Improving Student Learning Attitudes with Reflective Writing in an Undergraduate Integrated Biomedical Science class Utilizing Team‐Based Learning

Team‐Based Learning (TBL) promotes higher‐level learning as individuals develop their communication skills. Reflective writing (RW) may be a fun and useful process to supplement TBL. Students participated in a 7‐week integrated biomedical sciences course on type 2 diabetes mellitus that utilized interactive didactic preparatory sessions and TBL exercises. Students also submitted online RW assignments focused on 1) student learning experiences and 2) simulated patient‐centered experiences. 67% of students cited early positive changes in their attitudes towards TBL. Student attitudes toward RW also changed, with 67% indicating initial concerns about the prospect and/or purpose of these postings in a biomedical sciences course. In contrast, by course end 100% of students cited RW for 1) promoting understanding of their own and their peers' thought processes, 2) facilitating interactions with their peers (44%), and 3) enhancing team dynamics (22%). RW can be used as an engaging forum to supplement the TBL environment with potential benefits to both students and learning facilitators. Through reflection, students appear to gain a better understanding of not only how they personally learn, but also appreciate team dynamics and how their peers are learning. Furthermore, the submissions improve student/teacher interactions as direct contact is reduced in integrated classes with multiple instructors.