REFLECTIONS ON FLIPPING THE CLASSES IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT COURSES

Abstract

A “flipped classroom” pedagogical approach – a form of blended learning in which the traditionallecture and homework elements of a course are reversed – appears to be an effective and efficientway of learning/teaching both for students as well as for lecturers. This way of teaching definitely hasthe potential to provide the participants with a greater amount of interaction (among students as wellas between students and lecturers) than is available in a traditional classroom, and provide a morepersonalised/individualized approach to students’ studying needs. However, when implementing this approach some aspects need further consideration. For instance,one must efficiently communicate the concept of a flipped classroom so that the students comprehendthe differences between a flipped classroom and a traditional classroom. Another moment whichdeserves attention and thorough consideration is how to increase student engagement, theirattendance in classroom sessions and involvement in class activities. Other important elements of theflipped classroom approach which must be considered are pre-recorded lectures, and the questionhow their design can impact the student learning process. This paper aims to provide examples how these issues were addressed when implementing theflipped classroom in two courses in the study field of Business Administration and Management –Organisation Theory (undergraduate level) and Knowledge Management (graduate level). This paperwill reflect how various ways of implementation can influence student engagement, the learningprocess and learning outcomes. The assessment of the implementation of this learning/teachingapproach is based on student surveys/interviews, personal observations of the teacher as well as onquantitative data from the course management system Fronter and the examination results.