A Flipped Learning Model in a College Physical Education Dance Course: A Non-experimental Design

Abstract

Teaching Physical Education has been plagued with issues on limited class time, gap between concept and practice, and use of traditional assessment methods. Thus, this study implemented flipped learning (FL), specifically the SPRING framework in a college dance course, to address these problems through the promotion of more student agency, in-depth learning, and enhancement of 21^st century skills. Since there is a dearth of FL studies that focus on a PE context in the country, this study then sheds light on whether flipped learning model can help improve the conceptual understanding and procedural fluency of the students in a dance course. Using statistical treatment, this study examined (1) the conceptual understanding and procedural fluency of the students through the results of the practical tests done before the major exams and the actual major exams, (2) the proportion of the students with improved performance scores, (3) the significant difference of the mean performance scores before and after the intervention, as well as (4) the difference between the male and female students' scores in both assessments. The results revealed that though the pilot implementation of FL in the PE course in the university yielded generally positive outcomes, some obstacles need to be addressed like technological and logistical limitations due to the sudden shift to remote learning during the pandemic, lack of readiness of the students to regulate their own learning and exhibit other relevant 21^st century skills under pressure and uncertain times, and gap between the male and female students performance due to possible latent gender issues in dance education that restrict students' creativity. Thus, the institution needs to provide even more technological, communication, and psychological support for the students to perform better and with more ease whether in a purely online or blended FL environment. More discussions and activities on gender inclusivity in dance classes are also advised to further break barriers against students' artistic freedom and imagination.