Background: Team-based learning is a highly structured, active educational strategy based on small group interaction to foster deep learning. It equips nursing students with critical thinking disposition and problem-solving abilities to solve problems individually, as well, enhance nursing students engagement, satisfaction, collaboration, and has positive effect on learning outcomes in terms of academic achievement. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of implementing team based learning on classroom engagement, critical thinking disposition and academic achievement of nursing Students enrolled in principle of nursing research course.

Methods: The study was conducted at the College of Nursing, ABHA, King Khalid University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, using a quasi-experimental design. A simple random sample from 4th year nursing students (n=36) out from 41 in the level ten they enrolled in the principle of nursing research course in the academic year 2022/2023. Five tools were used for data collection: Readiness Assurance Test for Team based learning, The Team-Based Learning Student Assessment instrument, Classroom Engagement Survey, Modified inventory of the California critical thinking disposition sheet, ,and Students' achievement test (final written exam).

Results: The study findings indicate that the highest percentage of nursing students feel engaged during classroom, and had a positive level of critical thinking dispositions skills, Additionally, the mean score of achievement of nursing students in the final theoretical exam in the units that taught by team based learning was higher than their achievement in the others units that taught by tradition lecture with a highly statistically significant difference.

Conclusion and recommendation: The study findings add to the literature supporting the use of team based learning approach in nursing education. The approach is beneficial for enhancing nursing students' critical thinking dispositions skills, classroom engagement and academic achievement. Therefore, the study recommends more utilization of team based learning in the nursing college as an interactive learning method, with training workshops aimed at changing the attitude of college teaching staff toward the use of more innovative models of active learning that enhance classroom engagement and critical thinking disposition of nursing students such as team based learning. Further studies should link team based learning with student academic and clinical achievement in other nursing courses.

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