A Flipped Classroom Approach to Teaching Lab-Based Techniques Leads to Greater Learning Gains

Active learning promotes student engagement, increases learning gains, enhances long-term retention, and enables development of higher-order thinking skills. This study examined the efficacy of active learning in graduate and medical school classroom-based (lacking a lab) courses. It stemmed from a prior observation that students perform poorly on exam questions requiring an understanding of lab based techniques, a topic previously taught by didactic lecture. To investigate the hypothesis that active learning leads to greater learning gains than lecture, a flipped-classroom approach was implemented for this topic since these courses lack a lab component. Students wrote and performed skits based on clinical scenarios for which techniques are used for diagnosis and treatment. This approach was selected to demonstrate real-world relevance and applications. Student learning was quantitatively assessed by multiple-choice questions (MCQs). Data were analyzed using paired t-test; differences were significant. Masters student performance on multiple choice questions (MCQs) for this topic ranged from 77% to 100% and averaged 86% versus a 72% average for MCQs based on material taught by lecture. Medical student performance on MCQs for this topic ranged from 74% to 99% and averaged 90% versus a 76% average for MCQs based on material taught by lecture. Student attitudes toward active learning were assessed by an optional, anonymous survey and a required reflection. Masters students’ survey responses and free-response reflections supported their positive attitudes toward engagement in active learning. Medical students’ survey responses and free-response reflections were mixed, ranging from strongly positive to strongly negative, indicating their perceptions of learning strategy efficacy are not necessarily aligned with empirical data. From these data, I conclude that, within this context, active learning is more effective than lecture-based approaches. These data contribute to the research indicating that active learning leads to increased learning gains and support active learning approaches as effective, empirically validated teaching practices