CHSU Hosts the First Team-Based Learning Educational Summit in the Valley

College and University educators and staff members from multiple institutions across the Central Valley were invited to attend the first Annual CHSU Educational Summit in November. The CHSU Educational Summit was the first of its kind in the Valley.
The focus of this year’s CHSU Educational Summit revolved around Team-Based Learning (TBL). TBL is a strategy that ensures that learning is learner-centered, active, challenging, and elevated to authentic problem solving, and that teaching is assessment focused, responsive, transparent, and aligned to objective performance.
In practice, the TBL strategy consists of pre-learning in preparation for class, in-class readiness assurance testing, application-focused exercise and peer review. Rather than passively listening to a lecture, students are engaged in the learning process before they even step foot in the classroom.

“Well designed TBL modules are designed with the end in mind, focusing on what learners need to be able to do at the end of the module,” says Jody Takemoto, PhD, MEd, Associate Professor, Biomedical Education, CHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Five workshops were offered during the CHSU Educational Summit, including an introductory course, and specific courses on topics like creating effective TBL modules, improving educator TBL facilitation skills, and evaluating application activities. Participants also had the chance to present their own teaching methodologies during a lunch-time poster session.
Facilitated by CHSU faculty, the Educational Summit taught the skills necessary for participants to implement TBL into their own educational institutions and promote a more widespread use of this teaching strategy. And CHSU is leading the way.
Four of California’s ten certified TBL Consultants currently hold faculty positions at CHSU, and they are the only certified consultants in the Central Valley. All classes at CHSU are designed to reflect the TBL environment and faculty have been trained on how to structure their course curriculum using TBL. The strategy has proven effective for student success.

“Students solve problems, defend their choices, listen to feedback and critique other opinions. There is no other learning modality that provides this opportunity to practice critical thinking so frequently,” said Leanne Coyne, PhD, Professor, Biomedical Education, CHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine.

This Summit provided the opportunity for all participants to fulfill the coursework required for achieving the “Knowledge of the Fundamentals of TBL” certificate, a first level of training in Team-Based Learning proficiency. Over 25 of the participants are now eligible to receive the certificate as a result of participating in the Educational Summit.
The 2nd Annual CHSU Educational Summit is scheduled for November 2020. For more information about next year’s Educational Summit, please email Ashley Voorneveld at avoorneveld@chsu.edu.