Consensus and learning climate in temporary versus permanent teams in team-based learning

BACKGROUND: In team-based learning, students are typically placed in fixed teams based on the idea that stable group membership fosters collaboration: as teammates get to know each other, they share more information, resolve differences and feel motivated to contribute. This rationale had not been tested in a randomized controlled trial. OBJECTIVE: The study compares team-based learning in temporary teams with the default permanent teams regarding individual and team readiness assurance test performance (iRAT, tRAT), reaching team consensus, the learning climate, and intrinsic motivation. DESIGN: In a randomized controlled trial, first-year medical students were assigned either to permanent TBL teams or to teams that were re-assigned for each problem. The team readiness assurance test (tRAT) votes, submitted individually and covertly, served as an indirect indicator for team consensus (concordant versus discordant tRAT vote). RESULTS: = 268, 11.8% of all votes) were submitted more frequently in temporary than in permanent teams, both for correct and incorrect majority decisions. The self-rated learning climate was more cooperative in permanent than in temporary teams, while intrinsic motivation and tRAT scores were similar for both types of teams. A poorer learning climate was associated with a higher proportion of discordant tRATs. CONCLUSION: Working in temporary teams does not lead to inferior intrinsic motivation; this was previously also shown for knowledge gain. However, the poorer learning climate, together with reaching a consensus less often, might indicate that at least some members of temporary teams feel not adequately appreciated in the discussion and do not accept the majority decision. With instructional strategies promoting a cooperative learning climate in temporary teams, preclinical TBL courses might serve as an early promoter of the relational team competencies required for subsequent clinical workplace learning in temporary teams.