Abstract:

Using active learning methodologies in higher education has received considerable attention over the last decades as it is considered a more effective way to manage the classroom and enhance students’ learning experiences. Nevertheless, the increasing popularity of methods such as flipped classroom, team-based or project-based learning, which require higher students’ involvement in terms of effort and time, may not be most suitable for all courses or all instructors. A comprehensive cost-benefit analysis is necessary prior to choosing the most appropriate teaching method to be implemented. This analysis should take into account student needs and motivation, learning outcomes, and instructor abilities and capacity. The present study aims to review the existing evidence on the use of flipped classroom in the instruction of Economics at graduate and undergraduate levels from a cost-benefit perspective. Direct (e.g. cost of teaching materials, videos, etc.) and indirect costs (e.g. time to design or to prepare for out-of-class activities) to students, instructors and higher education institutions are discussed. Benefits for all agents involved in the learning process (e.g. learning outcomes, satisfaction, motivation, higher pass rate, etc.) are also assessed. We argue that cost-benefit analysis can be a useful tool to assist university professors when deciding on the implementation of active learning methodologies in their regular teaching practice.

Keywords:

Active learning, higher education, flipped classroom, team-based learning, cost-benefit analysis.