Educational Media Reviews Online

One of the greatest challenges in college teaching today is recognizing and connecting with students’ diverse learning styles. An innovative alternative to the lecture-oriented, teacher-centered methods common in higher education is the focus of Team Learning.

Originally developed by Dr. Larry Michaelsen at the University of Oklahoma’s School of Management, team learning is a form of cooperative learning that the video’s author, Dr. Clyde Herreid, deems especially effective in the science classroom. Viewers get a close-up of this small group approach via live footage and student interviews from one of Herreid’s biology classes at the University at Buffalo. Progressing through group formation, tasks, and evaluation, Herreid clearly explains and illustrates the effectiveness of the team learning method of teaching. He also addresses the potential pitfalls of the cooperative learning model and provides strategies for avoiding them based on his own classroom experiences. A helpful written guide accompanies the video, elaborating on the teacher’s role as organizer, facilitator, and evaluator. In addition, viewers may find another of Herreid’s video productions a useful companion, The Use of Case Studies and Group Discussion in Science Education.

Team Learning is a very motivational pedagogical tool for faculty in most disciplines who seek a fresh approach to instruction. Highly recommended for natural science, teacher education, and professional development collections.

Herreid is a Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Biological Sciences Department and Director of the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York. Production of Team Learning was made possible with support from The Pew Charitable Trusts and the National Science Foundation.