Comparing the Effect of Three Methods of Lecture, Virtual Education and Flipped Classroom on Learning, information retention and Satisfaction of Students in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences

The necessity of using modern educational methods in light of the rapid changes in the needs of communities is felt. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of three methods of lecture, virtual education and flipped classroom on learning, information retention and satisfaction of students of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.

In this quasi-experimental two-stage study, 60 nursing and midwifery students of Isfahan Nursing and Midwifery School in 1398, after obtaining consent in three flipped classroom groups (n = 20), virtual education (n = 20), and lectures (20 subjects). Data were collected using a researcher-made learning and satisfaction questionnaire whose validity and reliability were confirmed. Then, the data were analyzed using SPSS 16 software and descriptive and analytical tests with significance level P <0.05.

Based on the results, the mean scores of first test learning in the flipped class group (18.85  0.83) were significantly higher than the two groups of lecture (16.21  1.9) and virtual education (16.29  2.29) (P <0.05), but there was no significant difference between lecture and virtual education groups (P> 0.05). Secondary test learning average scores in the flipped classroom group (17.47  1.42) were higher than the virtual education group and the virtual education group (14.26  2.41) more than the lecture group (12.90  2.64) (P <0.05). In addition, the mean satisfaction of the students in the flipped classroom group (169/44  17/82) was higher than the virtual education group (132/24  17/92) and in the virtual education group more than the lecture group (115/56  17/57) (P <0.05).

Comparison of the short-term and long-term educational outcomes of the three teaching methods showed that learning, content recall and satisfaction with the inverted classroom method were more than the other two methods; Students' content and satisfaction with virtual teaching was more than lecture.