Flipped learning in higher education is becoming increasingly widespread. Although the number of flipped learning articles has increased since 2011, systematic reviews of flipped learning have been criticized for lacking a theoretical framework. The aim in this article is to explore the link between flipped learning and active learning: specifically, which theoretical frameworks are described. A scoping review was adopted as the research methodology. The selected studies indicate that this link between flipped learning and active learning is rarely explicitly addressed or operationalized. Approximately 65% of the 435 full-text articles retrieved do not explicitly connect their research to theory or a conceptual framework. The remaining 155 studies included for analysis refer to a mix of pedagogical terms or approaches. The theoretical and conceptual underpinnings are generally only vaguely described, with a few exceptions. The results indicate an eclecticism and a reluctance to connect flipped learning with a specific conceptual framework.
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