Do your students dread the thought of working in groups or teams?  Are you ready to incorporate more active learning methods into your teaching style?  Have you ever wondered how to go about “flipping” your classroom?  If any of your answers is “Yes”, consider trying Team-Based Learning (TBL).  TBL is a structured small group active learning method that motivates students through a readiness assurance process to come to class prepared, teaches team skills via experience, and focuses classroom time on higher order skills such as problem-solving and decision-making.  This workshop will be a great introduction to TBL, and will be conducted in the TBL format.  Participants will prepare ahead, take a readiness assurance test, and then engage actively with their assigned team members.  The structure, process, and essential characteristics of an effective TBL module will be emphasized. 

The SciTS community focuses on the value of team science in research.  Team-Based Learning (TBL) focuses on the value of team science in teaching and learning.  SciTS attendees who are in academia may be particularly interested in applying team science to their teaching.  TBL is also being used for leadership and management training in the non-profit sector. 

By the end of this workshop you should be able to:

• Explain the key components of a successful TBL module
• Outline how to construct a TBL module from a set of objectives
• Describe how to convert a course/lecture already being taught into a TBL module
• Illustrate how to transform a small group into a productive learning-team

Parts of this workshop will be conducted in the TBL format.  Participants should prepare for the workshop by reading this short pre-reading assignment in advance.

In advance          Preparation Assignment

30 minutes         Introductory mini-lecture and team formation

30 minutes         Readiness Assurance Process (individual and team readiness assurance tests)

30 minutes         Readiness Assurance process debriefing

30 minutes          Application Exercises

30 minutes         Application Exercise debriefing

30 minutes         Closing mini-lecture

Presenter:

Wayne T. McCormack earned a BS degree in Biology at Creighton University and MS & PhD degrees in Biological Science at Florida State University.  After postdoctoral training in immunogenetics at the University of Michigan, he joined the faculty of the department of Pathology, Immunology & Laboratory Medicine at the University of Florida College of Medicine in 1991.  Dr. McCormack has been involved in every facet of graduate program planning, curriculum development, recruiting & admissions, and administration, and served as the Associate Dean for Graduate Education and biomedical sciences PhD program director for ten year.  He currently serves as the director of Clinical & Translational Science doctoral programs at the UF Clinical & Translational Science Institute, director of the UF Health Office of Biomedical Research Career Development, and associate director of the MD-PhD program.  Dr. McCormack is a past chair of the AAMC Graduate research, Education and Training (GREAT) Group (2011-12), and a past president of the Team-Based Learning Collaborative (2012-15).  He is actively involved in the national CTSA Consortium as a member of the Workforce Development Domain Task Force and TL1 Directors Group.  Dr. McCormack directs and teaches in the graduate-level courses in immunology and professional development (RCR, teaching skills, team science).  He has been using Team-Based Learning in his teaching for over twelve years.  Dr. McCormack’s research efforts are focused on education-related projects, including team-based learning, responsible conduct of research, team science, career outcomes, and competency-based assessment of science PhD training.  Recent publications have addressed measures of career outcomes and the status of current training for team science at CTSA institutions, use of TBL in interprofessional health science education, and competency-based assessment for science PhD training.