI/edit?usp=sharing

9. Different educational
approaches re teamwork
Who sets/controls the
problem or task?
Who manages the
group process?
Examples
1 Tutor Tutor TBL
Scale-Up
2 Tutor Tutor and group PBL
EBL
3 Client
(may be real or
simulated)
Group, in negotiation
with client
‘Consultancy’ team
4 Group Group Project group
9

10. Different educational
approaches re teamwork
Who sets/controls the
problem or task?
Who manages the
group process?
Examples
1 Tutor Tutor TBL
Scale-Up
2 Tutor Tutor and group PBL
EBL
3 Client
(may be real or
simulated)
Group, in negotiation
with client
‘Consultancy’ team
4 Group Group Project group
10
A KEY QUESTION: shouldn’t students experience all these
variants in preparation for their professional careers?

11. 11NB All of these methods are variable so can move along the scales.

12. Example 1:
Team-based learning (Bradford)
http://www.bradford.ac.uk/life-
sciences/pharmacy/team-based-
learning/
12

13. Team-based Learning:
essential features
https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/team-based-learning/
13

14. Team-based Learning:
examples of application in the UK
 Used TBL as the basic
learning and teaching
rationale in revised
Pharmacy Programme.
 Have hosted national
conference on TBL.
 See the work of Simon
Tweddell and colleagues,
e.g. http://slideplayer.com/slide/5842712/
 Applied TBL to learning and
teaching in medical
education.
 Putting readiness tests
online.
 See the work of Dr Shibab E
Khigali and colleagues
:http://www.researchgate.net/publication/266030802
_Team-
Based_Learning_in_a_UK_Medical_School_Using_
Mobile_Friendly_Technology_to_Support_the_In-
class_Individual_Readiness_Assurance_Test
University of Bradford University of Dundee
14

15. Team-based learning at
Anglia: dedicated spaces
15

16. Outcomes at Bradford
 “The benefits of TBL were perceived to be enhanced student
engagement, peer learning, increased faculty enjoyment of teaching,
and student development of transferable skills. Challenges included
increased initial workload, writing effective application exercises,
and facilitating learner-centred classes.” (Tweddell et al, 2016)
 “One of the principles of our curriculum design was moving from a
’supported learner’ to an 'autonomous learner’ and gradually
removing the 'scaffolding’ along the way… We believe very strongly
that TBL helps our students how to learn to work with other people. ,
e.g. by talking through differences of opinion and coming to a
collaborative decision is a valuable skill to learn that will benefit
them in the workplace. We are explicit about this with our students.”
(Tweddell, personal email)
16

17. TBL at Huddersfield:
outcomes and evaluation
 Stage 1: systematic review of the evidence for
implementing TBL within nursing and
midwifery education
 4 themes emerged: Student Engagement, Student
Satisfaction, Attainment and Practice
Development and Transformational Teaching and
Learning
 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2017.09.012
 Stage 2: university funding to implement TBL
across the inter-professional learning
curriculum at levels 4 & 5 (N=800 students) 17

18. Experiences and Outcomes
 Experience reflected the literature
 Staff workshops and student consultants aided the
change process - advocates v saboteurs
 The classrooms buzzed with energy during many
of the activities – especially the scratch cards
http://learntbl.ca/if-at-immediate-feedback-assessment-technique/
 The module final results were excellent
 Technology for recording data proved challenging
and careful consideration for real time recording
of results is required – especially when dealing
with large numbers
18

19. Going forwards
 Formal evaluation is ongoing:
 To measure student attainment on the selected TBL modules against
the cohort from the previous, non-TBL academic year
 To use the validated TBL Student Assessment Instrument (TBL-SAI)
(Mennenga, 2012) to evaluate student preparation for class and
contribution to the team
 To use the TBL-SAI to assess student Preference for Lecture or TBL;
this subscale assesses student ability to recall material and student
attention level in lecture and team-based learning
 To use the TBL-SAI to assess Student Satisfaction with TBL
 To adapt the TBL-SAI (by adding 2 additional questions) to assess
the impact of TBL on IPE; this subscale will assess students
preparedness for inter-professional working in practice
19

20. SCALING UP
(HEFCE project)
http://www4.ntu.ac.uk/apps/news/192812-
15/NTU_and_partners_lead_the_way_in_demonstrating_innovative_teaching_methods.aspx
20

21. Example 2: Cybersecurity PBL
(article in press - Beaumont and Hartley, 2018)
 Messy real-world problem scenario – students do
not have the knowledge to solve at the outset.
 Student teams (4–5) identify learning issues and a
strategy to solve or manage the problem.
 Individual research/learning & teach others.
 Team evaluates the new knowledge and apply it
to solve/manage the problem.
 Students reflect on the solution and process.
 Tutor act as facilitator to challenge and guide the
learning process. 21

22. 22
Consulting model What PBL normally includes What you will be doing at each stage in the specific CSKE
scenario
Understanding
organizational history and
context
Scenario analysis
Socio-technical organizational analysis.
Clarification of ambiguities
Individual and team review of scenario text and video resources.
Team discussion.
Clarification of ambiguities with tutor/facilitator.
Determining the problem to
be resolved
Analysis: Identify key issues
Simulated consultation with stakeholders (e.g. role-play
and/or online interaction).
Reviewing technology/ processes in use.
Identifying learning goals.
Facilitator Guidance.
Team review of scenario: identifying key issues.
Identifying learning goals.
Team publish action list & summary in forum.
Identifying/ learning
necessary knowledge
Individual research & learning to resolve knowledge
gaps.
Summarising & reflection. Teams share learning.
Individual research & learning
Individually summary of learning and how it applies to the
scenario.
Team sharing learning/ teach each other.
Identifying alternative
solutions
Determining and agreeing evaluation criteria and
process.
Identifying technical possibilities, considering
acceptance issues and organizational fit.
Facilitator Guidance.
Determining evaluation criteria through team discussion.
Team identification of options for the pentest.
Facilitator Guidance.
Choosing optimal solution
Deciding on best technical, organizational and social
outcomes.
Proposing solution with justification
Team decision and justification.
Presentation to tutor in role of main stakeholders.
Planning the
implementation
Applying planning and scheduling techniques.
Proposing plan and deadlines.
Review Scenario text and resources.
Produce Report/ Flyer/ video.
Produce plan/schedule.
Implementation Building the solution (if appropriate).
Deploying the solution (if appropriate).
Not applicable to this scenario
Final evaluation Formal evaluation methods re project success.
Personal reflection and evaluation.
Team evaluation of performance and project success.
Individual reflection on personal learning & development.
CSKE PBL approach
was used to develop
students’ consultancy
skills and also as the
model for the online
scenarios which are
now used to teach
cybersecurity.
Full details of the
CSKE project and the
online scenarios at
https://www.cybered
ge.uk/cske/index.php

23. Example 3: PBL in Health
23
 Midwifery at the University of Bradford has
long been delivered by a completely PBL
curriculum
 Problems are a vehicle for the development of
clinical problem solving skills - this is recognised
and valued by clinical staff.
 Very high number of 1st and 2.1s
 Not great NSS – student expectations?

24. Example 4:
Approaches to team-building
 Roles and group structures, e.g. Belbin
 Progressive group exercises
 Different problem-solving and decision-
making techniques, e.g. Nominal Group
24

25. Belbin’s Team Roles
25
A typical summary
of Belbin’s approach
with links to his
major books.
See at:
https://www.ifm.en
g.cam.ac.uk/researc
h/dmg/tools-and-
techniques/belbins-
team-roles/

26. Application of Belbin in HE
26
https://www.researchgate.net/public
ation/239794695_Construction_of_S
tudent_Groups_Using_Belbin_Suppo
rting_Group_Work_in_Environmenta
l_Management

27. ‘Structured experiences’
(see the work of Pfeiffer and Jones*)
27http://home.snu.edu/~jsmith/library/body/v21.pdf
* A list of their handbooks can be
found at:
http://www.worldcat.org/title/handb
ook-of-structured-experiences-for-
human-relations-
training/oclc/605321420/editions?re
ferer=di&editionsView=true&fq=

28. A structured group process:
Nominal Group Technique
28
https://www.ncbi.nl
m.nih.gov/pmc/articl
es/PMC4909789/
4 Steps in NGT:
• Silent generation
• Round robin
• Clarification
• Voting/ranking

29. 29
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14703297.2015.1058721

30. Another interesting variant:
Ketso
30http://www.ketso.com

31. Open discussion: How do/can
we put this all together?
 What should students know about team
dynamics?
 How can we improve their teamwork skills?
 Which approaches to teamwork provide the
best opportunities for learning gain in both
subject discipline and group process?
 How can course/programme teams decide
which approach to student groups/teams is
the most productive?
31

32. And finally:
Some practical suggestions
 Develop a course/programme strategy.
 Incorporate group experiences/techniques
and student reflection across the
course/programme.
 Planned development in terms of both task
and process – e.g. moving from structured to
open approaches.
32

33. 33

34. Further references and sources
 Dearnley, C.A, Rhodes, C.A., Roberts, P., Williams P., Prenton, S. (2018) Team-based
learning in nursing and midwifery higher education; a systematic review of the evidence
for change. Nurse Education Today Volume 60, Jan 2018, 75-83
https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1VuXD_5xMpk7Sl
 Tweddell, S., Clark. D., and Nelson, M. (2016) Team-based learning in pharmacy: The
faculty experience. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning. Volume 8, Issue 1, January–
February, Pages 7-17
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cptl.2015.09.008
34