The flipped classroom: Instructional efficiency and impact on Students' Perceived Cognitive load and Academic Performance (Case Study: The Information Technology Course in Psychology, Payame Noor University)

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficiency of the flipped classroom method and the routine method on learning performance and perceived cognitive level of psychology students in the IT course in psychology. In this study, a quasi-experimental, two-group design with pre-test and post-test was used. The statistical population included all psychology students of Payam Noor University of Kermanshah. Samples were selected based on the inclusion criteria and then randomly assigned to the control and experimental groups. The study was conducted in totally eight weeks in 2016-2017 fall semesters. Before and after the treatment, the IT course in psychology Achievement Test developed by the researcher were administrated to the groups. Also, at the end of each unit, the Subjective Rating Scale (SRS) was used to measure students’ cognitive load. One-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), Z score and t test were used to analyze statistical data. Results showed that students taught with the flipped classroom model reported higher learning achievements and lower cognitive loads than those taught with the traditional model. The instructional efficiency scores of the students in the experimental group were also higher than those of the students in the control group. Hence, when designed effectively, the flipped classroom method can be considered a useful approach in higher education settings.