Exploring the Effectiveness of Flipped Classroom on STEM Student Achievement: A Meta-analysis

Abstract

A 'flipped classroom' creates a dynamic and effective learning environment where students learn basic knowledge at home and engage in active learning activities during the class. It has been widely used across different STEM (Science, Technology, Environment, Mathematics) disciplines. However, there is a lack of systematic and quantitative assessments of the effectiveness of the flipped classroom model on student performance. In this study, a meta-analysis was conducted with 53 research articles on the flipped classroom in STEM higher education. It showed an overall significant effect in favor of flipped learning over traditional learning models for STEM education (Hedges' g = 0.263, 95% [0.190, 0.337], Z = 7.03, p < 0.0001), with no evidence of publication bias. Moderator analysis showed that student performance was associated with the implementation strategies of flipped learning and the research control methods. Testing of the moderating factors link activity, pre-class activity, in-class activity, and post-class activity suggests that link activities to gauge home learning at the beginning of class, a mixture of group activities and individual activities during class and setting a combination of quizzes and exercises after class, all serve to improve student achievement in STEM education.

Distributed Active Learning (DAL): An Approach to Reduce Class Size in Large Enrollment Courses

“…There could be added benefits to adding such a framework. For example, the DAL approach has synergies with a flipped classroom pedagogy by emphasizing smaller class sizes and enhanced collaboration, key factors for the flipped model’s success. − In DAL, the shift to smaller, flexible learning spaces led by TAs facilitates active, collaborative in-class activities. Such an approach facilitates personalized feedback and peer-to-peer engagement, which are central in flipped classrooms where preclass content acquisition is applied during class time.…”

Using Simulations and Screencasts in Online Preclass Activities to Support Student Building of Mental Models

“…Studies have shown that textbook readings or video lectures can promote learning gains [18,19], though one study that compared different formats for preclass activities found that video lectures had an advantage over textbook readings [19]. More importantly, studies have shown that students' active engagement in preclass activities is critical to student learning [12,13,16,17]. This is consistent with the ICAP Framework-Interactive, Constructive, Active, and Passive-which predicts that as students become more engaged with learning materials, their learning will increase [20].…”

“…Indeed, studies of flipped models that use video lectures with no methods for assuring students are actively engaged with the materials show small or no student gains [12,13,16]. The ability to embed required questions within a video can help to support student selfassessment and provide accountability for the completion of preclass activities, which may explain why students completing such activities were found to significantly outperform students completing textbook readings [21].…”

“…This model frees up in-class time for instructors to support students' active engagement with tasks designed to reinforce or build upon the foundation of knowledge that students developed in the preclass activity [12]. The flipped classroom has been well studied with several meta-analyses supporting the conclusion that flipped instruction significantly improves student cognitive learning over traditional lecture methods across multiple subject domains [13][14][15][16]. Specifically in chemistry, most of the studies on flipped classrooms at the post-secondary level have focused on introductory and organic chemistry [12].…”