One activity-rich way to utilize collaborative learning, team-based learning (TBL), can present students and teachers with both opportunities and challenges. TBL requires students to prepare for each class, where they are then assessed for their ‘readiness’ to apply the concepts learned during their pre-class preparation. This study addresses two aspects of TBL in an aim to better support and facilitate student learning and engagement: (1) supporting students during their pre-class preparation by providing metadata on the often-difficult required readings, and (2) offering students communication from the teacher, or ‘expert’ – something students often perceive as missing in active learning classes. Short, supportive podcasts are provided to students to give context to their out-of-class preparation and to allow them to hear directly from the teacher. Results suggest that the intervention of supportive podcasts successfully addresses these two issues and may benefit other collaborative classrooms that face similar challenges.
AndriessenJ (2006) Arguing to learn. In: SawyerRK (ed.) The Cambridge Handbook of the Learning Sciences. New York: Cambridge University Press, pp. 443–59.
CooperJLRobinsonP (2000) The argument for making large classes seem small. New Directions for Teaching and Learning81: 5–16.
6.
CraginJ (2004) Team-based learning in international situations. In: MichaelsenLKBauman KnightAFinkLD (eds) Team-based Learning: A Transformative Use of Small Groups in College Teaching. Vancouver: Stylus, pp. 173–82.
7.
DaleCPymmJM (2009) Podagogy: The iPod as a learning technology. Active Learning in Higher Education10(1): 84–96.
8.
DillenbourgPBakerMBlayeAO’MalleyC (1996) The evolution of research on collaborative learning. In: SpadaEReimanP (eds) Learning in Humans and Machine: Towards an Interdisciplinary Learning Science. Oxford: Elsevier, pp. 189–211.
9.
ErdemM (2009) Effects of learning style profile of team on quality of materials developed in collaborative learning processes. Active Learning in Higher Education10(2): 154–71.
10.
EvansC (2008) The effectiveness of m-learning in the form of podcast revision lectures in higher education. Computers & Education50: 491–8.
11.
GlaserBG (1978) Theoretical Sensitivity. Mill Valley, CA: Sociology Press.
12.
GlaserBGStraussAL (1967) The Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research. New York: Aldine.
13.
GunnCWoodgateSO’GradyW (2005) Repurposing learning objects: A sustainable alternative?ALT-J13(3): 189–200.
14.
HaidetPMorganROO’MalleyKMoranBJRichardsBF (2004) A controlled trial of active versus passive learning strategies in a large group setting. Advances in Health Sciences Education9: 15–27.
15.
FinkLD (2004) Beyond small groups: Harnessing the extraordinary power of learning teams. In: MichaelsenLKBauman KnightAFinkLD (eds) Team-based Learning: A Transformative Use of Small Groups in College Teaching. Vancouver: Stylus, pp. 3–26.
16.
FreemanM (2004) Team-based learning in a course combining in-class and online interaction. In: MichaelsenLKBauman KnightAFinkLD (eds) Team-based Learning: A Transformative Use of Small Groups in College Teaching. Vancouver: Stylus, pp. 183–94.
17.
FreemanMClarkSMcGrath-ChampSTaylorL (2006) The case for in-class team-based assessment. In: UniServe Science: Proceedings of the Assessment in Science Teaching and Learning Symposium, 28 September, University of Sydney, Australia, pp. 50–5.
18.
JohnsonDWJohnsonRT (1999) Making cooperative learning work. Theory Into Practice38(2): 67–73.
19.
KennedyRR (2009) The power of in-class debates. Active Learning in Higher Education10(3): 225–36.
20.
KolesPNelsonSStolfiAParmaleeDDeStephenD (2005) Active learning in a Year 2 pathology curriculum. Medical Education39: 1045–55.
21.
LaneDR (2008) Teaching skills for facilitating team-based learning. In: MichaelsenLKSweetMParmeleeDX (eds) Team-based Learning: Small Group Learning’s Next Big Step. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Periodicals, pp. 55–68.
22.
LarkinHE (2010) But they won’t come to lectures . . . The impact of audio recorded lectures on student experience and attendance. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology26(2): 238–49.
23.
LeeMJWMcLoughlinCChanA (2008) Talk the talk: Learner-generated podcasts as catalysts for knowledge creation. British Journal of Educational Technology39(3): 501–21.
24.
McGrath-ChampSZouMTaylorL (2010) Student diversity as a microcosm of the world: Teaching work and employment issues in an internationalised classroom. In: WaughFNapierL (eds) Internationalising Learning and Teaching in Academic Settings. Sydney: University of Sydney Publishing Service, pp. 110–32.
25.
McLoughlinCLucaJ (2002) A learner-centred approach to developing team skills through web-based learning and assessment. British Journal of Educational Technology33(5): 571–82.
26.
MichaelsenLKBauman KnightAFinkLD (eds) (2004) Team-based Learning: A Transformative Use of Small Groups in College Teaching. Vancouver: Stylus.
27.
MichaelsenLKSweetMParmeleeDX (eds) (2008) Team-based Learning: Small Group Learning’s Next Big Step. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Periodicals.
NicolDJBoyleJT (2003) Peer instruction versus class-wide discussion in large classes: A comparison of two interaction methods in the wired classroom. Studies in Higher Education28(4): 457–73.
30.
ParmeleeDX (2008) Team-based learning in health professions education: Why is it a good fit? In: MichaelsenLKSweetMParmeleeDXMcMahonKKLevinRE (eds) Team-Based Learning for Health Professions Education: A Guide to Using Small Groups for Improving Learning. Vancouver: Stylus, pp. 3–8.
31.
PopovskyJ (2004) Using team-based learning in a very traditional, cultural and institutional context. In: MichaelsenLKBauman KnightAFinkLD (eds) Team-based Learning: A Transformative Use of Small Groups in College Teaching. Vancouver: Stylus, pp. 169–72.
32.
PowerD (1990) The use of audio in distance education. In: TimmersS (ed.) Training Needs in the Use of Media for Distance Education. Singapore: Asian Mass Communication Research and Information Centre, pp. 43–60.
33.
RacthamPZhangX (2006) Podcasting in academia: A new knowledge management paradigm within academic settings. In: SIGMIS-CPR ’06: Proceedings of the 2006 ACM SIGMIS CPR Conference, 13–15 April, Claremont/Pomona, California. New York: ACM Press.
34.
SchlosserCABurmeisterML (2006) Audio in online courses: Beyond podcasting, World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare and Higher Education. Available at: http://www.nova.edu/~burmeist/audio_online.html (accessed 1 December 2010).
35.
ScutterSStupansISawyerTKingS (2010) How do students use podcasts to support learning?Australasian Journal of Educational Technology26(2): 180–91.
36.
SlavinRE (1980) Cooperative learning. Review of Educational Research50(2): 315–42.
37.
StreulingGF (2004) Overcoming initial mistakes when using small groups. In: MichaelsenLKBauman KnightAFinkLD (eds) Team-based Learning: A Transformative Use of Small Groups in College Teaching. Vancouver: Stylus, pp. 133–44.
38.
TaylorLClarkS (2010) Educational design of short, audio-only podcasts: The teacher and student experience. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology26(3): 386–99.
39.
TraxlerJ (2008) Podcasting in context. In: SalmonGEdirisinghaP (eds) Podcasting for Learning in Universities. Glasgow: McGraw Hill/Open University Press, pp.12–19.
