By Winnie Tam, Centre for University and School Partnership, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
The flipped classroom approach, where students learn new content via video lectures outside class and use class time for interactive applications, is gaining popularity in higher education. A meta-analysis by Ni and colleagues, published in the International Journal of Educational Research, explored the impact of the flipped classroom approach on college students’ English learning outcomes.
The meta-analysis included 24 studies conducted from 2000 to 2020, yielding 31 effect sizes. These studies focused on the use of the flipped classroom approach in English language learning, wherein instructional videos and other technological tools were employed prior to class sessions to enhance college students’ performance. All studies followed a pre-test, post-test control group design, comparing students who experienced the flipped classroom with those taught using traditional methods. The analysis revealed that flipped classrooms had a positive overall effect on learning outcomes (ES = +0.68). Interventions that included a review of pre-class preparation during class had significantly higher effects (ES = +0.92) than interventions without such reviews (ES = +0.38). A significant difference was observed among three types of constructive learning models: self-learning (k=3, ES = +0.22), cooperative learning (ES = +0.58), and a blend of the two (ES = +1.10). The findings of this meta-analysis offer valuable insights into the conditions under which flipped classrooms are more effective in improving students’ English language learning outcomes.
Best Evidence in Brief Index 