Effect of Flipped Classroom on Government Student Academic Performance
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effect of flipped classroom on government student academic performance in southern Ijaw Local Government Area. The survey research design was adopted in carrying out the study. The population for the study consisted of Government students in selected secondary schools in the study area. The sample size of this study consisted of fifty (50) Government students selected from the population of this study. They were divided equally into experimental group and control group. Moreover, it should be noted that those participants were required to participate in the process.
Simple random sampling technique was adopted to select the sample size of five (50) respondents from the selected sampled schools. The instruments for data collection were participants’ tests, writing portfolios and survey questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed using independent t-test statistical technique. The findings of the study revealed that, with flipped classroom, Government students were motivated self-learning environment, engagement in class activities and responsibility in learning. The findings of the study also revealed that, flipped classroom is such an effective instructional technique that its application affects students’ autonomy in learning process which in turns affects academic performance of students.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
The flipped classroom, which is a new educational trend is expected to be commonly implemented in educational system in the next few years and is regarded as one of these alternatives. This model, which is a new pedagogical approach, is a blended learning type where traditional face-to-face teaching is inverted. This model provides a different teaching-learning process and effectively employs technology. Theoretical knowledge is taught to students by means of videos out-of-class study time and various activities and implementations are conducted in class study time in this model (Bergmann and Sams, 2012; Strayer, 2013). That is, in the flipped classroom, students are instructed at home and exposed to the assignment model at school.
The flipped classroom, which is an innovative learning model, is different from the traditional face-to-face learning method in the sense that students learn their lessons whenever and wherever they want before coming to school.
Flipped classroom is an unconventional model in which student’s gain first-exposure learning prior to class and focus on the processing part of learning such as synthesizing, analyzing, problem-solving in class. The flipped classroom is a hybrid approach that combines online learning with face-to-face classroom activities (Graham, Woodfield, & Harrsison, 2013). It inverts the traditional instruction strategy. Before the class, the teacher provides videos or other resources and the students choose a suitable time and place to learn based on their personal learning rhythm; in the class, the students participate in collaborative and interactive learning activities to make good use of the class time (Bergmann & Sams, 2012; Fulton, 2012; Mok, 2014).
With the development of digital resources, particularly the open online instructional videos created by Khan Academy and the massive open online courses (MOOC), the flipped classroom has become increasingly popular in modern education (Sun, Xie, & Anderman, 2018). In line with this, this study aims to investigate whether flipped classrooms can promote students’ learning performance in different subject areas and learning stages, and whether students’ academic performance in flipped classrooms has different effects due to the different types of knowledge taught.
Flipped classrooms allow students to achieve better outcomes in the class with less brain power or cognitive input (Clark, Nguyen, & Sweller, 2006; Jensen, Kummer, & Godoy, 2006; Mattis & Kristina, 2015). Zainuddin, Haruna, Li, Zhang, and Chu (2019) divided the impact of the flipped classroom implementation into learning achievement, learning motivation or learning engagement, self-efficacy and social interaction.
Furthermore, the flipped classroom is a classroom where homework is done at school and school work done at home. The school work is the recorded lessons’ videos adopted or adapted by the teachers on all the topics in any subject or course. The students will need to watch the video at home online or offline in the absence of the teacher. Then, do the homework (assignments) in the class in the presence of the teacher who will render assistance in the area of difficulties and monitor the learning progress in the class.
Instead of using face-to-face classroom time mainly to inform, communicate and generate awareness, the flipped instructor will generally move this type of activity to an asynchronous environment. For instance, if the information is available online or offline on the DVD, students may read and refer to it as often as needed in order to recognise and recall it later. Procedural instruction that changes very little with time is also appropriate for the asynchronous environment. This type of instruction leads to near transfer (Clark, 2013).
The information or experience can be documented, simulated, and explained in a way that stays relatively consistent over time. A variety of technologies may be helpful in this move. For example, an instructor may link to a YouTube video demonstration from Khan Academy or other sites of such that shows how to solve a mathematical problem or how to use a particular piece of mathematical equipment. Students can follow along with the video and practice on their own.
A lot of learning approaches based on students-centered learning supported flipped classroom. Prince (2014) defined active learning broadly as, any instructional method that engages students in the learning process. This definition is itself broad enough to include many traditional classroom activities such as lectures (provided students are reflecting, taking notes, or asking questions). However, in an effort to maintain contrast with traditional teacher-centered approaches, these methods are systematically dismissed by explicit exclusion.
Thus, active learning acts as a superset for both peer-assisted and problem-based learning approaches. Prince also clarifies the relationship between these two, indicating that problem-based learning is, always active and usually (but not necessarily) collaborative or cooperative as illustrated in Figure 1. The theoretical foundations used for justifying the flipped classroom typically focus on reasons for not using classroom time to deliver lectures. These stem from a large body of literature on student-centered learning, which looks primarily to the theory of Piaget (1967) and Vygotsky (1978).
Tudge and Winterhoff (2013) provided a detailed analysis of the similarities and differences between these two theories. Foot and Howe (2010) provided the background outlining connections The Flipped Classroom: Its Effects on Students’ Performance and Retention in Secondary School Government Classroom leading to peer-assisted learning. In particular, they pointed out that constructivism and collaborative learning stem from Piaget’s theory of cognitive conflict, and that cooperative learning stems from Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development.
The importance of these (student-centered) learning theories to the flipped classroom cannot be understated. Without these, the flipped classroom simply does not exist. As shown in Simple model for flipping the classroom, the flipped classroom is made up of three components: pre-class component that requires students’ interaction with learning materials through online or offline activities. In-class activities which involves interactions between the students and the teacher and students – student’s collaboration in the class for real learning concepts.
However, the post-class component that is automated by computer technologies. Student learning standard can be examined through the procedure. Obviously, the classroom component is critical, and the student-centred learning theories just presented provide the philosophical basis for the design of these activities. Unintentionally, some may overlook this fact and instead conceptualize the flipped classroom based only on the presence (or absence) of computer technology such as video lectures. This would be a mistake, since the pedagogical theory used to design the in-class experience may ultimately be the determining factor in the success (or failure) of the flipped classroom.
The concept of flipped classroom began about 15 years ago with the occasional marriage of computer technology and a few technologically advanced educators, including Baker (2010) who’s description of the classroom teacher evolving into the guide on the side instead of the sage on the stage. Salman Khan, the Khan Academy originator in 2006 attempted to provide tutoring to his younger relatives online at a distance. He developed videos for them, which he uploaded for them to watch on their own. These videos became so significant in number, that he began to catalogue them, and eventually developed a website named Khan Academy.
Developed flipping in the classroom empowers instructors to develop different learning experiences appropriate for each student. Alvarez (2012), Bergmann and Sams (2012) and Strayer (2017) affirmed that FC in education has been used to support teaching and learning processes and thus, leading to improved design and development of instructional materials. It was added that teachers’ facilitation of learning process improved even in a classroom learning context and environment. As a result, improving students’ learning experiences, academic achievements, and performances.
The teacher substitutes in-class instruction with at home video instruction and utilizes class time for homework assignments and other project-based learning activities. This is one of the features FC possesses that make it distinct from other methods of teaching like videoconferencing, computer-based teaching (CBT), mobile-learning and so on that do not require direct class interactive session. Little wonder, the recorded videos on subjects/topics for primary/secondary school students on Compact Disc/Digital Video Disc (CD/DVD) that are selling all over the places in Nigeria are only going to assist few students because no feedback and nobody is available to assess students’ understanding and explain the difficult concepts of the topics/lessons recorded. The students were not opportune to have one-on-one interaction with their teachers; hence, students’ contribution will not be possible. As a result, subjects like Government, English language and so on cannot understand effectively with this approach (Olorundare, 2011).
Despite the importance of Government to every individual, students’ interest and performance have always been of concern to stakeholders. Usman (2012) noted that in everywhere people go, everything people do or propose to do, the structure of Government or its applications play a vital role, and therefore most countries, races, and peoples put emphasis in all aspects of studying, developing and applying Government. The National Government Advisory Panel (2013) argued that for students to continue performing brilliantly in Government there must be an improvement in the quality of Government instruction received by all school students. Human beings need Government to survive no matter how minimal. There is no gain saying in the fact that an individual can get on sometimes without knowing how to read and write, but no one can push ahead smoothly without knowing how to measure, count, subtract and add.
Nigeria in her National Policy on Education (FRN, 2014) confirmed the need to make education a tool to meet the needs of individual citizens and society at large in consonance with the realities of the immediate environment and modern world. In support of this, the latest edition of Nigeria National Policy on Education (FRN, 2014) showed the reviewed curriculum for Senior Secondary Schools (SSS) whereby Government was among the compulsory subjects to be selected among others. The poor performance in Government as illustrated in the statistical analysis of students’ performance in final year Government examinations of West African Secondary School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) requires urgent attention. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of flipped classroom on government student academic performance in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
Effect of Flipped Classroom on Government Student Academic Performance
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Due to poor teaching methods (WAEC, 2016), students’ prior Government experiences and attitudes towards Government (Tulis & Ainley, 2011), students’ lack of interest in, poor learning environment and motivation to learn Government (Aborisade, 2009), and prerequisite deficiencies (Hull & Seeley, 2010), research has indicated that Government students are not learning the concepts necessary for Government competence. If this trend continues, Nigerian students may not be able to efficiently compete in the universal economy (Ale & Lawal, 2012).
To address this issue, this study sought to examine the effect of the developed flipped classroom package on senior secondary school Government students’ performance and retention using researcher developed flipped classroom package using DVD to determine: (a) whether flipped classroom will help to improve students’ post-test performance in Government, (b) whether the performance of students in this subject (Government) is based on gender? and (c) whether retention performance among Senior Secondary School students will improve if flipped classroom is adopted by Government teachers to teach the subject in Uyo Local Government Area.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of this study was to examine the effect of flipped classroom on government student academic performance in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
Specifically, this study aimed to:
- Examine the effect of flipped classroom on Government student academic performance in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
- Examine the effect of flipped classroom on student attitude towards learning Government in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
1.4 Significance of the Study
The findings of the study will be of importance to Government teachers, students, parents, curriculum planners and future researchers.
(i) The findings will be beneficial to Government teachers because it will provide them with effective method of teaching which they will incorporate in their day to day classroom instruction in order to promote learning. The findings will offer teachers ample time for classroom activities.
(ii) The finding of this study will be beneficial to students because it will expose them to flipped classroom instruction which will enable them develop skills in oral communication, self-efficacy, social and group skills necessary for success outside the classroom, increase in their retention ability, a good study habit and enhance creativity.
(iii) The findings of the study will help to activate students’ interest in the learning of Government as well as make them have supportive and committed relationships. It will enable students appreciate the need for their involvement in collaborative learning activities within and outside the classroom which will improve their performance and enable them to make better grades in chemistry at a sitting. This will equally remove financial burdens on parents.
(iv) The findings of this study will equally be beneficial to curriculum planners and administrators. It will enable them include in their list of activity-based instructions and recommend such teaching method to Government teachers and plan in-service training regarding the use of such method. In the reform for a successful shift from teacher-centred teaching approach to student centred approach, the flipped instruction can be popularized and included as one of the recommended approaches to teaching Government.
(v) Parents’ assistance to their children in carrying out the assigned work at home will save them the trouble of their children engaging in irrelevances outside the classroom/school environment. Students crediting Government at a sitting as a result of effect of flipped classroom will make parents happy, proud and at the same time remove the burden of paying school fees a second time.
(v) It is equally hoped that the result from this research would contribute to knowledge by adding information to the search for solutions to problems militating against the effective teaching and learning of Government in secondary schools.
1.5 Research Questions
The following research questions were set to guide the study:
- Does flipped classroom have an effect on the students’ achievement in their overall legal English proficiency?
- What are the Government students’ attitude towards flipped classroom?
1.6 Limitation of the Study
Some of the challenges encountered while conducting the research include lack of sufficient funds and short duration assigned for the study.
1.7 Delimitation of the Study
For the purpose of effective research work, this study was delimited to the effect of flipped classroom on government student academic performance in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
- Operation Definitions of Terms:
The following concepts are defined as they are applied in the study.
Flipped classroom: Flipped classroom can be defined as an approach to teaching in which course materials are introduced outside of class, and in-class time is re-purposed for inquiry, application, and assessment in order to better meet the needs of individual learners.
Government: Government can be defined as the study of political institutions in the state, ideas, values and doctrines about politics, the view of political thinkers of what constituted the welfare of the people.
Secondary School: this refers to school which provide secondary education between age 11 and 16 or 11 and 19 after primary and before higher education.
Academic performance: This is used in the study to refer to student’s attitude to competition for excellence in their attitude towards participating in class activities and homework. Also, it can be defined as the scores of students in examination, test, assignment, quiz etc.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION
This chapter deals with the summary, recommendations and conclusion of the research findings.
5.1 Summary
This study aimed to investigate the effect of flipped classroom on government student academic performance in southern Ijaw Local Government Area. The survey research design was adopted in carrying out the study. The population for the study consisted of Government students in selected secondary schools in the study area. The sample size of this study consisted of fifty (50) Government students selected from the population of this study. They were divided equally into experimental group and control group.
Moreover, it should be noted that those participants were required to participate in the process. Simple random sampling technique was adopted to select the sample size of five (50) respondents from the selected sampled schools. The instruments for data collection were participants tests, writing portfolios and survey questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed using independent t-test statistical technique. The findings of the study revealed that, with flipped classroom, Government students were motivated self-learning environment, engagement in class activities and responsibility in learning. The findings of the study also revealed that, flipped classroom is such an effective instructional technique that its application affects students’ autonomy in learning process.
5.2 Recommendations
The following recommendations were put forward by the researcher:
(i) Students should develop a positive attitude towards flipped classroom and other modern teaching and learning techniques for better academic performance.
(ii) The flipped classroom strategy should be inculcated into teacher-education curriculum and encouraged by curriculum developers
(iii) Necessary facilities that can facilitate the effective use of flipped learning should be provided in all schools and homes
(iv) Secondary school teachers and Government subject teachers in particular should make use of flipped classroom strategy instead of traditional teaching method to motivate, thus, enhancing students’ academic performance.
(v) Curriculum planners and administrators and Government should include in their list of activity-based instructions and recommend such teaching method to Government teachers and plan in-service training regarding the use of such method.
(vi) Appropriate avenues should be created for Government teachers in all educational sectors and even educational technologist to discuss and work on learning platform that can be used to all other topic in Government.
5.3 Conclusion
The study demonstrated the positive effects of the flipped classroom model on students’ academic achievement, which was shown by much higher scores of the post-test than the pre-test. In addition, the students in the experimental group expressed their satisfaction on the application of flipped classroom in terms of different criteria. However, there are several limitations to the current study. Firstly, the factors including the age, gender of the participants, which were not taken into consideration in this study, can be used in further studies to investigate whether they neutralize the effects of the flipped classroom model on students’ academic performance or not. Secondly, the size of the participants in this study is rather small.
The results, to some extent, cannot reflect the behavior of a larger population. Therefore, a greater number of participants should be involved in future studies to increase the generalization of findings. Lastly, the study only investigated the effect of flipped classroom model on students’ academic performance, not specifically the performance of separate sub-skills including listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. In order to have a detailed insight into the usefulness of the flipped classroom application.
5.4 Suggestions for Further Study
- Effect of flipped classroom instruction on students’ interest in learning Government.
- Differences in academic performance of male and female students using flipped classroom technique.
