Flipping the Online Classroom to Teach Statistical Data Analysis Software: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract

The flipped classroom (FC) is a pedagogical model with an active learning concept and a hybrid course design that reverses the typical lecture process. Given the widespread use of online delivery methods, there is a need to explore the FC in delivering statistics courses. This study employs a prospective quasi-experimental study design to evaluate the effectiveness of the flipped method and to compare it with the traditional method of teaching statistical data analysis software. Each of the 71 students enrolled in a medicine program was allocated to either a traditional classroom or a FC. The difference between the two teaching methods is evaluated using overall assessment performance as the main outcome measure. Our results show that the teaching method had a large and significant effect on assessment performance, with the FC method exhibiting a higher student overall performance than the traditional classroom. The data suggest integrating the FC in teaching statistical data analysis software is a helpful alternative to the traditional classroom. This study may serve as a guide and inspiration for educators in statistics courses to incorporate the concept of flipped learning, so as to engage students in a more active learning experience.