Abstract:

As technological progress advances worldwide, it is essential to determine whether innovations like the flipped classroom (FC), which reverses traditional teaching by moving in-class instruction online before class, promote gender parity. Research indicates that FC enhances learning engagement—a complex, multi-faceted construct that includes cognitive engagement (CE-tot), defined as the mental effort students dedicate to learning—and promotes academic success. However, there is limited research on gender differences in learning engagement (particularly CE-tot) in FC settings, especially in organic chemistry—a discipline that students at various levels of study often find challenging. This quantitative study aims to address this gap and to examine whether gender affects the relationship between teaching method and CE-tot. 200 Grade 12 students in South Africa studying organic chemistry were purposively selected from a disadvantaged school and randomly assigned to two groups: Group 1 (52 females, 48 males; taught using FC) and Group 2 (48 females, 52 males; taught traditionally). Both groups were co-taught by one male and one female teacher. Group 1 completed the pre-classwork on the Moodle online learning platform. All organic chemistry concepts were covered in the final 7 weeks of Term 1, 2021. A validated Likert-scale self-report CE-tot questionnaire was administered to participating students once. Using SPSS, the data were analysed with a two-way ANOVA, with gender (Male, Female) and instruction method (FC, Traditional) as independent variables, and CE-tot scores as the dependent variable. All the skewness values of the CE-tot scores within each group fell within the normal range of -1 to +1. The homogeneity of variances for the between-groups variables was assessed using Levene’s test. The assumption was satisfied (p > .05). Regression assumptions were also met, enabling a moderation analysis with gender as the moderator.

Tests of between-subjects effects show a significant main effect for gender, F (1, 196) = 17.45, p < .001, η2 = 0.082. The males’ mean (M) and standard deviation (SD) (M = 43.55, SD = 6.65) were higher than those of the females (M = 39.87, SD = 7.15), indicating greater CE-tot. Additionally, a significant main effect for instruction method, F (1, 196) = 18.25, p < .001, η2 = 0.085. CE-tot was higher in Group 1 (M = 43.59, SD = 7.01) than in Group 2 (M = 39.83, SD = 6.43). Furthermore, the estimated marginal means (EMM) indicated that, for females, the difference in CE-tot between Groups 1 and 2 (EMM = 40.27, SE = .90; EMM = 39.44, SE = .934, respectively) was insignificant (p = .552). However, for males, CE-tot in Group 1 (EMM = 47.19, SE = .934) was significantly higher than in Group 2 (EMM = 40.19, SE = .897) (p < .001). Furthermore, the interaction between gender and instructional method was significant, F (1, 196) = 11.32, p < .001, η² = 0.055. To confirm this, the regression model with CE-tot as the outcome variable was significant, F (3, 196) = 15.25, p < .001, and the R-square was 0.44. The FC and traditional F2F alone did not significantly predict CE-tot (B = -0.83, p = .52). Gender was a significant predictor (B = 13.087, p < .001). The interaction term was also significant (B = -6.16, p < .001), indicating moderation. These findings suggest that females benefited less from FC than males, underscoring the need for policymakers and educators to be intentional about promoting equal benefits across genders.

Keywords:

Flipped classroom, learning engagement, gender differences, chemistry education.