‘Don’t flip out!’: Flipping the research methods classroom to improve student performance

ABSTRACT

Technology is opening doors to new methods of instruction that can support the learning of different types of students; flipped learning is one such approach. Due to its structure and theoretical underpinnings, flipped learning can help overcome the well-documented negative student attitudes towards research class to help them achieve the required learning. In this article, flipped learning and its theoretical bases are explained before detailing its application in an introductory social work research methods class. Benefits as well as limitations of this method are discussed to allow other instructors to assess how they could use it in a single class or an entire course.

KEYWORDS:

• Flipped learning
• teaching research
• pedagogy
• andragogy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Susan Mapp

Susan Mapp is the BSW program director and department chair. She has been teaching research methods for  20 years. Her scholarly areas include human rights and international social work.