This study aims to examine the effects of introducing team-based learning (TBL) for acquiring knowledge and understanding concepts in English Linguistics (phonology and morphology) classes, a university-level subject. The subject was taught in two different ways, through a lecture method in 2016 and through TBL in 2017. The effects of introducing TBL on students’ knowledge acquisition and conceptual understanding were examined in comparison with those of students who underwent the lecture method. The results showed that TBL had a greater influence on knowledge acquisition and conceptual understanding than did the lecture method. The combination of these findings and the amount of time that the students spent on this subject implies that TBL does not necessarily influence the quantity of learning but does improve the efficiency of learning.
