Title: College students' perception of the flipped classroom: a phenomenographical study

Authors: Christopher M. Seitz; Muhsin Michael Orsini

Addresses: Department of Health and Human Development, Montana State University, P.O. Box 173540, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA ' Institute to Promote Athlete Health and Wellness, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 437 HHP Building, P.O. Box 26170, Greensboro, NC 27402, USA

Abstract: The 'flipped classroom' has become popular among educators; however, research on the topic has been relatively sparse, especially in terms of qualitative research. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore student perceptions of the flipped classroom. Undergraduate students who enrolled in a flipped public health course were invited to participate in the study. Thirteen students participated in semi-structured interviews to discuss their thoughts and experiences regarding the flipped classroom. Students viewed the flipped classroom according to out-of-class and in-class activities. Students felt that out-of-class activities were convenient, accommodated different learning styles, and were important for being prepared for class time. In terms of in-class activities, students enjoyed interactive activities (e.g., hands-on activities, class discussions), but some viewed the activities as anxiety provoking. Students also viewed in-class activities as useful for building student-instructor rapport. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Keywords: flipped classroom; inverted classroom; college students; student perceptions; phenomenography; university students; higher education; convenience; learning styles; interactive activities; hands-on activities; class discussions; anxiety provoking; student-instructor rapport; WNQ; public health courses.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSMILE.2014.067635

International Journal of Social Media and Interactive Learning Environments, 2014 Vol.2 No.4, pp.326 - 340

Received: 03 Jan 2014
Accepted: 21 Feb 2014
Published online: 07 Mar 2015 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article