The “flipped classroom” approach: Stimulating positive learning attitudes and improving mastery of histology among medical students

Abstract

Traditional medical education methodologies have been dramatically impacted by the introduction of new teaching approaches over the past few decades. In particular, the "flipped classroom" format has drawn a great deal of attention. However, evidence regarding the effectiveness of the flipped model remains limited due to a lack of outcome-based studies. In the present study, a pilot histology curriculum of the organ systems was implemented among 24 Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) students in a flipped classroom format at Jinan University. As a control, another 87 TCM students followed a conventional histology curriculum. The academic performance of the two groups was compared. In addition, a questionnaire was administered to the flipped classroom group. The test scores for the flipped classroom participants were found to be significantly higher compared to non-participants in the control group. These results suggest that students may benefit from using the flipped classroom format. Follow-up questionnaires also revealed that most of the flipped classroom participants undertook relatively more earnest preparations before class and were actively involved in classroom learning activities. The teachers were also found to have more class time for leading discussions and delivering quizzes rather than repeating rote didactics. Consequently, the increased teaching and learning activities contributed to a better performance among the flipped classroom group. This pilot study suggests that a flipped classroom approach can be used to improve histology education among medical students. However, future studies employing randomization, larger numbers of students, and more precise tracking methods are needed before definitive conclusions can be drawn. Anat Sci Educ 10: 317-327. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists.

A gross anatomy flipped classroom effects performance, retention, and higher‐level thinking in lower performing students

“…Why might the flipped‐classroom benefit previously‐underperforming students to a greater degree? Research findings are not conclusive, but arguments can be made for its greater amounts of: (1) structure (Haak et al, ; Baepler et al, ), (2) active‐learning practice (Haak et al, ; Jensen et al, ), and (3) student accountability for engagement with course material before class (Gross et al, ; Cheng et al, ; Chuang et al, ). A more structured environment and process for learning that might have been previously lacking in underperforming students' experience, may be at play in a flipped classroom where students pre‐matriculation status was more varied (Baepler et al, ).…”

“…Research on the flipped classroom has drastically increased over the past decade as the style of teaching gains in popularity (Talbert, ). Some benefits cited have included a higher‐level of learning and further engagement in the material (Bergmann and Sams, ; Marcey and Brint, ; Jeavons et al, ); increase in creativity and critical thinking (Al‐Zahrani, ); a switch to a student‐centered learning environment (Bergmann and Sams, ; Pierce and Fox, ; McLaughlin et al, ); higher‐level of student‐teacher interaction (Bergmann and Sams, ); a more structured approach to learning (Baepler et al, ); and frequently reported increase in student performance (Moravec et al, ; Deslauriers et al, ; Missildine et al, ; Schultz et al, ; Ryan and Reid, ; Cheng et al, ). Quantitative and qualitative studies have been conducted in a variety of STEM courses including general chemistry (Ryan and Reid, ), physiology (Tune et al, ), physics (Deslauriers et al, ), biology (Moravec et al, ), engineering (Rais‐Rohani and Walters, ), and to a smaller extent in the health professions curricula such as nursing (Missildine et al, ; Shatto et al, ), pharmacy (McLaughlin et al, ; Taglieri et al, ), medicine (Tolks et al, ; Zgheib et al, ; Chen et al, ), and physical therapy (Boucher et al, ).…”

Flipped classroom or an active lecture?

“…Morton and ColbertGetz (2017) highlighted how their approach to a FL, which provided first year medical students with pre-class videos, supported higher attainment on questions that required analysis, but no difference on overall perfomance. Furthermore, Cheng et al (2017) highighted how providing medicine students with histology video lectures and quizzes prior to in-class activities supported greater learning gains, compared to a traditional classroom arrangement.…”

“…FCs form part of a blended learning approach to curriculum delivery in which digital content is placed online for students to engage with prior to teaching sessions (Tucker, 2012;McLaughlin et al 2014;Morton and Colbert-Getz, 2017;Boyle et al, 2017;Cheng et al, 2017;Koteeswaran et al, 2017). The face-to-face sessions then become student-centered with time devoted to discussion, group work, and problem-solving.…”

Clinical Case‐Based Image Portfolios in Medical Histopathology

“…In addition, a flipped classroom requires the students to familiarize themselves with material to be taught as homework prior to the actual teaching or, as in this case, the laboratory session (Critz and Knight, 2013;O'Flaherty and Phillips, 2015). The flipped classroom approach has been reportedly successful in enhancing student performance not only in histology examinations (Cheng et al, 2017) but also in other paradigms of pedagogy (McLaughlin et al, 2014;Bosner et al, 2015).…”