Improving Vocational and Technical Education: Comparing Flipped and Traditional Classrooms’ Impact on Learning Performance in Management Courses

Abstract

This essay examines the effectiveness of flipped classroom approaches in improving learning outcomes among first-year management students at Chinese vocational colleges. Using a quasi-experimental design, the study involved fifty classes with a total of 1,000 students, divided into experimental and control groups. The study aimed to evaluate how the flipped classroom model influences academic achievement, analytical, creative, and practical intelligence, as well as learning attitudes. It also investigated whether cognitive styles (visual vs. verbal orientation) moderated the relationship between teaching methods and learning outcomes. Results show that the flipped classroom significantly enhances cognitive learning achievements, analytical, creative, and practical intelligence, and fosters a more positive learning attitude compared to traditional methods. Notably, cognitive styles had a minimal impact on learning outcomes, suggesting that the benefits of flipped classrooms apply broadly across different learning preferences. This research enhances the understanding of effective pedagogical strategies in vocational education and underscores the flipped classroom’s potential to improve student learning experiences.