Team-based learning: an innovative instructional practice that fosters mathematical thinking, learning, and development?

Abstract Team-based learning, an instructional practice composed of evidence-based practices, has a positive effect on student learning outcomes. Connections between team-based learning and mathematics education support a compelling argument for the potential effectiveness of team-based learning in mathematics. Documentation of the implementation of team-based learning in mathematics courses is both recent and few, and an analysis of the emerging scholarship regarding team-based learning in mathematics education has yet to be done. To understand if team-based learning is indeed a viable approach that fosters mathematical thinking, learning, and development as the creators of practice claim, we conducted a systematic-narrative hybrid literature review of empirical studies of team-based learning in mathematics education. We found just five articles that met our inclusion criteria; all studies found were conducted in post-secondary education settings. We find these studies demonstrate promising preliminary results that support students’ content mastery and engagement in mathematics. Adopting an evaluation framework for content analysis of team-based learning studies, we found that there are wide variations in the efficacy and reporting of team-based learning implementation in mathematics education. We discuss the lack of consensus on what team-based learning looks like in mathematics education and offer suggestions for future research.