The Effects of the Flipped Model of Instruction on Student Engagement and Performance in the Secondary Mathematics Classroom

TLDR

In many secondary classrooms, students are passively engaged and academic performance is mediocre, prompting interest in the flipped model of instruction that moves lecture outside the classroom via technology and brings homework and exercises inside for active learning. This study aimed to improve student engagement and performance by implementing the flipped model and comparing student interaction in flipped versus traditional classrooms. The study evaluated changes in student perceptions and attitudes through pre‑ and post‑surveys, a teacher‑created unit test, random interviews, a focus group, and daily journal observations of the intervention. Students responded favorably to the flipped model, reporting increased engagement, communication, and perceived quality of instruction and class‑time use, though academic performance did not change significantly.

Abstract

In many of the secondary classrooms across the country, students are passively engaged in the mathematics content, and academic performance can be described, at best, as mediocre. This research study sought to bring about improvements in student engagement and performance in the secondary mathematics classroom through the implementation of the flipped model of instruction and compared student interaction in the flipped classroom with a traditional format. The flipped model of instruction is a relatively new teaching strategy attempting to improve student engagement and performance by moving the lecture outside the classroom via technology and moving homework and exercises with concepts inside the classroom via learning activities. Changes in the student participants’ perceptions and attitudes were evidenced and evaluated through the completion of a preand post-survey, a teacher-created unit test, random interviews, and a focus group session. In addition, the researcher documented observations, experiences, thoughts, and insights regarding the intervention in a journal on a daily basis. Quantitative results and qualitative findings revealed the student participants responded favorably to the flipped model of instruction and experienced an increase in their engagement and communication when compared to the traditional classroom experience. The student participants also recognized improvements in the quality of instruction and use of class of time with the flipped model of instruction. In terms of academic performance, no significant changes