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History
History of Team-Based Learning (TBL) and the Team-Based Learning Collaborative (TBLC)
By: Karla Kubitz and Caroline Wilson
Conceptual Origins of Team-Based Learning
Team-Based Learning originated when Larry Michaelsen developed “Team Learning” at the University of Oklahoma to sustain rigorous, problem-focused learning at scale, establishing the readiness assurance process and application activities structured by the “4S” principles.
After this conceptual idea took hold, some key milestones led to the formation of the Team-Based Learning Collaborative, and its expansion:
Timeline highlighting core milestones in the development of TBL and the emergence of the Team-Based Learning Collaborative (TBLC). Early work and the founding of the TBLC was supported by the US Department of Education Fund for Improvement of Post-Secondary Education (FIPSE) Grant #P116B000884. Alt text accompanies the figure for screen readers.
The timeline above highlights formative milestones in the development of TBL and the emergence of a formal collaborative. In the years that followed, TBLC helped codify the method’s essential elements and supported broad expansion across disciplines, countries, and delivery modes—work that continues to shape a global scholarly
community of practice.
Early Dissemination and Cross-Disciplinary Awareness
Through articles, book chapters, and professional development networks (encouraged by L. Dee Fink), the method gained visibility across disciplines during a period when active learning was still uncommon.
Translation to Medical Education and Early Adoption
Catalyzed by connections among innovators—most notably Boyd Richards and colleagues at Baylor—faculty in medicine and allied health experienced TBL firsthand, generating early pilots, measurement efforts, and the first medical education publications.
Funded Dissemination, Evaluation, and Network Formation
Two FIPSE grants supported multi-institutional implementation, faculty development workshops (including train-the-trainer), early scholarship, and momentum that culminated in a formal community and the first TBLC annual meeting.
Codification and Stewardship of Team-Based Learning
As adoption accelerated, the Team-Based Learning Collaborative articulated and safeguarded the essential elements of TBL, clarifying what constitutes authentic TBL practice and emphasizing design fidelity, quality, and accountability.
Expansion Across Disciplines, Countries, and Delivery Modes
Building on early success in medical education, TBL expanded globally across disciplines, institutions, workforce training, and faculty development programs, including early online and hybrid implementations that preserved core design principles while extending reach and deepening organizational impact.