The use of an extended flipped classroom model in improving students’ learning in an undergraduate course

One of the biggest barriers preventing teachers from utilizing the flipped classroom approach in their teaching practices is the lack of a general and practical framework for guiding the design and implementation of flipped classrooms. This leads to the fact that the effectiveness of the flipped classroom approach is unconfirmed. Building on research findings from the field of learning and instruction, this study proposed a step-by-step general model named the “O-PIRTAS” (Objective, Preparation, Instructional video, Review, Test, Activity, Summary) flipped classroom model and examined its effectiveness in promoting student learning in an undergraduate psychology course. Two classes of 101 first-year undergraduates were taught by the flipped classroom model or the traditional lecture-based approach for 16 weeks. The results supported the effectiveness of the flipped classroom model; the flipped model not only improved the students’ perceptions of the teaching quality and peer interaction engagement but also promoted their generic skills development and examination performance. Instructional implications for implementing flipped instruction are provided, and directions for future research are discussed.