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Stony Brook University

RSOM Faculty Development Guide: Start a Teaching Renaissance

This guide contains resources for the Renaissance School of Medicine faculty.

 

Introduction

Small-group learning is an interactive method that supplements lectures and other class formats. With small group learning students work together in groups, helping each other think critically, master course concepts, and apply them to real-world situations. Students are motivated toward a common goal and work together to support each other’s learning.  Small group learning can take on many formats, it could include one small group in a class working together with the teacher or many small groups in class working separately with the teacher facilitating all of the groups.

Below is a recording of the session on facilitating small groups that was given as part of the RSOM Faculty Development Series.

Types of Small Group Learning

There are three types of small group learning:

  • Problem-Based Learning (PBL) - a student-centered approach in which students learn about a subject by working in groups to solve an open-ended problem. 

  • Case-Based Learning (CBL) - a method in which students learn to interact with and manipulate basic foundational knowledge by working with situations resembling specific real-world scenarios.

  • Team-Based Learning (TBL) - an active learning and small group instructional strategy that provides students with opportunities to apply conceptual knowledge through a sequence of activities that includes individual work, teamwork, and immediate feedback.

The chart below illustrates the differences between PBL, CBL, and TBL.

Alphabet Soup of Active Learning: Comparison of PBL, CBL, and TBL  

Below are links to resources about PBL, CBL, and TBL.

Below is a sampling of books that the Stony Brook University Libraries has on PBL, CBL, and TBL.