Marching to the Beat of One’s Own Drum: A Comparison of Students’ Understanding of Linear Equations and Perspectives on Learning Mathematics in a Flipped and Non-Flipped Classroom

Abstract

This study compared two teaching approaches (flipped vs non-flipped) for the topic of linear equations in two Australian secondary mathematics classes taught by one teacher. Both the flipped and non-flipped classes demonstrated similar improvement in understanding directly after the topic. However, the flipped class had greater retention of understanding three weeks after the topic. Student attitude data showed no significant differences (p > .05) between the two classes before or after the topic. Open-ended responses from students revealed favorable perceptions of the flipped approach for most students. These included enhanced support for learning through an ability to control their own learning and ability to review explanations on demand. Some students expressed difficulty in not being able to seek immediate clarification from the teacher when watching the videos, highlighting a drawback of the approach.