Professors Nancy Lape, Rachel Levy and Darryl Young, from Harvey Mudd College, have been conducting a study on flipped classrooms for the past two years. Instead of making a blanket judgment on the effectiveness of the model itself, they have been trying to uncover under what conditions the flipped classroom is most effective in promoting learning. They want to see if students learn more in a flipped classroom than in an interactive lectures in chemistry, engineering, and mathematics.
Interestingly, their research did not actually show any learning differences between regular and flipped classes. However, the researchers have cautioned that there might be some factors skewing their research. They describe their college as a fairly small school with an unusual amount of interaction between students, both in and out of class, and where teaching staff is open and willing to use innovative teaching techniques. Because the students already cooperate at such high rates, this might explain why it makes little difference to used a flipped model. The researchers believe that transition to a flipped classroom model could have significantly stronger results in an environment where students do not normally have the opportunity to interact either in or out of class.
Much more research is needed in order to gauge the effectiveness of the flipped classroom, and what conditions must be met to make the model effective. The most important thing to remember, however, is that the flipped classroom is not always the answer, and that its successful application depends on many factors, such as the target students and the content to be covered.
Interestingly, their research did not actually show any learning differences between regular and flipped classes. However, the researchers have cautioned that there might be some factors skewing their research. They describe their college as a fairly small school with an unusual amount of interaction between students, both in and out of class, and where teaching staff is open and willing to use innovative teaching techniques. Because the students already cooperate at such high rates, this might explain why it makes little difference to used a flipped model. The researchers believe that transition to a flipped classroom model could have significantly stronger results in an environment where students do not normally have the opportunity to interact either in or out of class.
Much more research is needed in order to gauge the effectiveness of the flipped classroom, and what conditions must be met to make the model effective. The most important thing to remember, however, is that the flipped classroom is not always the answer, and that its successful application depends on many factors, such as the target students and the content to be covered.