Flipped classroom and role-playing as active learning methods in the social work degree: randomized experimental study

ABSTRACT

The inclusion of active learning methodologies in university degrees, such as Flipped Classroom and Role-playing require a higher degree of student involvement, greater dynamism in learning and increased content interaction. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Flipped Classroom and Role-Playing (FC + RP) methods as compared to the traditional lecturer-based (LB) method, on the academic performance of social work students. It also aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the FC + RP in terms of satisfaction with the subject and the method used, and finally, with respect to the perceived difficulty of each theoretical topic. The hypotheses stating that students using FC+RP methods obtained a higher academic performance, and a lower perception of difficulty of the content as compared to students using the traditional LB method were verified. However, it was not verified that students using FC + RP methods have greater satisfaction with the subject and the method used.

KEYWORDS:

• Flipped classroom
• role-playing
• social work degree
• methodologies
• academic performance

Acknowledgments

We wish to thank the University of Zaragoza (Spain); Research Group B21_R17 of the Department of Research, Innovation and University of the Government of Aragon (Spain); and Feder Funds “Another way to make Europe” for their support in the development of the study.

Data availability statement

As for the study’s database repository, it was decided that it shall be available upon request, since, upon locating the university, the degree and course in which the students are registered as well as the academic course year, we believe that it would be relatively simple to identify the students and violate their confidentiality. The data underlying the results presented in the study are available from Faculty of Labour Science, University of Zaragoza. A nonauthor point of contact is: Dr Ruth Vallejo Lacosta, Dean of Faculty of Social and Labour Sciences. E-mail: [email protected].

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the University of Zaragoza [call for teaching innovation PIIDUZ_1_137].

Notes on contributors

Mª José Gómez-Poyato

Mª José Gómez-Poyato, is professor at the University of Zaragoza, at the Psychology and Sociology Department.

Alejandra Aguilar-Latorre

Alejandra Aguilar-Latorre, researcher at the Health Research Institute of Aragon.

Mª Mar Martínez-Pecharromán

Mª Mar Martínez-Pecharromán, researcher at the Primary Health Care Research Group of Aragon.

Rosa Magallón-Botaya

Rosa Magallón-Botaya, is professor at the University of Zaragoza, at the Medicine, Psychiatry and Dermatology Department and researcher at the Health Research Institute of Aragon.

Bárbara Oliván-Blázquez

Bárbara Oliván-Blázquez, is professor at the University of Zaragoza, at the Psychology and Sociology Department and researcher at the Health Research Institute of Aragon.