The Effect of flipped learning on the achievement of grade 11 students in Biology through enhancing specific skills
The Effect of flipped learning on the achievement of grade 11 students in Biology through enhancing specific skills (Formulating a hypothesis and schematizing a textual document).
Hiba Salam[1]
الملخّص
يهدف هذا البحث إلى تعزيز إنجاز طلاب الصف 11 العلمي في علم الأحياء من خلال تعزيز مهارات محددة تقوم بصياغة فرضية وتخطيط وثيقة نصية عن طريق قلب الفصل الدراسي.
الفصل الدراسي المنقلب هو شكل من أشكال التعلم المختلط حيث يطلب من المتعلمين عرض وحدات التعلم الإلكتروني القصيرة في المنزل أو في وقتهم الخاص ، لإعدادهم لتدريبهم في الفصول الدراسية الشخصية؛ حتى يتمكن الطلاب من حضور جلسات شخصية مع أسئلة محددة ومطلعة. ويمكن للمدرس أن يجمع هذه الدروس الإلكترونية من موارد مختلفة أو أن يعدها المعلم نفسه.
تم إعداد محتوى التعلم المنقلب من قبل المعلم باستخدام Office Mix Software، وهو أداة Microsoft Office.
تتكون العينة من سبعة وعشرين طالبا من الصف 11 العلمي في مدرسة خاصة، بل التدخل قام الطلاب باختبار مسبق لفحص معرفتهم في مثل هذه المهارات وبعد التدخل تم إجراء اختبار ما بعد. تمت مقارنة النتائج بين إصدارات ما قبل الاختبار وما بعد الاختبار. بالإضافة إلى ذلك، تم إجراء استبيان لفحص انعكاس الطلاب نحو التعلم المنقلب.
وتشير النتائج إلى أن التعلم المنقلب كان أداة فعالة لإدارة الوقت لتدريب الطلاب بما فيه الكفاية على مهارات التفكير النقدي. تم التحقق من صحة السؤالين البحثيين.
وبناء على ذلك، من خلال التحليل الكمي والنوعي لمثل هذه البحوث، كان من الواضح أن التعلم المنقلب قادر على تعزيز مهارات الطلاب وبالتالي تعزيز تحصيلهم في علم الأحياء.
الكلمات الرئيسة: التعلّم المنقلب، التعلّم المختلط.
ABSTRACT
This research aims to enhance the achievement of grade 11/ scientific students in Biology through enhancing specific skills which are formulating a hypothesis and schematizing a textual document by flipping the classroom.
A Flipped classroom is a form of blended learning where learners are asked to view short e-learning modules at home or on their own time, to prepare them for their in-person classroom training; so, students are able to attend in-person sessions with specific, informed questions. Such e-lessons can be collected by the teacher from different resources or prepared by the teacher itself.
The content of flipped learning was prepared by the teacher using office mix, a Microsoft office tool.
The sample consists of twenty-seven students from grade 11 scientific at a private school. Before the intervention students did a pretest for examining their knowledge in such skills and after the intervention a post test was conducted. The results were compared between pretest and posttest versions. In addition, a questionnaire was performed to examine students’ reflection toward flipped learning.
The findings suggest that flipped learning was an effective time management tool to train sufficiently students on critical thinking skills. The two research questions were validated.
Accordingly, through quantitative and qualitative analysis of such research it was clear that flipped learning was able to enhance students’ skills thereby enhancing their achievement in Biology.
Key words: flipped learning, blended learning
Introduction
1.1 – Purpose of the study
The purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of flipped learning on students’ achievement in Biology for grade 11 students (scientific section) by enhancing specific skills which are formulating a hypothesis and schematizing a textual document.
1.2 – Research problem
Based on my experience, I realized that my students don’t either try to formulate a hypothesis, they used to tell me, we don’t think about it because we are sure, it will be wrong”; especially when they are asked to formulate two hypotheses. In addition, I have realized that students don’t practice on schematizing a textual document. When I first asked grade 11 students to schematize a document, none of them answered it and they justified that they didn’t learn it before although it is included in the evaluation system since it is not being asked frequently in the official exams; however, I see such skill is very important since it requires more than level of Blooms taxonomy.
Thus, I decided to make my students knowledgeable in these two skills, which are formulating a hypothesis and schematizing a textual document.
In this action research, we will try to solve the problem of low achievement in Biology by enhancing the mentioned skills through flipped learning.
1.3 – Research questions
- Does being a high achiever in Biology rely mainly on understanding the requirements of specific higher ordered scale?
- Can flipped learning be an effective tool to enhance students’ achievement in Biology?
1.4 – Significance of the study
Such study will offer an alternative way for teachers in order to save more class time to train their students on action verbs so as they become prepared well for the official exams, not only academic wise, but also skill wise. Finally, it will encourage teachers to update their course they used to teach to make it easier for self-learning which will thus promote their professional development.
Review of Literature
Introduction
Flipped Classroom is a new trend of providing and delivering learning through applying ICT. The main premise of this new trend is to share learning responsibility and ownership of learning between learners and instructors. It helps in personalizing learning. “Flipping the classroom establishes a framework that ensures students receive a personalized education tailored to their individual needs and learning styles” (Bergmann & Sams, 2012, p. 6).
3.1 – Flipped learning and inquiry based learning
Love and Ernst (2016) clarified that Inquiry based learning (IBL) and the flipped classroom are natural partners. “Students in a flipped class encounter the course content outside of the classroom. This frees up class time for other activities that can enhance the learning of the content. IBL is a perfect instructional practice to use for this freed-up time.”
In addition, we agree with Jenkins, Bokosmaty, Browne, and Hanson, (n.d) that concluded that “Flipped learning pedagogy stems from the premise of inquiry-based and egalitarian philosophy: In the new reality, teachers have acquired a new role: that of mediator, helping students transform the information that can be easily accessed into knowledge.
3.2 – Flipped learning and Bloom’s Taxonomy:
Ahmed and Ouda (2016) mentioned that flipped learning permits a student to attain a substantial basis of a topic, the understanding, before a session, in order that other activities, assessments and consolidation activities can build on the developing the higher skills when a teacher is present to support the student. This can be compared to the traditional method of teaching where the basic level skills are often the center of attention of classroom sessions and students are left to work on the higher levels skills in their own time with homework and additional exercises. Thus students through flipped learning, are doing the lower levels of cognitive work (remembering and understanding) outside of class, and focusing on the higher types of cognitive work (applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating) in class, where they have the encouragement of their peers and instructor.
3.3 – Benefits of flipped learning
3.3.a – Motivation & learning on their pace
Many studies showed that the impact of applying the flipped classroom was to increase students’ motivation in relation to learning activities. For example, Davies’s study (as cited in Zainuddin & Halili, 2016) mentioned that students were able to learn based on simulated learning and that they were motivated to learn at their own pace; they also noted that the students wished to recommend the flipped classroom to their other friends.
In addition, in their study McLaughlin et al. (as cited in Zainuddin & Halili,2016) also discussed that flipped learning can be implied that learning environments created by the flipped classroom approach are likely to satisfy students’ needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness and, thus, entice greater levels of intrinsic motivation”.
3.3.b – Engagement & Achievement
In their study Tanner and Scott (2015) mentioned how beneficial was the discussion held in class because students were engaged in the teaching-learning process and were able to understand the concepts easily. In addition, they felt that the exercises, in combination with the discussions, were perceived to be more effective than traditional lectures and better contributed to learning.
Similarly, such benefit what was discussed Tucker’s study 2012(as cited in Newman, Kim & Lee, p 54), in which in a flipped teaching provides instructors the ability to spend more time to interact with their students that need increased assistance (low achievers) and while allowing them to be engaged more on class.
Accordingly, in their study Huang and Chiu (2015) mentioned that flipped classroom in education enhance student learning and achievement by focusing class time activities on student understanding and hands-on activities rather than on lecture.
3.3.c – Budget constraint
(Schmidt & Ralph, 2016) discussed that budget constraints is not an obstacle for a teacher from flipping his classroom. According to Fulton’s study (as cited in L.Ralph, S. M. 2016 p 2) discussed among the three different scenarios, to implement the flipped classroom, is what happened in Minnesota high school, when Math teachers decided to flip their classroom although they had a severe budget constraint. They first used YouTube to store videos to accompany materials they created and implemented themselves. Then because of the expensive course management system, they turned into Moodle a free online learning management system, where it can be used to store documents, videos, and information for students.
Moreover, a successful exclusive offline flipped classroom that was implemented by an elementary teacher also proved that the budget constraints of using technological tools while flipping can be easily handled.Where he was very creative in assigning home works for his students at this level, by asking them to use colors! He asked them, while completing the reading, to highlight key points in one color, new vocabulary in another color and confusing or points that need clarification in another color. Other times students were asked to do notecards for specific information.
In both models all of the teachers attained their objectives which proves that it’s the way the teacher manages his class.
3.4 – Draw backs of flipped learning
3.4.a – Difficulty of stimulating students outside class learning styles
Tune, Sturek, and Basile (2013) mentioned that it is difficult to stimulate students outside the class.
“Although online materials have been shown to increase enthusiasm in some cases (be-cause they are different than some traditional drab lecture techniques), students can have difficulty being self-motivated from studying alone at home without the professor present and can become easily dissatisfied”.
Flipped learning is not solution to manage the problem of missed homework by some students, since in their study Schmidt and Ralph (2016) mentioned that there exist students came to class without their home works which made such teacher to claim that the flipped classroom is not the solution for incomplete home works.
3.4.b – Inability to be self- learner
The inability to be self-learner through flipped classroom was discussed by Martin (2012) in his study.” Students, just like anyone else, can sometimes be resistant to change, regardless of improved outcomes which can result in lower perceptions for newer teaching models”.
In addition, Tanner and Scott (2015) mentioned, in their study that some students were not able to understand the prescribed material, thus making solving the exercises difficult and thus don’t gain the needed benefit.
Moreover, Tanner and Scott (2015) clarified that some students weren’t able to follow in with the classroom discussion, consequently they became somehow distracted leading to disengaging of such minority.
Talbert (2012) finds fault with the method because he uncovers students’ feelings of
being alone in learning with a form of cultural shock at this opposite way of participating in a classroom.
3.4.c – Not all learning styles are matched
Based on North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards [NCPT] (2013), (as cited in Khadri, 2016, p 434), flipped learning doesn’t satisfy all of the learning styles of the students. Especially that not all teachers accept to adjust their teaching strategy during flipping to match such styles. Accordingly, new responsibilities were proposed by NCPT if the teacher decided to flip his classroom:
“Embracing diversity, individualizing instruction to include differentiating instruction based on student interest, learning styles, and social and emotional development of their students; collaborating with their colleagues; and, utilizing technology to help student’s access content, to learn how to think critically, solve problems, communicate, and collaborate”.
Methodology
4.1 – Sample
The sample consists of the Biology teacher that conducted the research and of the grade 11 class (scientific section), of 27 students at a private school at Ras El Nabeh (Beirut). Eleven of them are males and sixteen of them are females. Their ages ranges between 15 & 16 years. The class as a whole is considered as good class having an average of 14.03 over 20.
4.2 – Instruments
4.2.a – Pretest
Before the intervention a pretest was prepared which measures students’ achievement in Biology in general and in the two action verbs under study specifically. Sixty minutes were assigned for such pretest that is scored out of twenty. It includes three exercises scored 6/20, 6/20 and 8/20 respectively. In addition, every exercise included questions that begins with a specific action verb which matches the evaluation system of Biology official exams in Lebanon.
4.2.b – materials for flipped learning
Before the intervention, three animated power point presentation were prepared by me using office mix [2].
Such presentations explain transcription process, tools of translation, and stages of translation respectively. Such presentations were sent separately to students to serve as the needed material for flipped learning at home.
4.2.c – Activity sheets
Three activity sheets were prepared as an application for each of the knowledge learned from the three power point presentations that were discussed briefly before. Each activity sheet includes set of questions organized from easiest to hardest which do not only allow students to directly apply their knowledge but also relate what they learned before with what they have learned now.
Moreover, most of the questions were taken from online sources and modified in such way it matches the students’ cognitive level in each lesson, and some of them were prepared by me, where I relied also on previous exams I did before.
Finally, since the intervention was interrupted by an Easter vacation, an activity sheet was prepared in order to make them review to what they learned during such vacation. Such Easter vacation sheet includes 14 questions, 8 of them are related to transcription only (questions 1,2,6,8,10,11,12 & 13) which make students review essential ideas related to such lesson. Questions 3 & 5 include simple comparison between transcription and translation. Finally, two questions (4 & 14) are related only to some tools of translation which are the different types of RNA.
4.2.c – Handouts
Two handouts were prepared for each action verb. Each handout includes a definition of the given action verb, checklist for solving such action verbs correctly and set of questions to practice on solving such action verbs. Such questions were collected from previous official exams with some modifications.
Moreover, only in Handout 2 there exist, in addition to what was listed before, a description about the types of hypotheses as they are included in the previous official exams.
4.2.d – Questionnaire
It is a set of ten statements collected most of them were collected from an online sources and the rest were prepared by me. Three of them reflect negative ideas related to flipped learning (statements 4,5&6) , two of them compare the flipped learning to the traditional learning (statements 3 & 7 ),four of them describes the flipped learning (statements 1,2,8 & 9) and finally the last statement measures whether the students wish to continue with flipped learning or not. Each statement had three Likert scale choices, agree, neutral & disagree, scored 1, 2, &3 respectively, except the negative questions the scoring was reversed, 3, 2 &1respectively.
It is important to mention that such questionnaire was pilot tested before introducing it to my sample after the intervention.
4.2.e – Posttest
After the intervention a sixty minutes’ posttest, like the pretest, were done also of three exercises scored as 5.5/20, 7/20 and 7.5/20 respectively. In addition, it includes an exercise related to gene expression that was not included before.
4.3 – Research design
The research design was an action Research which is a disciplined process of inquiry conducted by and for those taking the action. The primary reason for engaging in action research is to assist the “actor” in improving and/or refining his or her actions.
4.4 – Procedure
The study conducted took seven weeks, divided between Fridays (2 sessions) and Wednesdays (1 session). As a brief overview, at home students were asked to learn Biology new concept from the teacher’s animated power point presentation accompanied with researching for difficult ideas that they didn’t understand (guided inquiry), and at class students applied their knowledge related to each concept by solving application exercises in addition to practicing on the mentioned skills.
The study was divided into two phases, phase one was the preparation phase, and phase two was the implementation phase.
During phase one: We relied on the 5E[3] lesson plan for the whole gene expression theme that included flipped learning as a teaching strategy. Moreover, a brief course that explains what is meant by flipped learning, brief explanation of the scientific method (including experimental protocol of self-inflating balloon and the definition of a hypothesis and characteristics for a good hypothesis) and Biology notes related to digestive system and nervous system as a background knowledge needed to formulate a hypothesis that may explain a certain result or phenomenon were prepared.
During Phase Two: students did the pretest which was followed by another session for correcting it with the students.
Accordingly, during the third session the principle of flipped learning was explained in brief based on well prepared course presented as PowerPoint followed by explaining, based on the prepared lesson plan, what is meant by gene expression in order to introduce the terms “transcription” and “translation”.
4.5 – Data Analysis: Students’ grades of the pretest and the posttest (including grades taken on the studied action verbs) were collected and compared. By these six variables were obtained. In addition, after scoring the questionnaire as mentioned above, students’ responses were also collected.
The data was collected then organized using SPSS software. Such data was analyzed using descriptive statistics which included quantitative analysis only.
As a general overview, the grades of the pretest and the posttest were compared which reflects in general their achievement, then specifically I compared their achievements in the studied action verbs, which is scored 5 out of 20, after calculating frequencies and measuring regressions between specific variables. Accordingly, it was relied on students’ grades for quantitative analysis whereas qualitative analysis was performed based on students’ responses in the questionnaire.
Results & Discussion
Concerning Research question 1: Does being a high achiever in Biology rely mainly on understanding the requirements of specific higher ordered skills?
As it was clear in the pretest that action verbs under study were scored five over twenty and by comparing students’ grades taken in such action verbs with the total grades we observe that there is a great influence of mastering such skills on their achievement as a whole.
The total competency represents the total grades taken on the hypothesis (2/5) and the total grade taken on the schematize (3/5).
| Student’s number | Total competency out of 5 (pretest) | Total grade out of 20(pretest) | Total competency out of 5 (posttest) | Total grade out of 20(posttest) |
| 1 | 0.5 | 9.5 | 5 | 15 |
| 2 | 0 | 8.25 | 2.5 | 13.5 |
| 3 | 0.25 | 9 | 3 | 14.25 |
| 4 | 0.25 | 10.5 | 5 | 16 |
| 5 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 13.75 |
| 6 | 0 | 6.5 | 5 | 17 |
| 7 | 0 | 1.25 | 4.75 | 18.75 |
| 8 | 1.5 | 13.25 | 5 | 16.5 |
| 9 | 1.5 | 9.5 | 5 | 16.5 |
| 10 | 0.5 | 8.5 | 5 | 14.5 |
| 11 | 0.25 | 4.75 | 0.5 | 11.25 |
| 12 | 0.25 | 8.25 | 2.5 | 14.5 |
| 13 | 0.75 | 12.75 | 5 | 15.5 |
| 14 | 0.5 | 10.75 | 5 | 16.25 |
| 15 | 0.5 | 9 | 5 | 17 |
| 16 | 0.75 | 13.5 | 4.75 | 17 |
| 17 | 0 | 9.75 | 0.5 | 10.5 |
| 18 | 0.75 | 15.5 | 5 | 18 |
| 19 | 0.75 | 11.5 | 5 | 17 |
| 20 | 1 | 10.25 | 5 | 16 |
| 21 | 0 | 9 | 5 | 17.5 |
| 22 | 0 | 9.75 | 5 | 17 |
| 23 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 19.25 |
| 24 | 0 | 9 | 5 | 16 |
| 25 | 0.5 | 10 | 5 | 17 |
| 26 | 0 | 8 | 2.5 | 15 |
| 27 | 0.5 | 12.25 | 5 | 18.5 |
Table 1: students’ grade on total competency before and after the intervention
As it is clear that most students in the pretest failed in the total competency and, consequently they failed in the test, however after the intervention all of the students succeeded in the total competency except two students and thus 26/27 students not only succeeded in the posttest but also got high grades.
In the pretest students’ grades were divided among the three ranges: between 0&9.9, between 10 & 13.9 and more than 13.9, more than half the students (59.3%) had their grades within the first range and only 1 student had his grade within the first range. However, after the intervention, none of the students had their grade within the first range, which means that none of them failed in the post test but instead 23 students out of 27 had their grades within the third range. Results are shown in tables 2 and 3 respectively.
| Frequency | Percent | Valid Percent | Cumulative Percent | ||
| Valid | between 0 and 9.9 | 16 | 59.3 | 59.3 | 59.3 |
| between 10 and 13.9 | 10 | 37.0 | 37.0 | 96.3 | |
| more than 13.9 | 1 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 100.0 | |
| Total | 27 | 100.0 | 100.0 | ||
Table 2: ranges of students’ grades on the pretest
| Frequency | Percent | Valid Percent | Cumulative Percent | ||
| Valid | between 10 and 13.9 | 4 | 14.8 | 14.8 | 14.8 |
| more than 13.9 | 23 | 85.2 | 85.2 | 100.0 | |
| Total | 27 | 100.0 | 100.0 | ||
Table 3: range of students’ grades on the post test
Moreover, a regression was studied between the total grade taken on the posttest (dependent variable) and the grades taken on the schematize (independent variable). Also another regression was done between the same dependent variable and with the grade taken on the hypothesis. Results are shown in tables 4 and 5 respectively, where in both tables the alpha is 0 which reveal that after the intervention when students became skillful in such action verbs they became high achievers in biology which assures that understanding of the requirements of the action controls students’ achievement in Biology.
| Model | Unstandardized Coefficients | Standardized Coefficients | t | Sig. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| B | Std. Error | Beta | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | (Constant) | 10.965 | 1.155 | 9.494 | .000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| sch for post | 1.834 | .415 | .662 | 4.418 | .000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Table 4: regression results for students’ grades on schematize and total grade on the post test
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Concerning research question 2: Can flipped learning be an effective tool to promote students’ achievement in Biology?
Students’ grades taken on the studied action verbs were collected and divided into ranges before and after the intervention.
| Frequency | Percent | Valid Percent | Cumulative Percent | ||
| Valid | between 0 and 2 | 27 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Table 6: Students’ grades on the total competency before the intervention
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| Frequency | Percent | Valid Percent | Cumulative Percent | ||
| Valid | between 0 and 2 | 2 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| between 2.1 and 3 | 5 | 18.5 | 18.5 | 25.9 | |
| more than 3 | 20 | 74.1 | 74.1 | 100.0 | |
| Total | 27 | 100.0 | 100.0 | ||
Table 7: Students’ grades on the total competency after the intervention
By comparing students’ grades in the total competency before and after the intervention it is clear that before flipped learning all students failed whereas after flipped learning 25/27 students succeeded in the total competency where the majority had their grades more than 3 over 5, and only 2 students failed in such parameter. Thus flipped learning was effective time management tool that created a chance for all the students to practice enough on two difficult skills. Thus we can say that flipped learning had an important impact on enhancing students’ skills needed in biology.
In addition, after the students had learned very well the studied skills a regression between the total grade on the posttest (dependent variable) and the difference between the posttest and the pretest was done (independent variable) which reveals alpha of 0.013 which is significant assuring that indicating that flipped learning not only had promoted students’ skills but also their achievement as a whole in Biology.
| Model | Unstandardized Coefficients | Standardized Coefficients | t | Sig. | ||
| B | Std. Error | Beta | ||||
| 1 | (Constant) | 13.388 | .996 | 13.437 | .000 | |
| diff | .410 | .152 | .474 | 2.688 | .013 | |
| Table 8: regression results for the total grade taken in the post test and the difference between pretest and the post test.
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Moreover, as a qualitative analysis students’ reflection toward flipped learning was studied through a questionnaire where the percentage of each likert scale choice of each statement was measured
Thus, it is obvious that students liked flipped learning and considered it as an effective strategy of teaching where 77.8% wished to keep learning through flipped classroom from time to time. However, most of the students (44.5) agreed that it was time consuming while uploading materials to be studied and actually I have expected that since we do suffer in Lebanon from bad internet connection.
In addition, a regression was done to see whether a relation between students’ negative reflection and the grades taken on domain A in the post test. Moreover, a regression was done between scoring in negative reflection toward flipped learning and students’ grades in the posttest as shown in table 9 below.
| Model | Unstandardized Coefficients | Standardized Coefficients | t | Sig. | ||
| B | Std. Error | Beta | ||||
| 1 | (Constant) | 4.831 | .621 | 7.781 | .000 | |
| negative questions | .091 | .086 | .212 | 1.062 | .299 | |
Table 9 regression result between scoring in negative reflection toward flipped learning and students’ grades in the posttest
As it is obvious from the above table that the negative reflection toward flipped learning of some students didn’t affect their knowledge acquisition where the results obtained are not significant (alpha = 0.299).
Finally, as a qualitative analysis students’ reflection toward flipped learning was studied through a questionnaire where the percentage of each liker scale choice of each statement was measured
Thus, it is obvious that students liked flipped learning and considered it as an effective strategy of teaching where 77.8% wished to keep learning through flipped classroom from time to time. However, most of the students (44.5) agreed that it was time consuming while uploading materials to be studied and actually I have expected that since we do suffer in Lebanon from bad internet connection.
In addition, a regression was done to see whether a relation between students’ negative reflection and the grades taken on domain A in the post test.
Through flipped learning more class time were invested to practice on the action verbs under study. In addition, students experienced for the first time to be as self-learners and being responsible of their learning in which they were able to apply their knowledge in class. By adopting flipped classroom students became more engaged in the teaching learning process and became much more aware while discussing information of each lesson. Another benefit of flipped learning, that I didn’t expect, was students’ interaction among each other before coming to class (through the whats up group), they asked each other about different issues passed and I shared with them such conversation which made discussion in class much smoother. It was clear for me that students did not use to know the real meaning of each action verb. Concerning the action verb schematize some of the students translated schematizing as listing the information given as points and most of them missed information given and was not able to use the given legends correctly. Concerning the action verb formulating a hypothesis most of the students had a misconception between posing a problem and formulating a hypothesis, thus they failed in the total competency in the pretest. However, such great improvement observed in the post test could be a justification for a serious learning through flipped classroom and a reflection for well-designed materials starting from the content prepared to be learned at home ending up to the suitable activity sheets prepared for each lesson. In addition, students were given enough time to practice on such action verbs that I have never experienced before in my class. And this matches with the study of Huang and Chiu (2015) mentioned that flipped classroom in education enhance student learning and achievement by focusing class time activities on student understanding and hands-on activities rather than on lecture.
6.1 – Limitation
The limitation in our action research is related to teachers and to the students. Concerning teachers, they must be experienced enough in order to prepare an organized interactive e-lesson clear enough to explain all the needed objectives for the given lesson to avoid any misconception. In addition to be able to follow up with his students prior to class discussion, and prepare efficient application exercises.
Concerning students, it is not easy to control students’ learning at home since their capacities differ from one student to another beside they are not familiar with the idea of “self-learners”.
6.2 – Recommendation for further research
For further studies similar research could be done in different subjects allowing teachers to invest class time for other activities. Accordingly, we can create a common platform for flipped learning preparing self-learners ready for a certain extinct, for university studies.
The same study could be carried out for a longer period of time during different classes to make students get used of self-learning by simplifying materials needed based on the class level since students preferred (based on their responses on one of the statements of the questionnaire) to learn from time to time through flipped classroom.
Finally, it is also suggested to study a deeper impact of flipped learning on students’’ achievement by conducting two groups, first control classroom learning without flipped classroom and second group, learning with flipped classroom.
6.3 – Conclusion
Flipped learning is one of the best active learning strategies that prepares self-learner students enjoying learning on their pace.
In this action research we explored the effect of flipped learning on enhancing grade 11 scientific students’ achievement in Biology by enhancing the two mentioned skills.
Quantitative data was collected from pre-tests and post-tests whereas qualitative data was collected from a questionnaire prepared by the researcher.
The results confirmed that flipped learning was a successful tool. After flipping my classroom all of the students mastered the mentioned skills and thus their achievement in Biology was high. In addition, students experienced for the first time to be self-learner and problem solver for a certain extinct, thus they enjoyed such experience and asked to learn from time to time through flipped classroom.
This action research recommends the use of flipped learning not only as a time management tool but also as new active learning strategy.
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[1] Biology coordinator and teacher Professional masters holder (LU) Research Masters Student (LU) contact information hebasalam28@gmail.com 70812837
[2] Office Mix is a powerful free Microsoft add-in for PowerPoint 2013 designed for businesses, educators, and students to easily create and share interactive online presentations.
[3] The 5 E’s is an instructional model based on the constructivist approach to learning, which says that learners build or construct new ideas on top of their old ideas. … Each of the 5 E’s describes a phase of learning, and each phase begins with the letter “E”: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate
