Beyond Collaborative Learning: a Comparison of Small Groups in Face-to-Face and Online Settings

Small group-based instructional approaches such as case-based learning (CBL) and team-based learning (TBL) are widely used in medical education to promote collaboration and team learning. During the pandemic, many medical schools shifted from face-to-face instruction to online settings. While CBL/TBL are intended to foster collaborative skills, it is unclear how its use evolves in an online setting and whether the online setting impacts students’ perceptions and behaviors in collaboration. This study examined how the change from in-person to online CBL/TBL impacted students’ collaboration. We used a mixed-methods sequential design, first collecting and analyzing retrospective cohort quantitative data with the Class of 2023 through peer evaluation surveys followed by six focus groups. Students’ assessment of their peers was generally positive. Nonparametric testing showed significant differences for two questions with less positive perceptions in the virtual setting compared to when students had in-person CBL/TBL. The focus group results identified several themes related to collaboration and learning communities. In the virtual setting, students not only lost collaboration opportunities with their group members in CBL/TBL, but also learning opportunities and social connections with other groups and the community as a whole. Virtual learning environments may have presented challenges for collaborative learning and the establishment of a sense of community.