Implementing Team-Based Learning in Geomatics Education: enhancing hard and soft Skills in multicultural academic Contexts

Abstract. This practice paper presents the design, implementation, and first evaluation of Team-Based Learning (TBL) activities in university-level Geomatics courses taught in English to multicultural and international student groups. The study documents a structured pathway for adapting TBL to technically demanding subjects, including GIS suitability analysis, network analysis, remote sensing classification, and heat-risk assessment. Its main contribution lies in showing how a pedagogical model widely discussed in general higher education can be translated into software-based Geomatics teaching while supporting both disciplinary learning and intercultural collaboration. The paper also identifies the main organizational conditions for successful adoption, including team formation, workload calibration, and suitable classroom settings. Results from 12 TBL implementations involving 187 students and 470 total participations show clear benefits of teamwork: average team test performance was markedly higher than individual performance, repeated participation was associated with improved results, and student satisfaction increased after the introduction of TBL. Qualitative evidence further indicates gains in communication, teamwork, and intercultural interaction. Although the first implementation required substantial preparation effort, the approach proved replicable and scalable in subsequent editions, making TBL an effective instructional model for Geomatics education.