The flipped classroom: supporting a diverse group of students in their learning

Abstract

Higher education faces several challenges including both increased student diversity and the use of technologies. The flipped classroom approach has been proposed as a way to address some of these challenges. This study examined the effects of a flipped classroom trial conducted during a Master's course at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Half of the course was taught in a traditional lecture style while the remaining half was replaced by flipped classrooms. Interviews and focus-group discussions were conducted with the students to gather information about their experiences of the flipped classroom. Questionnaires completed by the students, as well as an interview with the tutor, were used to gain further insights into the effects of the flipped classroom on learning processes, such as pre-class preparation and in-class activities. Findings highlight the success of this trial based on the positive feedback from both students and the tutor. In particular, the combination of personalised pre-class learning and peer-learning classroom activities facilitated deeper learning. Surprisingly, even though the overall experience was good, not all students agreed that the flipped classroom contributed to positive learning outcomes, which should be investigated further because such outcomes could differ depending on students' general learning styles and preferences. Moreover, in order to facilitate flipped classrooms on a larger scale, considerable institutional support is required to enable their practical implementation and to provide flexible assessments. Our study thus sheds light on the feasibility of implementing flipped classroom teaching in higher education.

Does flipped learning affect language skills and learning styles differently?

“…The most amount of positive effect was observed on visual style and the least amount of positive effect was observed on kinesthetic style. The results of this part can provide empirical evidence in response to Goedhart et al. (2019) quest for further investigation as to why not all students agreed that the FL approach contributed to positive learning outcomes.…”

“…(2018), including extra workload for learners and teachers, the technology/internet related problems, and writing anxiety. Moreover, as these studies mainly concentrated on the efficacy of the FL approach compared to the traditional methods, they ignored psychological factors like motivation, personality traits, and learning styles in flipped learning environments (Goedhart et al., 2019; Kim, 2017). Therefore, lack in the literature is a study that considers students’ learning styles in relation to the FL strategy, as there is a widespread belief, especially among practitioners that tailoring teaching to the students’ learning styles would enhance learning outcomes.…”

Developing Reading Skills in a Flipped Class

“…The reserved in-class time may be utilized for teamwork, comprehension tasks, in-depth analysis and discussions, collaborative or individual assignments etc. It provides students with more opportunities for interaction, developing their critical thinking, analysis and problem solving skills [4].…”

The impact of the flipped classroom in higher education: a case study

“…One group embraces the new model, while the other defends a more traditional methodology. In their study of a flipped classroom project, Goedhart, Blignaut-van, Moser, & Zweekhorst (2019) recount that, while the experience overall was a positive one, not all the students agreed that the FC had contributed to improving their learning results. Elsewhere, Strayer (2012) found that students who had completed a class using a FC model were unsatisfied with the way the class's structure had served to guide them through their learning tasks.…”

“…When the flipped classroom is met with such negative reactions, it might be due to the characteristics of the students themselves. For example, they might not have the academic experience or the scientific reasoning and autonomous learning required of them in a flipped classroom (Jensen, Holt, Sowards, Ogden, & West, 2018;Goedhart et al, 2019). Some studies have also suggested that the implementation of this model might be hindered because of resistance to the necessary changes in both students' and teachers' roles.…”