J Sci Educ Technol
DOI 10.1007/s10956-016-9657-x
The Effects of a Flipped Classroom Model of Instruction
on Students’ Performance and Attitudes Towards Chemistry
Eunice Eyitayo Olakanmi1
 Springer Science+Business Media New York 2016
Abstract This study establishes the effects of a flipped
classroom model of instruction on academic performance
and attitudes of 66 first-year secondary school students
towards chemistry. A pre-test and post-test experimental
design was employed to assign students randomly into
either the experimental or control group. In order to assess
the suitability of using flipped model of instruction, stu-
dents were divided in two groups. For the first group called
the experimental group, a ‘‘flipped classroom’’ was used in
which the students were given video lessons and reading
materials, before the class to be revised at home. On the
other hand, the second group followed traditional
methodology, and it was used as control. The rate of
reaction knowledge test and the chemistry attitude scale
were administered. In addition, the researcher documented
classroom observations, experiences, thoughts and insights
regarding the intervention in a journal on a daily basis in
order to enrich the data. Students were interviewed at the
end of the research in order to enrich the qualitative data
also. Findings from this study reveal that the flipped
instruction model facilitates a shift in students’ conceptual
understanding of the rate of chemical reaction significantly
more than the control condition. Positive significant dif-
ferences were found on all assessments with the flipped
class students performing higher on average. Students in
the flipped classroom model condition benefited by
preparing for the lesson before the classes and had the
opportunity to interact with peers and the teacher during
& Eunice Eyitayo Olakanmi
e.e.olakanmi@gmail.com
1 riences (Felder 2012; Strayer 2012).
Department of Science and Technology Education, College
of Education, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South
Africa
the learning processes in the classroom. The findings sup-
port the notion that teachers should be trained or retrained
on how to incorporate the flipped classroom model into
their teaching and learning processes because it encourages
students to be directly involved and active in the learning.
Keywords Attitude to chemistry
Conceptual
understanding
Flipped model
Rate of reaction
Introduction
The flipped classroom model of instruction is a relatively
new teaching strategy which attempts to improve students’
performance and impart a positive attitude towards learn-
ing through moving the lecture outside the classroom via
technology and moving homework and exercises inside the
classroom via learning activities. According to Bergmann
and Sams (2012), this paradigm shift involves using
internet technology to leverage the learning in a classroom
so that teachers spend more time interacting with students
in the classroom instead of lecturing. This is usually
implemented by using teacher-created videos which stu-
dents view before class time or through the use of freely
available videos online. Felder (2012) is of the opinion that
the flipped classroom model of instruction is a modification
of student-centred instructional models that have been in
existence for many years. Student-centred learning models,
which include the flipped classroom, are based on the
constructivist theory of learning, which emphasises stu-
dents’ critical role in socially constructing meaning from
newly acquired information and their prior learning expe-
In order to increase students’ content achievement while
teaching 21st century skills, teachers and administrators
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must understand the reality of the pervasiveness of infor-
mation and communication technology (ICT) on the lives
of students. With increased use of ICT in teaching and
learning processes, it is becoming easier for teachers to
offer dynamic multimedia educational resources for their
students. These resources also have the capability to sup-
port both content and assessment between the instructors
and the students. With the use of cloud computing and
services such as YouTube, TeacherTube and Screencast.-
com, both teachers and students have access to online
videos which they can share with others. All the flipped
classroom models share common characteristics which
include active and intentional transfer of some of the
information delivery to outside of the classroom with the
goal of freeing up time to make better use of the face-to-
face interaction in school. Teachers become guides to
understanding rather than dispensers of facts and students
become active learners rather than receptacles of infor-
mation; a permanent archive tutorial of class content is
created; and students can watch the video again as the need
arises (Felder 2012; Strayer 2012). All these factors enable
teachers to have more time for collaborative and applica-
tion activities during classroom learning. Hamden et al.
(2013) report that the act of loading instructional videos
online for the students allows teachers to reconsider how to
maximise the face-to-face session with their students. In
this case, students will have more time to collaborate with
peers, engage more deeply with content and receive
immediate feedback from their instructor (Hamden et al.
2013).
According to Moore et al. (2014), the most essential
feature of the flipped classroom model is to increase teacher-
to-student and student-to-student interaction during class
time. They emphasise that most teachers describe the benefit
of the flipped classroom as being able to have one-on-one
contact with every student during every class period. The
flipped classroom model allows more time for the develop-
ment of 21st century skills, which include critical thinking,
collaboration and self-direction (Framework for 21st Cen-
tury Learning 2010). Specialists in flipped classroom models
are constantly modifying, changing, rejecting, adding to and
generally trying to improve the model through direct expe-
rience with how effective the model is in teaching and
learning. The flipped classroom model is one of the com-
prehensive instructional models, which include direct
instruction, inquiry, practice, formative and summative
assessment and much more. The model also enables teachers
to reflect on their own practices by developing quality and
engaging learning opportunities and options for internalisa-
tion, creation and application of content rather than time-
filling assignments (Hamden et al. 2013).
In spite of all the advantages of the flipped model of
instruction, there are still some misconceptions about it.
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Noschese (2011) explains that the flipped model is about
replacing teachers with videos. He expresses the fear that
the increase in the use of online instructional videos will
diminish the roles of teachers in the classroom. This critic
points to the use of the Khan Academy website containing
over 4000 videos made by Salman Khan, which have been
viewed over 200 million times. The goal of a video
repository on Khan Academy’s website was to change
education for the better by providing free world-class
education to anyone anywhere (Khan 2011). However, the
critics have started to question the need for teachers if all
the learning materials are readily available to students. In
his explanation, Khan (2011) approves the use of the flip-
ped model in the classroom and explains that the use of his
online videos will allow the teachers to focus on higher-
level learning activities, such as running simulations and
laboratories with students, doing individual interventions
and facilitating peer-to-peer learning (Fink 2011; Gojak
2012). Fink (2011) emphasises further that while the flip-
ped learning model is similar to an online course, it does
not change the amount of face-to-face time that a student
spends in a classroom compared to a traditional classroom.
Other studies found that using the flipped model in
teaching and learning does not contribute positively to
students’ conceptual understanding of the learning content
(Strayer 2007; Johnson and Renner 2012). Strayer (2007),
for example, in his mixed methods study compared two
introductory statistics classes that he taught. One class was
taught using the flipped model and the other using the
traditional lecture/homework structure. Strayer’s frame-
work was based on activity theory and active-learning
theories which state that students learn best through
activity and physical engagement with the learning content.
In the study, Strayer used a video series to deliver the
lecture content to his flipped class and followed up with
activities and collaborative learning during class time. The
analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data showed
that students in the flipped class were less satisfied with the
instruction they received. Although the students in the
flipped class preferred collaboration and the innovative
teaching strategies, they felt less connected to the professor
and that the class time was redundant to them after learning
the content from a video.
Within Nigeria’s National Curriculum, chemistry is a
fundamental subject for students aiming at pursuing a
career in science, technology, engineering and mathematics
(STEM)-related subjects. The education policy emphasises
the importance of science teaching and learning within the
curriculum and that chemistry should be taught in the
senior secondary school classes 1–3 (this is equivalent 9th–
12th grades in the US system) (Federal Ministry of Edu-
cation 2007). The aims of the curriculum include devel-
oping an interest in STEM subjects, acquiring basic skills
J Sci Educ Technol
and theoretical and practical knowledge in STEM and
developing a reasonable level of competence in ICT
application in order to engender entrepreneurial skills
(National Policy on Education 2008). The development of
students’ interest in STEM learning has always been
recognised to be of great importance to enable them to
make decisions wisely and to perform efficiently in the
STEM subjects.
Chemistry is distinct from other sciences in the sense
that it is perceivable in almost every part of the daily lives
of humans. Chemistry is at work in the food we eat, the
clothing we wear and the cleaning agents we use. However,
chemistry is also perceived as a difficult subject for stu-
dents to understand. Research has shown that chemistry is
one of the most conceptually difficult subjects in the cur-
riculum and students struggle to associate concepts of
chemistry with various human activities (Childs and
Sheehan 2009; Arong and Ogbadu 2010). Arong and
Ogbadu (2010) agree that Nigerian students usually per-
form poorly in chemistry in the senior school certificate
examination (SSCE) due to the fact that it is abstract, rich
in content and often taught from a teacher-centred
approach. Other reasons for poor performance in chemistry
are lack of appropriate educational materials and a poor
attitude to chemistry resulting from a lack of interest in the
subject as well as students’ poor academic background.
Rate of chemical reaction has been observed as one of
the most difficult and abstract concepts in chemistry; most
students find it difficult to understand, and some teachers
find it difficult to teach due to misconceptions (Çakmakçi
et al. 2006). Rate of chemical reactions in the curriculum
encapsulates several fundamental chemistry concepts,
including factors affecting reaction rates, theories of reac-
tion rates, analysis and interpretation of reaction rates,
graphing and collision of constituent molecules in chemi-
cals. It is therefore necessary that secondary school stu-
dents who study chemistry understand its application in
everyday life and are able to explain these applications
scientifically as they happen.
By now it should be beyond dispute that science learn-
ing among Nigerian students leaves a lot to be desired.
Even after several reforms in the national curriculum,
students in assessments of all the STEM-related subjects
range from simply mediocre to extremely poor in the
country (Arong and Ogbadu 2010). Nigerian classrooms
currently do not provide learning opportunities that require
students to engage in hands-on activity and interactive
learning that can help in understanding chemistry concepts
in day-to-day learning. Students, known as Millennials,
have unique learning preferences that differ from those of
previous generations. This group of students prefers
working collaboratively with their peers and using tech-
nology in their learning. When teachers cannot provide a
flexible learning environment for students, learning
becomes daunting to these students, and hence they are not
interested in science subjects, especially chemistry. This
could be responsible for their mass failure at the final
SSCE.
In order to achieve the educational goals related to
teaching chemistry as encapsulated in Nigerian education
policies, it is necessary for teachers to explore new
teaching methods that accentuate the need of learners to
engage with learning in a similar way that they engage with
the internet on their various electronic gadgets. Therefore,
the flipped classroom model, which entails using online
videos of teaching rate of chemical reaction, could aid
students’ development of mental representations related to
concepts in chemistry. According to Leo and Puzio (2016),
students who are involved in a flipped classroom are more
likely to have an increased appreciation in their group
work, innovation, and they feel more empowered to use
new technology to find information on their own than
students who were taught in the traditional way. The
findings of their work showed that students preferred
watching video lectures outside the classroom and appre-
ciated being actively engaged in the classroom (Leo and
Puzio 2016).
In another mixed methods investigation, Schultz et al.
(2014) found that the flipped classroom helped high school
advanced placement chemistry students to understand the
chemical concepts for the whole academic year. They also
reported that most students had favourable perceptions
about the flipped classroom, noting the ability to pause,
rewind and review lectures, as well as increased individ-
ualised learning (González-Gómez et al. 2016). In a similar
study conducted by Fautch (2015), it was noted that using a
flipped classroom for teaching organic chemistry increased
the students’ comprehension of the learning material and
led to an improvement in their performance in summative
assessments. It was also reported that students felt more
comfortable with the subject of organic chemistry and they
became noticeably passionate about the subject. Davies
et al. (2013), for example, compared a traditional intro-
ductory spreadsheet skills course with a flipped model and
they found that the flipped model of instruction was more
effective. In their research, the flipped classroom students
demonstrated higher levels of motivation and improved
academic performance than the traditional students.
According to Davies et al. (2013), students appreciated the
flexibility of accessing course materials, particularly course
lectures, on various mobile devices anywhere and at any
time.
With regard to the students’ attitudes towards learning
chemistry, which is one of the factors that influences stu-
dents’ success in learning, different studies agree that
students are losing interest in science subjects such as
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 J Sci Educ Technol

chemistry (Yunus and Ali 2013; Ejidike and Oyelana 2. What effects does a flipped classroom environment
2015). Other studies (Hesser and Schwartz 2013; Gluck have on students’ attitudes towards learning chemistry
et al. 2014), on the other hand, emphasise the need to apply as measured by the CAS?
new pedagogical concepts in teaching chemistry. Accord- 3. What are the benefits and challenges of using a flipped
ing to these studies, an effective teaching and learning classroom model to teach and learn chemistry?
process is most likely to occur when students are able to
analyse problems, think critically and communicate their
findings. Hence, introducing the flipped model into the
Methodology of the Research
chemistry classroom could help students to improve in
their performance in chemistry. Moreover, students can
To establish the effects of the flipped classroom model of
learn this subject effectively when they are actively
instruction on students’ performance and attitudes towards
involved in the learning processes. This can be done
learning chemistry, an experimental pre- and post-test
through the proper organisation of knowledge in a mean-
control group design was used during which students were
ingful pattern that reflects a deep understanding of the
randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a
subject (Eilks et al. 2010). A previous study conducted by
control group. A comparison study, in terms of students’
Sowa and Thorsen (2015) indicates that students’ prefer-
performance and attitude, was applied to evaluate the
ence for a flipped model classroom was high in STEM-
effectiveness of the flipped classroom model. The research
related subjects compared to the traditional lecture-based
took place in a secondary school in Minna, Niger State,
method of teaching. Also, the majority of students stated
Nigeria. The experiment was conducted over a three-week
that the teaching instruments used in the flipped classroom
period during the 2014–2015 Nigerian academic year. The
setting were useful as learning tools. Therefore, the role of
concept of rate of chemical reaction was taught at the time
chemistry teachers is very important as they need to
of this research at the school. Students attended a series of
establish an effective learning environment that will
lessons for 2 hours a week during the three-week period. In
accommodate individual students’ learning styles in order
order to protect the anonymity of the students, who were
to become self-regulated learners. Teachers need to know
minors, a pseudonym has been given to the school: Niger
not only the learning content, but how to teach their
Valley Secondary School (NVSS). The research was con-
students.
ducted at NVSS because the school had a computer suite
This research sought to bring about improvements in
that could accommodate this research. The researcher
students’ performance and attitudes in the secondary
collaborated with the chemistry teachers and obtained
chemistry classroom through the implementation of the
permission from the school authority to carry out the
flipped model of instruction and to compare student inter-
research. The students assented to participate in the
action in the flipped classroom with a traditional format.
research by means of letters of assent, and parents and
The flipped classroom model was used for teaching rate of
guardians also signed consent letters.
chemical reaction, based on the assumption that it would
help students understand the abstract and difficult concepts
Sampling
in the content. The teacher, with the help of the researcher,
was able to identify an online video that could aid students’
A total of 66 (37 males and 29 females) first-year senior sec-
understanding of rate of chemical reaction. Students were
ondary (SS1) science students aged 13–14 were sampled. The
instructed to watch the video via the link provided or on a
sample represented the entire population of students who were
DVD given to them and to take notes before attending their
enrolled at NVSS for chemistry at SS1. The students are
normal chemistry classes. During the class session, stu-
usually taught rate of chemical reaction at this level in the
dents worked collaboratively on an inquiry-based assign-
national curriculum. Thirty-three students were randomly
ment, which included what is traditionally thought of as
assigned to the experimental group, and 33 were assigned to
homework. This created the flipped classroom, thus com-
the control group. Experimental and control groups were
pletely shifting the paradigm of teaching and learning. It
taught by the same teacher, who could use computers and the
was hypothesised that the flipped classroom intervention in
internet competently. Prior to the research, lessons on the
this research would improve student test performance as
same content were planned for both groups.
well as their attitudes towards learning chemistry. The key
The control group was taught following the normal con-
questions driving this research were as follows:
ventional method and given homework as stated in the
1. What are the effects of the flipped classroom on senior national curriculum, while the experimental group was
secondary school chemistry students’ performance in taught using the flipped classroom model. The experimental
rate of chemical reaction as measured by the RRKT? group was taught in the computer suite so that teacher can

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make reference to the video during the lesson. This took
place under the guidance and supervision of the teacher and
the researcher. All the 66 students were given consent forms
to participate in the study, regardless of instructional method.
All the students returned the content forms, so they were all
allowed to participate in the research.
Instrumentation
The following were the instruments used to collect the
data:
• Rates of Reactions Knowledge Test (RRKT)
• Chemistry Attitude Scale (CAS)
• Observations and interviews
Rates of Reactions Knowledge Test (RRKT)
The researcher developed the RRKT to measure students’
achievement in rate of chemical reaction for both the
experimental and control groups. The format of the test was
developed to reflect that used in the West African Senior
School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) chemistry
examination that tested students on the rates of chemical
reaction. The test was administered before and after the
implementation of the flipped classroom model. The RRKT
consisted of a 14-item paper-based test on rate of chemical
reaction and that represented the conceptual knowledge of
the construct. The items comprised short-answer questions,
matching and multiple-choice tasks. The pre-RRKT and
post-RRKT were identical in the study, as these tests aimed
to capture students’ conceptual knowledge of rate of chem-
ical reaction before and after learning in their various groups.
The RRKT was piloted among 60 SS1 students in another
school and the four teachers who were involved in this study
to check the content validity and the reliability of the
instrument. In the RRKT, the minimum score was 0 and the
maximum was 14. Higher scores indicated higher attainment
of conceptual knowledge of rate of chemical reaction.
Examples of the questions asked in RRKT include: choosing
the correct answers from the given options in (1) Collision
theory states that a chemical reaction can only take place
when particles (a) Collide, (b) Get hot, (b) Turn blue, (d) Get
cold, (e) I don’t know. (2) For chemicals in solution,
increasing the concentration will increase the rate of a
reaction because (a) The particles are stronger, (b) The par-
ticles are bigger, (c) The particles are smaller, (d) The par-
ticles are closer together, (e) I don’t know.
Chemistry Attitude Scale (CAS)
The CAS developed by Demircioğlu et al. (2005) consists of
25 attitude statements (11 positive and 14 negative). Items in
the CAS were designed to measure students’ attitudes
towards learning chemistry. Examples of CAS items
include: I like chemistry; chemistry lessons are boring for
me; It is not interesting for me to try solving chemistry
problems; I enjoy learning how to use chemistry in daily life.
One factor was identified by factor analysis: attitude
towards chemistry. This factor explained 44 % of variance.
The CAS contains items in a 5-point Likert-scale (strongly
agree, agree, undecided, partially disagree, strongly dis-
agree). According to Demircioğlu et al. (2005), CAS’s
Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient was found to be 0.84
and validated by three professors in the field of education.
While the ratings ranged from strongly agree (5) to
strongly disagree (1) for the 11 positive statements, the
reverse ratings, strongly agree (1) to strongly disagree (5),
were used for the 14 negative statements. While scores of
0–125 are possible (25 items 9 5 = 125), our students
score range from 25 (lowest) to 100 (highest). CAS was
analysed firstly by calculating the total score of each stu-
dent and then the mean score of each group. Sample atti-
tude items crafted for CAS in Demircioğlu et al. (2005)
included: ‘‘I like chemistry’’, ‘‘I am looking forward to
taking more chemistry courses’’ and ‘‘I enjoy learning how
to use chemistry in daily life’’. The mean scores of the
experimental and control groups were compared by using a
t test for both the pre-tests and post-tests.
Observations and Interviews
Qualitative data were collected through classroom obser-
vations by using an observation checklist of how students
were learning in the flipped classroom. After the learning
sessions, 10 students were interviewed in the flipped
classroom in an attempt to gather more insight into their
thinking regarding the flipped classroom and learning rate
of chemical reaction in this learning environment. A semi-
structured approach was used in the interviews. All the
interviews were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim by
the researcher. Examples of the questions asked during the
interview were: What did you like about the flipped
classroom environment? What do you think about using the
flipped classroom model to teach you chemistry? What was
the impact of the flipped classroom on your learning? What
did you not like about the flipped classroom environment?
What did you like about the flipped classroom videos?
Three experts in the field of educational technology were
contacted via email and asked to review the interview
questions for credibility. Specifically, the experts were
asked to determine whether or not the questions asked were
clear, appropriately worded, open-ended and in alignment
with the overall research questions proposed in the study.
Their feedback helped in simplifying the wording so that it
was appropriate for the age group used for this research.
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Fig. 1 Screenshots of a video lesson used in this research
Procedures
During the first lesson of this research, students in both the
experimental and control groups completed the pre-RRKT
and pre-CAS. They were given 20 min to complete them.
Prior to the second lesson, both the researcher and the
chemistry teacher were able to identify an online instruc-
tional video that could be used to enhance students’ con-
ceptual understanding of rate of chemical reaction. The
video involves a teacher using computer simulation to
teach rate of reaction. By watching the video, it was dis-
covered that it was curriculum-focused and designed to
help teachers tackle problematic topics such as rate of
reaction. The research made use of the rate of chemical
reaction video as a flipped environment for investigating
students’ conceptual understanding of rate of chemical
reaction and attitude towards chemistry.
Students in the experimental group were supported and
motivated by the researcher through explanation to make
use of the instructional video provided via the given link
for those who had an internet connection at home, or on
flash drives and DVDs for those who did not have an
internet connection at home. In the event a student was still
unable to view the content at home; then, arrangements
were made for that student to view the media pieces during
their free time before the normal lesson so he or she could
be adequately prepared for class. The video helps the stu-
dents to make connections between the chemical macro-
scopic, microscopic and symbolic worlds so that they
understand the chemical concept of the process of rate of
chemical reaction. Students in the experimental condition
prepared for the class by watching video and reading the
given materials and contemplating questions on the
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required task. Completion of homework content notes was
used to determine whether or not the students had ade-
quately prepared for class. The control group students were
taught by the same teacher using the traditional teacher-
centred approach involving ‘‘talk-and-chalk’’-type lessons
and normal homework, which is the dominant teaching
approach in Nigerian schools.
During class, the students in the experimental group engaged
in hands-on activities, participated in real-world applications and
completed independent practice in the presence of the teacher.
Such use of instructional time afforded the teacher an opportunity
to assess the students’ understanding and comprehension of the
content. Students were also observed during the class activity to
see how they had made connections between the chemical
worlds. Figure 1 below shows screen captures of the online video
used in this research (Andersen 2013).
Throughout the flipped model of instruction interven-
tion, observations, experiences, thoughts and insights were
documented in the researcher’s a journal. The journal also
served as a means of brainstorming to expand upon
impressions and thoughts about what was occurring
throughout the study. After experiencing the flipped model
of instruction, students in both the experimental and control
groups completed a post-RRKT and post-CAS.
In order to gain a deeper understanding of the effect of the
flipped model classroom on students’ academic performance
and attitude towards chemistry, an independent t test was
used to test the equivalence of the test scores on RRKT and
CAS of the experimental and control groups at the beginning
of the study. At the end of the experimental process, an
independent t test was also used to compare the pre-test and
post-test scores of the groups for each of the instruments. The
significance level was taken as .05 in the study.
J Sci Educ Technol
Finally, the observations written in the researcher’s
journal and the interview data were analysed by using the-
matic content analysis. This involved working with and
organising the data, breaking it into manageable units, syn-
thesising it in order to search for certain patterns, deciding on
vital aspects and disseminating the findings (Bogdan and
Biklen 2003). Therefore, the existence, meanings and rela-
tionships of the words or concepts that were related to atti-
tude towards learning chemistry were explored and recorded
during the process of analysis. The qualitative data were
analysed and revisited until the point of saturation was
reached. Creswell (2008) notes that saturation is the point
where you have identified the major themes and no new
information can add to your list of themes or to the detail for
existing themes.
Results and Findings
In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the flipped classroom
model on students’ performance, this study compared the
academic performance scores of the experimental and con-
trol groups to each other and within themselves. The dif-
ferences between pre-tests, post-tests and attitude scores of
both groups were also compared. Both quantitative and
qualitative findings reveal that the students responded
favourably to the flipped model of instruction and experi-
enced a positive increase in their attitudes towards chemistry
compared to the traditional classroom experience. The stu-
dents also recognised improvements in the quality of
instruction and use of class time with the flipped model of
instruction. In terms of academic performance, positive
significant differences were demonstrated between the flip-
ped model of instruction students and those taught in the
traditional classroom environment.
Quantitative Results
Students’ Attainment in Pre-RRKT and Pre-CAS
An independent sample t test was conducted on the RRKT
and CAS prior to the research in order to establish if there
were significant differences in the RRKT and CAS scores
of the experimental and control groups. The results are
presented in Table 1.
The results show that there were no significant differ-
ences in students’ academic performance in rate of chem-
ical reaction or their attitudes towards chemistry prior to
this study t (64) = 0.356, p [ 0.05 for RRKT. For CAS,
the results were t (64) = 0.557, p[0.05. The results reveal
that both the experimental and control groups were at the
same level prior to this study.
Table 1 Students’ performance at pre-tests
Groups Pre-RRKT Pre-CAS
M SD M SD
Experimental (n = 33) 5.12 2.53 80.45 11.88
Control (n = 33) 5.73 2.75 78.70 12.27
Significantly different at the p \ 0.005 level
Effects of Treatment on Students’ Academic Performance
The independent sample t test procedure on the shift in the
means of RRKT scores to compare performance among
students in the flipped classroom model instruction repre-
sents the difference in mean score between pre- and post-
test scores for each treatment (Table 2).
The analysis reveals that there was a significant differ-
ence between the shift in the means of the test scores of
those students taught using the flipped model instruction
(M = 5.63, SD = 3.58) and those in the traditional class-
room environment (M = 1.41, SD = 3.68); t (64) = 3.952,
p \ 0.005. This result suggested that the flipped classroom
model instruction had positive effects on students’
achievement in the content covered in this research.
Comparison of the Pre-test and Post-test RRKT Scores
of the Experimental Group
A dependent sample t test was implemented to observe
whether there were significant differences in the experi-
mental and the control groups’ academic performance
scores prior to and after the intervention. The results are
presented in Table 3.
Table 3 reveals that both experimental and the control
groups scores improve from pre-test to post-test. However,
significant difference between the experimental group’s
pre-test and post-test academic performance scores was
observed in favour of their post-test scores (t(33) = -8.622;
p \ 0.005). This result suggests that flipped classroom
model instruction increased students’ academic perfor-
mance in rate of chemical reaction.
Effects of Flipped Model of Instruction on Students’ Atti-
tudes Towards Chemistry An independent sample t test
was conducted to observe whether there were significant
differences between the experimental and control groups in
Table 2 Means and standard deviation of shift in the RRKT test
Groups M SD
Experimental (n = 33) 5.70 3.58
Control (n = 33) 1.41 3.68
Significantly different at the p \ 0.005 level
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Table 3 Comparison of the pre-test and post-test RRKT scores of the
experimental group
Time Experimental Control
M SD M SD
Pre-test 5.12 2.53 5.73
Post-test 10.82 2.44 7.14
Significantly different at the p \ 0.005 level
Table 4 Means and standard deviation of shift in the CAS test
Groups M SD
Experimental 24.27
Control 13.14
Significantly different at the p \ 0.005 level
the arithmetic means of the attitude scores. The results are
provided in Table 4.
Table 4 reveals a significant difference between shift in
the means of scores of the experimental and control groups,
favouring the experimental group (t(64) = 2.066; p\0.05).
This result shows that flipped classroom model instruction
positively increased students’ attitudes towards chemistry.
Qualitative Findings
The keywords and phrases found to be common in the
researcher’s journal from the observation data and inter-
view transcriptions resulted in the following emerging
themes: active engagement in learning, collaborative
learning with peers, and quality of instruction.
Active Engagement in Learning
A number of students who participated in the flipped
classroom model instruction responded to the interview
question ‘‘What did you like about the flipped classroom
environment? For example, student A’s responses can be
summarised by this comment: ‘‘I love the lesson format. I
must say it took me sometimes in finding my way around
the material especially because it has not been taught in
the classroom, but when I got it, it was really interesting
and easy to understand. Coming to the classroom already
with material at the back of my head, definitely makes me
to be more productive in understanding the topic’’. Student
B commented that ‘‘the introduction of flipped class
allowed for deeper learning, critical thinking, and problem
solving during the class time’’. Student B commented
further: ‘‘this method actually increases my participation in
the classroom when compared to class time prior to this
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J Sci Educ Technol
method. I am really happy that I could discuss this topic
with my class mate.’’ All the students’ comments actually
corresponded with the researcher’s observation during the
class time. For example, it was documented that students
were actively participating in the classroom activities and
2.75 enthusiastically involved in all that was going on in the
2.54 classroom. An instance where students just entered class
and immediately began to work independently on the
reading material without the teacher’s assistance was
noted in the researcher’s journal. This increase in students’
classroom participation and communication promotes stu-
dent-centred learning.
Collaborative Learning with Peers
15.73
16.91
Collaboration emerged as a major theme. Students com-
mented that the method increased their working together as
a group which helped them to improve the way they par-
ticipated in the classroom. Student C, for example, com-
mented on how working together with his peer helped him
build confidence and improved his understanding of the
chemistry content. Student C remarked: ‘‘this method of
learning enabled me to enjoy group work; we were able to
complete our task within the given period’’. Student D
remarked that ‘‘we were able to help each other in figuring
out the online teacher’s explanation of rate of chemical
reaction in our group which in a way contributed to our
understanding of the content’’. The researcher’s journal
validated the collaborative learning theme through the
classroom observation in which students worked together
to learn and master the content being studied. Generally, it
is worth noting that flipped classroom model instruction
provided students with opportunities to work collabora-
tively and co-operatively in order to improve performance
and attitude in a chemistry classroom.
Quality of Instruction
Students’ responses to the interview question ‘‘What do you
think about using the flipped classroom model to teach you
chemistry?’’ show that when the flipped classroom was
compared to the traditional approach to teaching, there was
improvement in the quality of instruction within the flipped
classroom. Students’ responses revealed that they preferred
flipped model instruction over the traditional approach and
credited this liking to improved instructional practices.
Most students thought the flipped model instruction was
more effective and applicable because of the variety of
teaching practices incorporated within this approach, which
include real-world applications and group work. Practi-
cally, students preferred a classroom environment where a
variety of instructional practices were utilised rather than
one that only used lectures and note-taking methods.
J Sci Educ Technol
Students’ responses also show that they had an increasingly
improved attitude towards chemistry. For example, student
E remarked as follows: ‘‘Flipping method is awesome idea,
I hope my grade in chemistry this term will improve
because of this method’’. This student expressed his feel-
ings further by saying: ‘‘I think this method is helpful
because I was able to watch the video over and over again
until I understood the concept we were to study.’’ ‘‘During
the class session, the teacher was able to speak to all of us
and address our concerns or questions about the current
topic being studied.’’ In summary, all the students who
participated in the flipped classroom model felt that the use
of technology and one-on-one teaching in the flipped
model of instruction enhanced the quality of instruction,
which eventually helped them to understand the topic
better.
Discussion
This research sought to examine whether the introduction
of a flipped classroom instruction model into senior sec-
ondary school chemistry would improve students’ perfor-
mance as well as their attitudes towards chemistry.
Regarding students’ academic performance as measured by
the rate of reaction knowledge test, the post-test scores of
students in the experimental group, who were taught using
the flipped classroom model, were found to be higher than
those in the control group, who were taught using the tra-
ditional method. Specifically, the mean (average) for the
experimental group was 10.82 out of a possible 15; the
mean for the control group was 7.21 out of a possible 15.
An independent sample t test analysis confirmed that there
was a statistically significant difference between the two
groups t (64) = 4.90, p \ 0.05. These results are in
agreement with previous studies on the flipped classroom
model of instruction which found similar results in other
subject areas, including mathematics, chemistry, physics
and engineering (Davies et al. 2013; Fautch 2015). The
findings of this research show that students in the flipped
classroom preferred watching flipped classroom videos
more often than the traditional method of just reading
sections from the textbook. They were able to prepare for
the class session and had more opportunities to interact
with the teacher and peers than during the traditional
classroom. Moreover, this research contradicts Strayer
(2007), who reported that students were less satisfied with
how the structure of the flipped classroom was introduced
into the course and the students did not perform very well
in the given task. Similarly, Johnson and Renner (2012)
found out that students who were taught a computer
application course did not fully embrace the idea of a
flipped classroom model.
Regarding the area of students’ attitudes to learning
chemistry, the results and findings of this research indicate
that students improved in their attitude as measured by
CAS. This was also confirmed through the interview where
students reported that they were more involved in the
flipped model of instruction compared to the traditional
delivery approach. In another interview question, students
were asked to describe what they liked about the flipped
classroom environment. Interestingly, almost all the stu-
dents (85 %) talked about an increase in their participation
and communication during the classroom session. Hence,
the flipped model of instruction had a positive impact on
students’ involvement in the learning processes. This
finding is congruent with previous research (Sowa and
Thorsen 2015). The findings from this research also high-
light several additional benefits of the flipped classroom
model, such as the students’ preparation style before
coming to the classroom, and higher levels of self-efficacy
during the lectures. All these were noted from the students’
responses to the interview question ‘‘What did you like
about the flipped classroom environment?’’ It was noted
that students preferred the flipped classroom method to the
traditional method of teaching. One reason for this could be
the flexible nature of the flipped classroom model. Students
mentioned that they had the option of watching the videos
whenever they wanted without feeling any pressure of time
or instructor observation, or being embarrassed in front of
the class. Therefore, it can be argued that watching videos
as a means of preparation in the flipped classroom model is
more convenient, useful, easy to access and enjoyable for
students.
Considering the differences between the two groups in
terms of their interactions in the flipped model of instruc-
tion compared to the traditional method of teaching, stu-
dents were more actively involved in the flipped classroom
than the traditional environment. A student-centred envi-
ronment was documented for a flipped classroom. The
students worked collaboratively in the various groups as
they learned from each other by discussing the topic,
explaining procedures and confirming answers. The teacher
functioned as a facilitator in this environment where his
role was to guide and direct the learning activities when
needed. The nature of the hands-on activity in a flipped
classroom model allowed the students the opportunity to
develop a conceptual understanding of the concept being
studied.
While both the performance abilities and attitudes
towards learning chemistry appear different statistically
between the experimental and control group in this study, it
is important to note that the students identified both the
benefits and the challenges of using the flipped classroom
model in learning chemistry. When asked what they liked
about the flipped classroom environment, it was noted that
123

they preferred the flipped model of instruction and that the
new approach enabled them to learn and understand the
concept of rate of chemical reaction. Furthermore, it
enabled them to move at their own learning pace. This
point emanated from the interview responses when a stu-
dent said ‘‘with flipped model, I can learn the topic on my
own and go over it again and again’’. It was also observed
that doing ‘‘homework’’ in a flipped class gives teachers
better insight into student difficulties and learning styles.
The classroom session was used in more effective and
creative ways. On the other hand, when students were
asked what they disliked about the flipped classroom
model, most of them felt that the new approach was a bit
challenging for them initially as it took them some time to
find their ways around the material. They attributed the
challenge to the fact that it had not been taught in the
classroom, but as they replayed the video, they began to
understand much better. There was also a bit of resistance
on the part of the students because the method required
them to work at home rather than getting exposed to the
topic first at school. As a result, some of the students were
not prepared for the lesson before coming to class. This
was noted by the researcher, who observed that some stu-
dents were still passive in the classroom and even in their
collaborative learning groups.
Based on the evidence, it is believed that the flipped
classroom model used in this current research had positive
effects on students’ attitudes towards chemistry. This is
because students found the selected video explicit enough
for them after watching it several times. In line with the
findings of this research, it is crucial for the teachers to
consider the nature of the learning environment and the
students’ age group when designing or selecting multime-
dia environments that can enhance students’ learning.
Finally, while these results are encouraging, the research
stimulates the adoption and development of online educa-
tional resources for teaching different lessons in chemistry
and other science subjects at senior secondary classes in
Nigeria.
Conclusion
This research reports the effect of the flipped classroom
model of instruction on students’ performance and attitudes
towards chemistry among senior secondary students in a
school in Nigeria. Results and findings presented above
show that students who were taught using the flipped
classroom model performed better than in the traditional
method of instruction. Their attitudes towards chemistry
also increased in comparison to the traditional method of
instruction. Furthermore, students in the flipped classroom
experienced quality instruction that was student-centred.
123
J Sci Educ Technol
During the classroom session, both students and their tea-
cher were able to employ various instructional strategies,
including hands-on activities and collaborative structures.
Although research investigating the effectiveness of the
flipped model of instruction is currently limited, this
research has provided additional, valuable information
regarding the use of the flipped model in teaching and
learning processes. In spite of the fact that the model is a
relatively new instructional approach, it certainly has the
potential to be deemed effective in terms of improving
student performance and attitudes in a secondary chemistry
classroom. Inasmuch as the findings of this study can be
generalised to the secondary school chemistry curriculum,
it also has important implications. Chemistry is one of the
difficult subjects in the secondary school curriculum, and
the flipped instructional model might be one strategy that
could help increase student success rates in the final
examination. While the results obtained in this study
enabled drawing of a promising tendency about the stu-
dents’ performance and attitude towards the flipped class-
room methodology, this study acknowledges the limited
time frame in which the investigation was carried out.
There is a need to confirm these findings through a longer,
more extensive research study. By conducting such a study,
more comprehensive quantitative data and more descrip-
tive qualitative data can be collected and analysed to gain a
deeper understanding of how the flipped model of
instruction affects student performance in and attitudes
towards STEM-related subjects.
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