Flipped Learning Can Increase Student Achievement and Learning Comprehension

Flipped learning has gained traction over the last few years as a popular 21C learning strategy.

Teachers who've flipped their classrooms have said it increases student engagement with content, and gives them more one-on-one time with students in class. When students consume content at home and do "homework" in the classroom, it allows more time to discuss and apply the concepts reviewed the evening before.

By consuming content that is often delivered by video at home, students are also able to learn at their own pace.

Research on flipped learning is growing as it becomes more widespread. But some studies have shown dramatic increases in student achievement, as well as material comprehension and student engagement.

Let's take a look at some findings:

• A national survey asked more than 400,000 U.S. students in grades 6-12 why they found online videos a good way to learn. They ranked the following benefits: "1. I can watch it as many times as I need to (61%) 2. Makes it easier to understand difficult concepts (55%) 3. Connects what I am learning to the real world (54%) 4. Fits my learning style (53%) 5. Easy to find videos to help with schoolwork and easy to access on mobile devices (53%) 6. More engaging and keeps my attention (48%)." This 2015 survey was led by Project Tomorrow, a national education nonprofit organization.
• A Flipped Learning Network/Sophia Learning survey of 2,358 educators said "71% of teachers also reported an increase in student grades a number up from 67% two years ago. Over half of the teachers measured student performance based on formative assessments and/or a change in classroom culture, with eight out of ten saying they measured success by student engagement/motivation." That survey is from 2014.
• An Education World article found striking academic results at Bullis School in Maryland. AP Calculus teacher Stacey Roshan flipped her classroom in 2012. Students watched videos at home and class time was devoted to problem solving. Within a year "the proportion of students who scored a 4 or a 5 on the AP exam increased from 58 percent the previous year to 78 percent after the flip," Education World reported.
• A case study of Niagara Falls High School in New York found a dramatic increase in student achievement on standardized tests after one year of flipped learning. From 2013 to 2014, students in flipped mathematics classes performed better across the board. "After implementing the flipped approach, 83% of students in the honors Algebra II/Trigonometry class passed the [standardized math] exam ... compared with 71% the year before, and 35% of honors students achieved mastery ... compared with 14% the previous year. Likewise, in the general Algebra II/Trigonometry class, 55% of students passed the same exam compared with 35% the year before, and 7% of students achieved mastery compared with 4% the previous year," according to a Flipped Learning Network report.