Team-Based Learning as an innovative teaching methodology: assessing gender inclusiveness in a quantitative economic subject

.This paper analyses the impact on students’ performance of the introduction of team-based learning (TBL, for short) teaching methodology. TBL has proven to be a powerful and versatile teaching strategy that enables teachers to take small group learnings to a new level of effectiveness according to the empirical evidence of its implementation worldwide since 2020. The analysis involves various cohorts of macroeconomics students at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia Marco Biagi Department of Economics (DEMB). We exploit the structural break in the academic year 2017/2018 in which TBL was introduced in the Macroeconomics Course at the second year of the Bachelor Programme in Business and management to test the impact of TBL teaching methods in learning outcomes also considering students’ heterogeneity. Within this perspective of inclusiveness, special attention is given to gender bias in TBL effectiveness and outcomes in Macroeconomics measured by using Macroeconomics exam grades. Comparisons between groups were made using econometric and statistical analysis on a rich and self-constructed database. The latter, composed using multiple administrative and primary data sources, allows controlling for student socio-demographic characteristics and their academic careers. The econometric analysis starts with a multivariate regression to estimate the TBL’s effect on grades in macroeconomics, then moves to a probit analysis that returns the probability of passing the exam and concludes with a Cragg model (two-part Hurdle model) which offers improved estimates by correcting for the censored dependent variable. Regardless of gender, a positive impact of TBL on students’ performance is detected. Treated, especially if female, improves macroeconomic scores, and this is consistent with the literature reviewed. On the other hand, males benefit more from the treatment through a significant increase in the likelihood of passing the exam.