ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to examine the effectiveness of Flipped Classroom learning approach in improving the test performance of the Grade 9 students of Victorino Mapa High School in their Economics subject. The study utilized the pretest-posttest design of an experimental research. The researcher prepared a validated pretest and posttest composed of fifty (50) selective response multiple choice items that adhered to the minimum learning competencies designed for Grade 9 Economics as provided for by the Department of Education. The researcher also prepared two sets of validated Unit 3 Araling Panlipunan 9 Economics lesson plans both for the flipped classroom learning group and traditional learning group. The participants of the study were Grade 9 students of Victorino Mapa High School enrolled during the School Year 2017-2018. The researcher employed purposive sampling method in the selection of the participants. The second quarter standardized test mean scores in Economics obtained by the students were used as basis for the researcher to determine the level of comparability of the participants.The researcher designated Grade 9 section three (3) as the experiment group and Grade 9 section four (4) as the Control group. Both groups were composed of forty five (45) students in a heterogeneous set-up.
In the initial phase of the study, the Control group undergone a traditional approach in learning whereas the experimental group undergone a flipped classroom learning approach in the entire duration of the Third Quarter. After the employment of the intervention, the researcher then administered a posttest to measure and examine if there was a significant improvement in the test performance of the students. The results of the test were quantitatively measured using the mean percentage, dependent t test and independent t-test statistical treatments.
The result of the test of difference of the pretest scores revealed that there was no significant difference between the pretest results of the Non-Flipped Classroom (Control group) and Flipped Classroom (Experimental group). As concluded, the result showed that the participant’s prior knowledge and perception to the subject and questions given were similar and considered comparable in terms of their pretest score results.
Regarding the test of difference of the posttests of the two groups it was revealed that there was no significant difference between the posttest results on both Non-Flipped Classroom (Control group) and Flipped Classroom (Experimental group) and since the result was not significant, the researcher assumed that students in both groups learned considerably and benefited significantly on their respective learning approaches.
After which, in order to examine and measure whether the participants in Non-Flipped Classroom (Control group) had improve on their test performance, a test of difference between the pretest and posttest results was conducted by the researcher. From this result, the null hypothesis was rejected and thereby concluded that there was a significant difference between the two test results of the control group. The study also confirmed that traditional learning approach should not be underestimated for it also helped to improve the test performance of the students.
On the other hand, the result of the test of difference of the pretest and posttest scores of the experimental group revealed that the null hypothesis of the study was rejected and thereby concluded that there was a significant difference between the pretest and posttest results of the experimental group.
Another very important indicator that this study utilized to measure the significant impact of flipped classroom learning approach in improving the test performance of the students particularly the experimental group was their learning gain.
The mean of learning gains of the two groups, signify that both learning approaches were effective in increasing the learning gains of the students and in improving their test performance in Economics.
The last statistical instrument utilized by the researcher to substantiate the results of the study was the test of difference that aimed to measure the significant difference of the learning gain of the control and experimental groups and to determine whether to accept or reject the hypothesis of this study.
It was revealed in the test of difference that both teaching methods were effective and signified that the learning gains of the participants in both control and experimental groups did not have significant difference and thereby the null hypothesis previously postulated in this study was accepted. This means that both groups had learned considerably on their respective learning approaches. Both traditional and flipped classroom learning approaches were equally effective in improving the test performance of the students.
Keywords: Academic Performance, Active Learning, Blended learning, Economics, Control group/Non Flipped Classroom, Experimental Group / Flipped Classroom, Facebook, Flipped Classroom Learning Approach, Post-test, Pre-test, Traditional Learning Approach
Globalization as an accumulative product of change becomes a central part of today’s society as it caused the untrammeled linkages and interdependence of many countries in the global community. The school as a vital agent of socio-cultural change along with all the educational trends and pedagogies that we have presently must conform to the evolving needs of our society.
Education should be made more engaging and learner-centered by utilizing various electronic and digital technologies. Although technology in education has its own advantages and disadvantages we cannot set aside the fact that it was created to aid learning as it may change the way how we teach and more importantly, on the way how our students learned. Thus, this affirmation leads to the emergence of new pedagogies such as: open-ended instruction, inquiry learning, differentiated instruction, experiential learning, cooperative learning and others. Modern pedagogies that were influence by the increasing demands of our knowledge-based society, new student expectations and innovative technologies should be taken into account if we want to achieve the holistic development of the students in the 21st century.
As the instructors became accustomed with digital technologies for teaching and learning, authentic pedagogies such as: blended learning, cooperative and collaborative learning approaches, information communication technology (ICT) based-education, self-directed and other non-formal online learning emerged.
Moore and Chung (2015) suggested that integrating technology in the classroom may motivate students to acquire course content by increasing interest in foremost subject classes. In support, Sovanroth (2015) stressed that the use of technology in the educational field had made the process of learning and acquisition of knowledge more interactive and rewarding for students and instructors as well.
Hence, the use of digital materials and online undertakings provides viable assistance to students, faculty and instructors to engage and foster the teaching and learning processes especially for the instructors for them to engage themselves productively in the teaching and learning processes without getting burdened in developing their own instructional materials.
In the Philippines, the K-12 program, under the Enhanced Basic Education Curriculum (EBEC) was implemented in order to facilitate the development of the 21st century skills of our students. This in turn will make them ready and prepared to cope up with the increasing economic demand, cultural changes and socio-political challenges that are presently going on not only in the Philippines but also in the international community.
The willingness of our government to ensure that our education is aligned to the prevailing international changes set forth an educational agenda that aims to rearticulate the objectives and programs of our educational system to various innovations and standards provided for by concluded international agreements between or among state governments and educational agencies.
Some of these international agreements from which the shifts in our educational paradigm were based are the Bologna and Washington Accords. The Bologna Accord required 12 years of education for college admittance and specialized practices to European countries, while the Washington Accord sets a minimum of 12 years of basic education in the United States.
Also, Cagande and Jugar (2018) mentioned in their study that the K-12 program in the Philippines affected the higher education curriculum in a way that the later should advance and guarantee that the country’s educational system will become more competitive and its graduates be on par with their foreign counterparts.
Thus, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) laid out the Revised General Education Curriculum to be implemented in the tertiary level (CMO 20 s2013). The course content and learning competencies of this new curriculum are coherent to Enhanced Basic Education Curriculum. The General Education Curriculum in the Tertiary level aims to provide a more holistic and transformative education that geared towards the development of a more advanced levels of understanding, proficient and effective communication skills and utilization of new information technologies in order for the students to improve their ability to access evaluate and utilize information responsibly. (CHED, 2013, pp. 4-5)
To ensure that there is an articulation of learning from basic to tertiary level of education, Camiling (2017) points out that the current K-12 Program of the Department of Education intends to equip learners with various information, media, and technology skills and literacies necessary for the students to learn the core content of their field of specialization and master these 21st century competencies needed for their future work and life. From this objective, it is imperative that educational reforms should be implemented specifically to produce authentic pedagogies that will facilitate effective and lifelong learning.
In the 21st century, technology has greatly shaped and influence pedagogical inside and even outside the classroom. Its positive impact influenced the improvement of instructional technology in education and has even changed the usage of blackboards with online video lectures Evans 2011 in Zainuddin and Halili (2016). However, these emerging technologically- based instructional practices necessitates in-depth and thorough research in order to assess and evaluate its effectiveness. It was from this standpoint that the researcher purposively decided to conduct a study about the role and impact of technologically based instructional approaches in improving a certain aspect of students learning. Specifically, the researcher conducted an experimental study that will examine the efficacy of Flipped classroom in improving the test performance of selected Grade 9 students in their subject Economics.The Flipped classroom approach has been introduced in the Philippines and was implemented in various disciplines of both basic and higher education. This approach is considerably helpful in the facilitation of a student-centered, collaborative and cooperative learning environment where learners themselves are active participants in the educational process.
There are many documented studies and empirical evidences that support the effectiveness of learner-centered teaching approaches such as Flipped classroom over a Traditional teacher-centered instructional approach. The practice of Flipped classroom had brought constructive effects toward students’ performances such as accomplishment, motivation, involvement, and collaboration. (Zainuddin and Halili, 2015)
The researcher believed that the result of the study will confirm the effectiveness of Flipped Classroom through technology in improving the test performance of the Grade 9 students of Victorino Mapa High School in their Economics subject.
2. Research Questions
This study aimed to examine and measure the effectiveness of the Flipped classroom learning approach in improving the test performance of the Grade Economics students of Victorino Mapa High School . Specifically, the study sought to answer the following questions:
1. What were the pretest results of the Non-Flipped Classroom (Control group) and the Flipped Classroom (Experimental group)?
2. Was there a significant difference between the pretest results of the Non-Flipped Classroom (Control group) and the Flipped Classroom (Experimental group)?
3. What were the post-test results of the Non-Flipped Classroom (Control group) and the Flipped Classroom (Experimental group)?
4. Was there a significant difference between the posttest results of the Non-Flipped Classroom (Control group) and the Flipped Classroom (Experimental group)?
5. Was there a significant difference between the pretest and post –test results of the Non-Flipped Classroom (Control group) and the Flipped Classroom (Experimental group)?
6. What were the mean learning gains in percent of the Non-Flipped Classroom (Control group) and the Flipped Classroom Group (Experimental group)?
7. Was there a significant difference between the learning gains of the Non-Flipped Classroom (Control group) and the Flipped Classroom Group (Experimental group)?
3. Research Hypothesis
The following null hypotheses were tested in this study at 0.05 level of significance:
Ho1. There was no significant difference between the pretest results of the students taught in both flipped classroom and traditional learning approach.
Ho2. There was no significant difference between the posttest results of the students when taught in both flipped classroom and traditional learning approach?
Ho3. There was no significant difference between the pretest and posttest results of the Non-Flipped Classroom (Control group) and the Flipped Classroom Group (Experimental group)
Ho4 There was no significant difference in the learning gains of the Non-Flipped Classroom (Control group) and the Flipped Classroom Group (Experimental group)
4. Methodology
To achieve the objectives and find valid reliable answers to the research questions, the researcher utilized the experimental method under the quantitative paradigm which also referred to as the Pretest-Posttest control group research design. In this study, the researcher focused on two variables: The treatment variable or the intervention which in the case of this study was the Flipped classroom learning approach and the outcome variable which in the case of this study pertained to the improvement of the test performance of the students. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether Flipped classroom approach has a causal impact on the test performance of the students.
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