Outcomes of Early Adopters Implementing the Flipped Classroom Approach in Undergraduate STEM Courses

The flipped classroom is an increasingly popular active learning approach in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics courses. This study investigated the implementation and student outcomes of early adopters of the flipped classroom approach. We used the Diffusion of Innovations framework to compare the implementation and outcomes in traditional and flipped courses of five early adopters of the flipped classroom approach. Data included classroom observations, student grades, and student evaluations of teaching. Results indicated that students in flipped courses spent less class time listening to lectures and more time engaged in active learning during class than did students in traditional courses. However, these changes in instruction did not result in significantly improved student performance or student evaluations of teaching. These results demonstrate the positive outcomes frequently observed in previous studies may take more time to replicate in early adopters’ courses. This work reinforces the need to continue studying the implementation and outcomes of educational innovations throughout their adoption.