Background
Flipped classroom is a teaching strategy used to enhance the engagement of students in the learning process. Replacing didactic lectures with active learning strategies through flipped classroom sessions fosters independence and the opportunity for students to engage in different passive learning styles. Although many studies of the flipped classroom approach have been conducted with medical students, few have focused on the effect of flipped classroom sessions on students in other medical professional fields. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of the flipped classroom approach on the performance of medical laboratory science students in a haematology course and their perception of the flipped classroom as an active learning strategy. In addition, students’ perceptions regarding the flipped classroom as an active learning strategy were assessed.
Methods
Of two cohorts in haematology courses, cohort 2 attended flipped classroom sessions, whereas cohort 1 underwent traditional class sessions. Students’ learning outcomes, achievements and performance on examinations in haematology courses were assessed. In addition, a satisfaction survey was distributed to the students to evaluate their perception of the flipped classroom as a student-centred learning strategy.
Results
Students in cohort 2 performed significantly better in the knowledge and cognitive domains than did those in cohort 1 (p < 0.001). Cohort 2 students completed the course successfully with an average grade of 81%, and few students received low grades; in comparison, cohort 1 students completed the course with an average grade of 73%, and 7 students received a grade of F. Of students in cohort 2, 83% believed that the flipped classroom provided a better understanding of the subject matter and appropriate knowledge and skills.
Conclusion
The results indicate the effectiveness of flipped classroom as an active learning style in enabling students to obtain desirable knowledge and improve their academic performance. Moreover, students recognised that the flipped classroom as an active leaning style was more beneficial than the traditional teaching approach.