Abstract:

The flipped classroom teaching is a much researched and well-practiced pedagogical approach in Higher Education (HE) which inverses the traditional teaching and learning method. As opposed to the traditional education system, where the students are expected to learn and explore lecture materials after the lecture delivery in the classroom, the flipped classroom teaching the materials are provided beforehand. The students are expected to learn the materials provided which help them engage in active learning, active participation in problem solving and constructive discussion. Due to the nature of the approach, this is also commonly referred to as inverted teaching and learning.

Many HE institutions have already embraced the flipped classroom teaching and learning as it opens the opportunity of using classroom teaching time for interactive teaching and learning. Having seen the increasing popularity of flipped classroom teaching in HE, its wide adoption was suggested in 2015. This model can be mainly implemented by dividing the teaching into pre-class learning and in-class activities. Before attending the class session, students are given access to pre-recorded video lectures, readings, online modules, or other instructional content that cover the foundational concepts and materials that would have been typically presented in a traditional in-person lecture. During the class session, students are actively engaged in applying the knowledge they acquired during the pre-class learning phase. The teacher facilitates discussions, group activities, problem-solving exercises, and hands-on projects. This allows students to deepen their understanding, ask questions, and work collaboratively with their peers and the teacher.

Implementing a flipped classroom requires careful planning, creating quality pre-class materials, and ongoing evaluation to ensure its effectiveness. The success of a flipped classroom largely depends on the active participation and motivation of students, as well as the support and facilitation provided by the teacher. However, the learning outcome is not always the same in the case of the institutions that offer Transnational Education (TNE). TNE, which has gained huge popularity in the last decade, provides and promotes the mobility of education and educators between countries. It involves the delivery of educational courses, degrees, or qualifications to students in different countries, often through partnerships with local institutions or online platforms. The learners are located in a country different from the awarding institution.

The flipped learning in TNE comes with some challenges, such as varying internet access and cultural differences that may impact student engagement and learning outcomes. Specially with blended teaching, the learning outcome of the students can vary. As part of the Queen Mary University of London's Joint Program (JP) between Beijing University of Post and Telecommunications (BUPT), we have been implemented the flipped classroom pedagogy for an undergraduate Engineering module through blended teaching which has shown better student engagement for online teaching. On the other hand, in the case of in person teaching for the same group of students, the interaction level was not the same. Further analysis of the learning outcome and a continuous assessment of the flipped learning method can help improve the learning experience.

Keywords:

Flipped Learning, Blended Teaching, Transnational Education, Student Engagement, Learning Outcome.