Search

The flipped classroom approach is increasingly popular. The effectiveness of the flipped classroom is promising, yet there is little consensus on whether and how varying the number of flipped lessons influences the overall course effectiveness and the affective perceptions of flipped learning. This is important because of the potential impacts on students, teaching staff, and institutional-supporting staff when increasing the number of flipped lessons in a course. The present project collected 465 valid responses from university students who attended courses with varying numbers of flipped lessons in five different government-funded universities. Across different academic disciplines, results converged to identify that students learning in a course that flipped 40-50% of lessons showed the highest learning outcomes in terms of interpersonal and communication skills, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as feeling the most positive towards their flipped learning experiences. Our findings not only increase the understanding of the flipped classroom instructional strategy but also provide practical suggestions in course design and support, so as to maximize the benefits of the flipped classroom instructional strategy.

The recent COVID-19 pandemic prompted the implementation of online teaching and online assessment. Online assessment can be challenging to both teachers and students due to technical, academic, and ethical issues. In this survey, we adopted both qualitative and quantitative approaches to evaluate (1) the perceived effectiveness of online assessment; (2) barriers and problems of using online assessment; and (3) suggestions for improvement. The online survey was conducted in May 2020, 752 full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students had completed the questionnaires. Forty-three undergraduate students attended an individual interview between May and June 2020. A total of 739 (98.3%) students had the experience of taking online assessment during COVID-19 outbreak. The survey results revealed that only 16.6% of students were satisfied with their online assessment arrangements. The major difficulty that students encountered was technical problems (52.6%). Majority of students (72.6%) agreed that online assessments were more affected by computer problems and internet connection when compared with traditional examination. Students expressed that teachers' feedback was essential for their learning, and they wished to receive timely and detailed feedback on their performance. Students suggested that technical support should be provided, and standardized measures should be taken to ensure academic honesty.

With the advancement of technology, eLearning is increasingly adopted as an instructional method in a wide range of educational settings and has opened up new possibilities in teaching and learning practices. However, there is insufficient empirical evidence to illustrate how eLearning benefits teaching and learning practice in its real-world applications. Therefore, an important question is raised--How can eLearning technology facilitate pedagogical advancement practically in the classroom? In this study, we focus on constructivist pedagogies, emphasizing the dramatic educational reform from teacher-centered pedagogy to a student-centered, constructivist approach. Based on observations of 79 eLearning classes in eight primary schools, four secondary schools, and two special education schools in Hong Kong, this study illustrates how eLearning technology can advance at least five constructivist pedagogies: 1) active learning, 2) student-centered learning, 3) peer learning, 4) personalized learning, and 5) differentiated learning. We illustrate that the interactive, self-paced, repetitious, and customizable features of eLearning systems facilitate the implementation of these five constructivist pedagogies. Successful examples from classroom observations are drawn to illustrate how teachers make practical use of eLearning technology. This article serves to stimulate further discussion on how eLearning can be applied across various settings to advance the effectiveness of constructivist pedagogies and to encourage practitioners to consider how to make use of eLearning technology in the classroom.

Is it worth the time and effort to overcome the challenges to flipping the classroom? To answer this question, we recruited university students from five government-funded universities in Hong Kong. They were asked to complete two surveys with the same measurements before and after the flipped lessons. The results from round 1 of students' pre- and post-flip learning outcomes did not show significant differences; however, students' critical thinking ability and interpersonal skills were significantly improved in round 2. The authors' findings suggest that the benefits of the flipped classroom may depend on contextual factors that warrant additional discussion.

Student response systems (commonly called "clickers") are valuable tools for engaging students in classroom interactions. In this study, we investigated the use of two types of response systems (a traditional clicker and a mobile device) by students in human physiology courses. Our results showed high student satisfaction with the use of clickers in class. A survey also provided insights into how students perceived the benefits of response systems. We found that most students favoured the use of traditional clickers over mobile clickers, with the students reporting a number of difficulties in using the latter. These difficulties could discourage students from moving ahead to more advanced levels in programmes that involve mobile device interaction with the course teacher. Thus, innovations in learning technology should proceed with caution, and with constant attention given to students' preferences and needs.