Flipped Statistics Class Results: Better Performance Than Lecture Over One Year Later


Authors: 
Jennifer R. Winquist and Kieth A. Carlson
Year: 
2014
URL: 
http://ww2.amstat.org/publications/jse/v22n3/winquist.pdf
Abstract: 

In this paper, we compare an introductory statistics course taught using a flipped classroom
approach to the same course taught using a traditional lecture based approach. In the lecture
course, students listened to lecture, took notes, and completed homework assignments. In the
flipped course, students read relatively simple chapters and answered reading quiz questions
prior to class and completed workbook activities in class. The workbook activities consisted of
questions (multiple choice, short answer, computation) designed to help students understand
more complex material. Over one year after taking the course (median = 20 months), students
took a standardized test of their knowledge of statistics as well as nine other content areas in
psychology. Students in the flipped course outperformed the students in the lecture course on the
statistics portion of the test (d =.43), but not on non-statistics portions of the test.

The CAUSE Research Group is supported in part by a member initiative grant from the American Statistical Association’s Section on Statistics and Data Science Education