Evaluating Medical Student Engagement in Flipped Classrooms: Insights on Motivation and Peer Learning.

Abstract

Background: Flipped classrooms have gained popularity for their ability to improve educational outcomes by flipping traditional teaching approaches and fostering interactive learning settings. Our study aims to assess the impact of these classrooms on medical students' motivation, critical thinking skills, and facilitation of collaborative learning.

Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted to involve quantitative surveys administered to students both before and after the teaching session. A predefined questionnaire was used to assess 5 key outcomes: Motivation, Critical Thinking, Student-centered learning, Learning benefits, and Peer-Assisted Learning. Data were collected at 2 points to capture changes throughout the intervention.

Results: The introduction of the flipped classroom approach led to a significant improvement in medical student performance, with average test scores rising from 13.25 ± 2.36 to 16.08 ± 1.5 (P < .05). Students' perceptions of the flipped classroom also improved, with the impact scale score increasing from 41.91 ± 4.9 to 69.71 ± 9.72 (P < .05). There was a statistically significant difference before and after the engagement, suggesting that the flipped classroom approach successfully improved students' motivation, engagement, collaborative learning, and critical thinking skills.

Conclusion: Our findings highlight the positive efficacy of flipped classrooms in creating a more interactive and supportive learning environment. The study concludes with recommendations for educators on how to implement best practices to enhance student engagement and improve learning outcomes in flipped classroom settings.