Performance and Motivation in a Middle School Flipped Learning Course

Flipped learning is a teaching approach that promotes collaboration by using technology to ‘flip’ traditional instruction. Content is delivered outside of class in the individual space (online) and the group space (classroom) is used to engage in collaborative activities. Flipped learning shifts the teacher’s role toward facilitation. Research on flipped learning is limited, in that studies are mostly conducted in postsecondary classrooms. My study investigated a middle school classroom – focusing on a 6th grade social studies course at a K-12 private school in Hawai’i. My purpose was to identify the relationship between student motivation and performance in a flipped learning course. Following an eight-week unit of study, performance data was collected and a Likert-type survey was administered. Significant differences in survey responses between performance levels revealed that the technology-based content in flipped learning may lead to increased motivation and improved performance. Also, my findings suggest flipped learning benefits average achieving students through differentiated instruction. My study was designed to influence middle school practice but can apply to other educational levels. Practical implications include designing learning spaces to maximize student engagement and incorporating learner-appropriate strategies with flipped learning. Future research should focus on learning space design in different K-12 environments. © 2017, Association for Educational Communications & Technology.