Investigating cognitive holding power and equity in the flipped classroom

Acceptance of a flipped classroom to improve university students' learning: An empirical study on the TAM model and the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT)

Higher education has given the flipped classroom a lot of attention as a result of its pedagogical success. As a result of the adoption of social media, smartphones, and computers in the classroom, new strategies for providing online courses, such as flipped classrooms, have evolved. To further understand the effects of such technology integration in teaching, the study looked at the responses of 213 undergraduate students at King Faisal University. For a semester, participants took their regular classes in a flipped classroom. The participants answered a survey made expressly for this study to find out if they would still be willing to use flipped classes following this experience. A structural equation modeling approach was used to analyze the research paradigm, which is based on the technological adoption model. The findings demonstrated that each variable category had a favorable influence on perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Perceived utility and ease of use serve as mediating elements in the relationship between independent variables and attitudes toward adopting flipped classrooms. Additionally, the findings indicated that ATFC and BIFC have a positive influence on the acceptance of flipped classrooms. In terms of education and learning, the utilization of classroom instruction is positively impacted by both ATFC and BIFC. These findings show that attitudes toward blended learning and intentions to use flipped classrooms have the biggest impacts on the adoption of the concept in Saudi Arabia higher education.

Synchronous online lecturing or blended flipped classroom with jigsaw: an educational intervention during the Covid-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the education system throughout the world. This study aimed to compare synchronous online lecturing with blended flipped classroom plus jigsaw in terms of their effects on the students' learning, communication skills and critical thinking disposition.

METHODS

This is an educational intervention conducted at the Nursing and Midwifery School of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Two incoming students of nursing and midwifery were selected by complete enumeration. Then synchronous online lecturing was given to one group (n = 40) and blended flipped classroom and jigsaw to the other (n = 44). After that, given the prevailing conditions, both methods were performed fully online. Then Participants completed an online questionnaire. A researcher-made learning questionnaire, the Interpersonal Communication Skills Questionnaire developed by Fetro, and Ricketts' Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory were used to assess the study variables.

RESULTS

The mean learning scores in the blended group were slightly higher but this difference was not significant (P = 0.767). In the blended group, the mean scores of communication skills were significantly higher after the intervention in all the dimensions, except for empathy & intimacy and listening skills. In the online lecture group, there was no significant difference between before and after the intervention. Communication skills (P < 0.001) scored significantly higher in the blended group after the intervention than that in the synchronous online lecturing group in all the dimensions except for empathy & intimacy. In the online lecture group, there was no significant difference in critical thinking disposition between before and after the intervention. In the blended group, the overall score of critical thinking disposition and its dimensions was significantly higher after the intervention (P < 0.001), except for the perfection dimension. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the mean total score of critical thinking disposition and its dimensions before and after the intervention.

CONCLUSION

Given the global circumstances, the blended method was more effective in promoting learning outcomes and communication skills than synchronous online lectures. Furthermore, it seems that this new approach could improve critical thinking.

How teachers manage their classroom in the digital learning environment - experiences from the University Smart Learning Project

The development of modern technologies facilitated for teachers to integrate and use them in managing their teaching classroom. The aim of this paper is to explore how teachers in the Khon Kaen University (KKU) Smart Learning Project use the smart learning concept and innovation to manage their classroom in the digital learning environment. The qualitative research was conducted to clarify the teaching process of teachers in Grade 7-9 at junior high schools using KKU Smart Learning with three subjects (namely, Mathematics, Science, and English). Consequently, 18 in-depth interviews and six observations were done. The results of this research showed that teachers applied and used the basis of KKU Smart Learning technologies, contents, and guidelines to manage their classroom, including design teaching activities in accordance with the learners' characteristics; create a pleasant learning atmosphere to enhance their thinking ability, knowledge and skills; organize learning activities and solve problematic situations; promote learning motivation; develop and evaluate learners' competence. However, the classroom management of teachers faced with some problems concerning the limitation of internet connection, lack of digital devices and digital literacy of teachers and learners. The findings of this paper have implications for educators, administrators, teachers and stakeholders to design holistic solutions to enhance the quality of educational activities and academic performance.

Application of WeChat-based flipped classroom on root canal filling teaching in a preclinical endodontic course

BACKGROUND

This study was aimed to evaluate the application of WeChat-based flipped classroom in root canal filling teaching in a preclinical endodontic course.

METHODS

A two-group comparative study was designed. The pre-class test, on-site quiz, and root canal filling on extracted premolars were performed by students from a lecture-based classroom group (LG, n = 30) and a WeChat-based flipped classroom group (WFG, n = 30). Results of the Pre-class test and on-site quiz were analyzed by independent samples t-test. Post-filling radiographs were taken and evaluated by a specialist in oral radiology who was blinded to grouping. Results of root canal fillings were analyzed by the Pearson chi-square test. Student responses in questionnaires were analyzed by Fisher's exact test.

RESULTS

The students in WFG could get significantly higher scores in the on-site test and make better performances in root canal filling than those in LG. In terms of questionnaires, students from WFG were perceived to be more motivated to learn, better to understand the knowledge, better to improve communication and clinical skills, easier to perform root canal filling but spending more time.

CONCLUSION

The WeChat-based flipped classroom teaching can have a better effect than lecture-based teaching on root canal filling learning for students with limited endodontic experiences.

Comparison of In-Person and Virtual Labs/Tutorials for Engineering Students Using Blended Learning Principles

The paper compares the effectiveness of in-person and virtual engineering laboratory sessions. The in-person and virtual laboratory sessions reported here comprise six experiments combined with short tutorials. The virtual lab combined enquiry-based learning and gamification principles. The integration of the virtual labs with in-person teaching created a blended learning environment. The effectiveness of this approach was assessed based on (i) the student feedback (i.e., a questionnaire with open-ended questions and Likert scale feedback), (ii) the students’ engagement with the virtual lab, and (iii) the impact on the academic performance (i.e., class test results). The students reported greater confidence in the understanding of theory in the virtual lab than the in-person lab. This is interesting given that the instruction for the virtual lab and the in-person lab of one experiment is identical (i.e., same instructor, same enquiry-based learning techniques, and same explanations). The students also appreciated the ability to complete the virtual lab anytime, anywhere, for as long as they needed, and highlighted the benefits of the interactivity. The median class test scores of the students who completed some or all the virtual lab experiments was higher than those who did not (83–89% vs. 67%).