Research A measure of teamwork perceptions for team-based learning Patrick J. Gallegos, PharmD, BCPS a,b, *, J. Michael Peeters, PharmD, MEd c a Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy, Rootstown, OH b Akron General Medical Center, Akron, OH and c University of Toledo, College of Pharmacy, Toledo, OH Abstract Introduction: Teamwork is a developed skill that is essential within pharmacy practice and health care. Exposure to team-based learning (TBL) pedagogy may foster development of this skill. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a measure for perception of teamwork among PharmD students, and then examine a module using TBL pedagogy. Methods: Faculty instructors for a 90-contact hour cardiovascular pharmacotherapy module used TBL pedagogy in teaching 18 hours of the therapeutics topics in that module. To determine a change in their perceptions of teamwork, second-year PharmD students took pre- and post-module surveys. The survey instrument used was previously published with use among medical students. Results: Fifty-eight of 61 PharmD students participated. The Rasch Measurement Model was used to construct measures of student perceptions along a linear and unidimensional “perception of teamwork” continuum. To make the survey unidimen- sional, seven of the 20 items were removed. The resulting instrument had a reliability of 0.93 and separation of 3.56. Pre-module survey results were 1.1  2.5 logits, whereas afterwards were 1.3  2.4 logits. Change in students’ perceptions were varied at 0.2  2.6 logits (paired t-test p = 0.6293). Older students had a negative correlation (r = – 0.27, p = 0.04), whereas pharmacy work experience had a positive correlation with change in teamwork perception (r = 0.31, p = 0.02). Conclusion: This instrument appears psychometrically valid and reliable to measure changes in PharmD students’ perceptions of teamwork with TBL. Study results led to reflection on attributing factors for module improvements by involved faculty. © 2011 Published by Elsevier Inc. Keywords: Team-based learning; Teamwork; Student perceptions; Rasch measurement Introduction Teamwork is essential for a safer, more effective health care system. 1 As health care team members, pharmacists need to be equipped to work in teams with other health care professionals regardless of practice setting. In fact, the Ac- creditation Council for Pharmacy Education suggests that students experience teamwork during their education. 2 Thus, teamwork should be fostered among students in both early and advanced stages of education. It seems reasonable to initially have students build teamwork skills with class- mates before moving onward to other interprofessional teamwork. Although there are multiple educational strate- gies to expose students to teamwork, one successful strategy has been small-group learning. 3 A specialized type of small- group learning that focuses on team development is team- based learning (TBL). Having originated in the 1970s from Michaelsen and colleagues, TBL has been successfully integrated into health professions education. 4 TBL uses behavioral objectives, transparently selected teams, tests (i.e., the Individual Readiness Assessment Test and the Group Readiness As- sessment Test) on pre-lecture readings, and applied in-class learning activities (i.e., case studies). The tests incentivize student preparation for the classroom, student accountability to peers, and small-group team discussions about the topic learning objectives. The applied learning activities are de- signed with the 4 Ss (Significant to students, Same problem, Specific choice, Simultaneous report) and focus to stimulate * Reprint requests: Patrick J. Gallegos, PharmD, BCPS, North- eastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy, 4209 State Route 44, Rootstown, OH 44272. E-mail: pgallegos@neoucom.edu. Available online at www.sciencedirect.com Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning 3 (2011) 30 –35 http://www.pharmacyteaching.com 1877-1297/11/$ – see front matter © 2011 Published by Elsevier Inc. doi:10.1016/j.cptl.2010.10.004