Elementary math class in face-to-face, fully online, and flipped mode: A comparative study on students’ achievement and satisfaction

Abstract

Excellent certificates are not enough to make excellent teachers rather, teaching demands constant insight, reflection, and suitable pedagogy. Determining the best pedagogical method of course delivery plagues faculty members and schools across the globe. This paper reports on an investigation and outcomes of a comparative study of three different methods of course delivery offered for the same course in an Indian elementary school before the COVID-19 pandemic. The study followed a Design-Based Research (DBR) approach. Comparisons have been made to the collected quantitative data from each teaching method-face-to-face, blended flipped, and fully online-in respect of students’ learning achievement and satisfaction. Findings revealed that participants in the face-to-face group achieved better than the rest two groups. However, students in the flipped group reported better satisfaction with the course than in the other two modes, and it happened within 8 weeks. These results offer implications for selecting the best method of course delivery for elementary mathematics even in unequipped schools, echoing an insight for practice to add effectiveness to the delivery mode.