Blended and Flipped Learning: Entrepreneurial Teaching Strategies for Acquiring Creative Thinking Skills

Abstract

Purpose of the study: This study investigated the effect of blended learning and flipped learning strategies on acquiring creative thinking skills at its three levels: fluency, flexibility, and originality by tenth graders in science compared to the traditional method.
 Methodology: Quasi-experimental method was used. The study was applied to 54 tenth-grade students from a private school who were divided into 3 sections, one of which was control while the other two were experimental. One of the experimental sections studied using the learning through real-world problems method of blended learning (Real World hereafter) while the other used flipped learning's 3D virtual worlds method. Creative thinking was measured by an immediate achievement test, which consisted of thirty questions designed to measure the three creative thinking skills. Moreover, the validity and reliability of the test were verified.
 Main Findings: The findings yielded significant differences in favor of the experimental groups whose scores mean was noticeably higher. Furthermore, the experimental group that studied using flipped learning demonstrated better performance than that which studied using blended learning.
 Applications of this study: this research will help to establishment of educational institutions specialized in designing and producing educational 3D virtual activities, such as 3D videos. Such activities need to be suitable for the Arabic educational background and in keeping with its culture and values.
 Novelty/Originality of this study: The study reviews two learning strategies that allow educational institutions to break free from classroom restrictions and examines the extent of their ability to develop students' creative thinking. Currently, the need for these strategies has been increased by educational institutions, especially after COVID-19.