Students' Perception on Using Student Response Systems in Flipped Classroom in Higher Education

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Faculty of Technology Department of Informatics

Students' Perception on Using Student

Response Systems in Flipped

Classroom in Higher Education

A Case Study at Linnaeus University in south of

Sweden

Author: Jonny Nguyen Author: Sebastian Åhman

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Abstract

The technological improvements and a generation with increased interest in using technology to aid in their learning. Cause a need for a change in the educational approaches or already established methodologies. The modern educational approach hints a move from the traditional passive learning approach, where the students are passive listeners, into an active learning approach, where the students access the information beforehand. Therefore, classroom time is used to elaborate on complex subjects through an active discussion during the lectures. Student Response Systems (SRS) aims to integrate technological tools with the educational environment, thereby improving the students' participation and engagement. The purpose of this thesis is to study the factors influencing the students' engagement when using SRS in a flipped classroom environment. Furthermore, to what extend can the SRS facilitate the students' active participation in the discussion within an educational context. The research is performed at Linnaeus University in a course at a Master level course. A pre-study was conducted, consisting of observing the course later to form the interview question from the acquired knowledge. Afterward, interviews were conducted with 7 of the participating students. The results of the study might provide additional knowledge for the teachers to decide upon an approach to implement the use of SRS with the flipped classroom approach.

Keywords

Flipped classroom, Active learning, Participation, Student Response System, Discussion

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Acknowledgments

First and foremost, we would like to thank our supervisor Nam Aghaee for being a resourceful help, always bringing positive energy and new perspectives throughout the thesis. Furthermore, we would like to thank Nam again and Mexhid Ferati for letting us study their class, showing positivity, support, and opportunity in influencing some of the needed aspects to perform and complete our study.

We would also like to thank the class for their consent to perform our study, including the seven students who participated in the interview afterward. Without the combined efforts of both teachers and students, we would not have completed this thesis. Thanks, Linneaus University and the Department of Informatics for providing an educative and stimulating education.

Sebastian would also like to offer thanks to his co-workers from his former job and family that pushed him to take the step and start studying. Finally, we would like to thank each other for doing the thesis together and supporting each other throughout the process of writing it.

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Appendices

Appendix A: Interview questions form

Appendix B: Informed consent form for Bachelor thesis

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List of Tables and Figures

Figure 1. Criterion Procedure 11

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Table of Acronyms and Abbreviations

Full term Acronym/Abbreviation

Information and Communication Technology ICT

Student Response System SRS

Learning Management System LMS

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1 Introduction

Traditional means of learning have been around for decades. Still, recent technology has made significant improvements, and more people are using mobile and computer devices as a daily solution in their everyday lives. According to Fettweis and Zimmermann (2008), one of the critical factors in a nations’ economy is Information and Communication Technology (ICT) systems. Hence the development of technology is rapid. Furthermore, the growth of technology had a footprint in the net generation, which refers to students born in or after 1982. Oblinger (2004) stated that the characteristics of the net generation compared to the prior generation differ in which the net generations perceive the internet as an aid in their studies. Video games have also become a cultural and social influence. Furthermore, the net generation gravitates towards group activity and is well-versed in the use of technology, called Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL), for information gathering and communication with their peers. Another characteristic mentioned by the author is that the net generation is always on the move, demanding adaptable approaches in the use of ICT to satisfy their needs.

According to Oblinger (2004), the current generation prefers learning by doing in contrast to the traditional approach, learn by listening. The shift in social and cultural acceptance has created a need for a change in the teaching methodologies to accommodate the learners’ needs, which are heavily influenced by TEL. A possible solution to satisfy the learners’ needs is to introduce a different teaching approach. Student Response System (SRS) is an educational technology, including Kahoot, which is game-based, and the non-game-based Mentimeter. It provides the classroom with a way to interact with the students through mobile devices (Wang 2015). Prior studies (Beard, Morote and Volcy, 2013; Bicen and Kocakoyun, 2018) have shown that SRS effectively develops an active learning environment by involving the student during the lectures.

The flipped classroom approach, which intends to challenge the traditional teaching methodologies by having the student access the materials outside of the classroom to prepare the students towards the discussions, is an approach that encourages active learning during the lecture. According to Murillo-Zamorano, Sánchez and Godoy-Caballero (2019) the flipped classroom approach increases a students’ engagement in the classroom while providing the student the opportunity to review the materials repetitively. Therefore, it leads to a flexible and effective learning process. The study by Beard, Morote and Volcy (2013) highlights a challenge with the flipped classroom approach is that the majority of the students are not active independent learners, and those students might devalue the importance of reading before class. Therefore, Beard, Morote and Volcy (2013) emphasis the importance of the teachers’ role to encourage those students to become active learners to facilitate the students’ learning process.

This thesis will be studying a master class in the informatics department at the Linnaeus University that currently are using the flipped classroom strategy. This thesis objective is to interview and collect qualitative data from the campus-students

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who have participated in the flipped classroom to find out if the SRS enhances and facilitates the flipped classroom strategy by even out the students’ participation during the lectures.

1.1 Background/Previous research

Chaudhry and Rasool (2012) argue that a problem exists if a gap is recognized between the present and desired state. Murillo-Zamorano, Sánchez and Godoy-Caballero (2019) claimed that a gap exists between the students’ acquired knowledge and skills from the university and the requirements for successful employment. Therefore, new teaching approaches need to be considered and investigated to fill the existing gap. Meanwhile, Meredith (2019) concludes that the students find traditional teaching methodologies without TEL boring. Murillo-Zamorano, Sánchez and Godoy-Caballero (2019) imply a problem with the traditional teaching methodologies because the learning environment is teacher-centered. Therefore, shifting the learning environment to be student-centered to encompass critical thinking and motivation is needed.

The learning outcome and effect with or without the use of SRS in a flipped-classroom environment in higher education has been previously investigated in several studies (Carpeño, Arriaga, Corredor and Hernández 2010; Beard, Morote and Volcy 2013; Göksün and Gürsoy 2019). Meanwhile, several other studies have been found to investigate the students’ perception of how the SRS influences teaching and learning capability (Licorish, Owen, Daniel, George 2018; Bicen and Kocakoyun 2018; Wang 2015).

In the study by Oblinger (2004), the young generations perceive that the use of the internet helps them learn. Meanwhile, these new generations perceive that video games have become a cultural and social influence. Furthermore, video games should not be perceived as a replacement for traditional teaching. Instead, they should be seen as a way to enhance the learning environment because of the possibilities to reflect and assess teaching. Wang (2015) discusses that using game elements in a learning environment might impact the learners’ motivation and engagement during the lecture. Furthermore, the use of games was perceived to have a positive effect on classroom dynamics. Therefore, improving the students’ learning outcome.

Göksün and Gürsoy (2019) argue that the use of TEL in a learning environment might influence and develop the students’ critical thinking, which is needed in a working environment. Furthermore, TEL can enhance the students’ learning experience in an educational setting and increase their motivation to learn. The instant feedback capability of the technologies was perceived by Göksün and Gürsoy (2019) to have a positive effect on the students’ engagement and motivation in a learning environment. Studies (Beard, Morote and Volcy, 2013; Bicen and Kocakoyun, 2018) have been conducted regarding students’ increased participation using SRS. However, fewer studies concerning the use of SRS to even out students’ active participation during the flipped classroom session have been found. Therefore, it exists a need to study the general impact of the SRS on a flipped classroom set up on the active students’ participation.

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1.2 Topic justification

The study by Jamaludin and Osman (2014) emphasizes that the flipped classroom approach has been recognized to promote active learning, supporting critical thinking, a skill needed in the business world. Meanwhile, Murillo-Zamorano et al. (2019) stated that among existing student-centered learning strategies, the flipped classroom approach stands out due to its’ flexibility, adaptability, and in terms of acquiring knowledge effectively.

At the Department of Informatics at Linnaeus University in Växjö, the flipped classroom approach was adapted by several teachers. Although the approach brings many advantages to the lecture, the adoption rate is low and not thoroughly accepted as a possible learning approach by many lecturers. Wang (2017) claim that the challenges of implementing the flipped classroom approach can be classified into internal- respectively external challenges. In contrast, the former involves a lack of time, support, or resources. Meanwhile, the latter includes attitude, confidence, and beliefs.

The majority of studies found concluded that the flipped classroom has a positive effect on students’ engagement, knowledge, and skills (Murillo-Zamorano, Sánchez and Godoy-Caballero 2019; Pinna, Mena and Funes 2019). Fewer studies were found concerning the use of TEL, including SRS, to enhance the students’ active participation and influence in a flipped classroom setup. Due to the lack of studies and the stated problems, the gap can be filled by studying and highlight the students’ active participation and influence of the current tools/platforms used in a flipped classroom environment to enhance the learning outcomes in higher education by the use of ICT.

1.3 Aim

The purpose of this study is to investigate if TEL, such as SRS, can enhance a higher-education lecture using the flipped classroom approach, with increased active participation and influence from the students.

1.3.1 Research questions

This study aims to answer the following research questions:

What factors influence on students’ engagement for active learning in flipped classroom settings using Student Response System?

To what extend can Student Response System facilitate the students’ participation in flipped classroom discussion sessions?

1.4 Scope and Limitations

The scope and limitations of this study are to understand the underlying factors of the students’ perception of using SRS, the students’ perceived active participation and influence in higher education, to enhance the flipped classroom environment. The context will be limited to first-year master students’ attending a campus course at Linnaeus University within the Faculty of Technology, Department of Informatics. Another limitation of this study is that solely the master students who participate

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during the lectures that use SRS with the flipped classroom approach will be studied. Therefore, the teachers’ perspective and opinions are not taken into consideration.

1.5 Thesis Organization

The following chapter will be a thematic review of the literature study of the flipped classroom and SRS. To establish a reliable foundation for the study, the literature review will follow a top-down approach to elaborate high-level educational theories before investigating the flipped classroom strategy in depth.

In chapter 3, the methodology was presented with the paradigms and the research strategies justifying the methods for collecting and analyzing data for the study. In addition, ethical factors were considered together with the validity and reliability of the research. Furthermore, the results from the interviews were presented in chapter 4, along with an in-depth analysis. Chapter 5 offers an elaborated discussion of the compiled results and the relevant findings with the support of the previous studies. The final chapter presented the researchers’ conclusions and recommendations for future research.

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2 Review of Literature

This chapter review prior literature and will systematically present the flipped classroom concept and its’ current practice, which derived from the blended learning approach, followed by constructivism as an educational theory. Furthermore, the chapter will discuss the use of SRS and its’ components in a blended learning environment to establish a versatile and credible research space.

2.1 Blended learning

The blended learning approach establishes a synchronous and asynchronous learning environment, using ICT to mediate information and face-to-face learning methodologies (Ahmad and Schreurs 2012; Rasheed, Kamsin and Abdullah 2019; Çardak and Selvi 2016). Rasheed, Kamsin and Abdullah (2019) argue that blended learning is believed to be the most popular and effective educational approach due to its’ perceived effectiveness in providing flexible and continuous learning. The approach offers the benefit of increasing interaction between teachers and students. Çardak and Selvi (2016) claimed that the learners have to participate in course activities and realize three interactions type student-student, student-teacher, and student-content. Furthermore, Çardak and Selvi (2016) stated that by solely designing the course activities to induce interactivity will not necessarily guarantee a higher level of interaction.

Student-content refers to how the student accesses and interacts with the course contents to increase the students’ knowledge. According to the study by Ekwunife-Orakwue and Teng (2014), the effect of student-content interaction on perceived learning outcomes has shown to be effective compared to other interaction types. In addition, Çardak and Selvi (2016) argue that student-content interaction is the only type that affects the students’ satisfaction relative to the students’ performance. The student-teacher interaction type intends to increase the students’ knowledge through dialogues between the students and the teachers and is essential in consideration to enhancing the students’ learning outcome and satisfaction (Çardak and Selvi 2016; Park 2013). Park (2013) found that the lack of a facilitator can influence the quality of the learning process, and the students might perceive themselves isolated, which affects their interactivity level. Therefore, the teachers’ role is to motivate and encourage the students by actively involving them.

The student-student type refers to increasing the students’ knowledge through the interaction between students. Çardak and Selvi (2016) argue that student-student interaction influences the overall learning outcome. In a study with undergraduate students, Kurucay and Inan (2017) reported that student-student interactions do not affect the students’ satisfaction. However, the group activities were perceived positively to learning and achievement.

The inclusion of TEL components results in the need for students to possess specific skill sets, including self-regulation skills and technological competence, due to the independence of their instructor outside of the classroom. Furthermore, the blended learnings’ pre-requisite with using TEL requires the teachers to possess specific

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technological competence and teaching methodologies (Rasheed, Kamsin and Abdullah 2019).

2.2 Flipped classroom

The flipped classroom approach is grounded in the constructivist theory of learning. It intends to challenge the traditional academic procedure how the students make the first contact with the subject switching from inside- to the outside of the classroom boundaries. (Lewis, Chen and Relan 2018). Abeysekera and Dawson (2014) highlighted the significant differences in acquiring knowledge between the flipped classroom and the traditional learning approach. The students access the assigned materials outside the classroom boundaries to form their own opinion and knowledge. Afterward, the students attend the classroom with their newly acquired opinions and knowledge to the actual classroom to discuss the topic. Therefore, the students might construct their knowledge upon interaction with the lecturer and the students’ peers. Murillo-Zamorano, Sánchez and Godoy-Caballero (2019) emphasis the importance of the use of TEL for a successful implementation of the flipped classroom outside the classroom boundaries. The flipped classroom approach might, with advantage, be combined with the blended learning approach where TEL is vital in order to enhance the students’ experience and the effect of the approach. Due to the benefits of mobile devices, the materials can be accessed independently of time and space, which creates a flexible learning environment where the students can organize and devote their time to understand a specific topic better.

The study by Lopes and Soares (2018) supports the claim that basic knowledge can be acquired outside the classroom through pre-recorded online lectures. The classroom time can instead be used effectively to guide and motivate the students within more advanced and difficult concepts. Murillo-Zamorano, Sánchez and Godoy-Caballero (2019) stated that using pre-recorded online lectures, whereas the students have the control to pause and replay the lecture, will permit them to learn at their own pace. Therefore, influencing the students’ analyzing skills of the provided materials positively. Furthermore, Murillo-Zamorano, Sánchez and Godoy-Caballero (2019) highlighted the importance of the students’ preparation before the lecture, and interactive activities such as discussion with their peers could improve their participation and learning outcomes under the supervision of a teacher.

Studies (Pierce and Fox, 2012; Jamaludin and Osman, 2014) claimed that interactive activities could be used to increase students’ overall participation. The teachers’ role is to motivate and encourage the students by assigning activities that foster the students’ initiative by selecting relevant materials. Furthermore, the teachers’ questioning skill is needed to elaborate on the students’ ideas and answers. Therefore, promoting active learning and develops the students’ critical thinking.

2.3 Student Response System

The study by Turan and Meral (2017) argues that the students’ performance was perceived higher in lectures when using SRS. Furthermore, SRS has shown to increase the students’ interactions and attention in the classroom. The authors also claimed that game-based and non-game-based SRS effects differ in the students’

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achievement and engagement. In contrast, the former has shown an increase in students’ achievement and participation compared to the non-game-based. Göksün and Gürsoy (2019) claimed that the competitive nature of quiz-based Kahoot, with its’ game elements, stimulates, encourages, and motivates the students’ desire for higher achievement. The study by Licorish et al. (2018) had similar findings as Göksün and Gürsoy (2019) that Kahoot increases peer interactions. The authors stated that an extremely competitive environment might have an opposite effect, which leads to negative emotions.

The reward system was proven to have a positive impact on increasing the students’ motivation due to immediate acknowledgment after using Kahoot. However, prior studies claimed that repeated use of Kahoot might negatively affect classroom dynamics (Licorish et al. 2018). Licorish et al. (2018); Wang (2015) argue that the wear-off effect for experienced users of Kahoot compared to novice users’ impacts engagement and motivation minimally, instead showing increased boredom due to excessive use of Kahoot, whereas consequently might decrease and affect the students’ learning ability.

Fuller and Dawson (2017) argue that the teachers must be prepared to use educational technologies; otherwise, the outcome will lead to unsatisfactory results by misusing SRS. The SRS allows the teachers to show a set of questions onto the screen, in which the students should respond through the connected device. The instant real-time feedback capability supports the students’ needs, whereas the teachers immediately can determine the students’ in-depth understanding of the assigned materials and concept (Beard, Morote and Volcy 2013; Licorish et al. 2018). The study by Turan and Meral (2017) highlighted that reading a text followed by a test improves information retention in contrast to repetitively rereading a text. Furthermore, Beard, Morote and Volcy (2013) claimed that the students who leave out reading the assigned tasks could negatively affect the outcome. Therefore, the SRS effectiveness will be affected by students who fail to participate in the discussions due to fear of answering the questions incorrectly.

2.4 Constructivism

The constructivism theory, which intends to challenge the instructivism theory, is a student-centered learning approach, which refers to empathizing the learners’ initiative in contrast to the traditional learning approach, where the learners are a passive recipient of the information (Ahmad and Schreurs 2012; Carpeño et al. 2010). Within an educational context, the main focus is to expand on the students’ previous knowledge by engaging and encouraging them to share their experiences and knowledge to alter and construct new knowledge. Therefore, intend to deepen the students’ understanding within the field of knowledge. Constructivists argue that learning is based on constructing new knowledge of the students’ prior experience, which can be achieved through social interactions. This means that based on the students’ view, knowledge, and values, their interpretation can differ in the same teaching (Ahmad and Schreurs 2012; Carpeño et al. 2010).

The teachers’ role and responsibility in a constructivist learning environment differ from the traditional learning approach. They are seen as facilitators rather than

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instructors and are expected to create a collaborative problem-solving environment to involve the students. Furthermore, according to the study by Carpeño, et al. (2010), active learning is explained as methods and procedures that support the students in their education through actively involving and engaging the students. The students’ prior state of knowledge will be set as standard. The teachers can adjust the level of their involvement during the lecture in response to the students’ performance and participation (Carpeño, et al. 2010).

Carpeño et al. (2010) argue that the current modern western society requires specific skillsets from the student that are hard to achieve through the use of traditional learning approaches in which the student acts as a passive recipient. Hence, the students are needed to actively participate during the lecture to apply the present knowledge to solve complex problems more innovatively and creatively. The students’ participation stems from their motivation. Therefore, the teachers are responsible for motivating and encouraging the students to create a valuable learning environment.

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3 Method

This chapter introduces the methodological approach explaining the process of choosing the methods for the research of this thesis. Afterward, the methodological approach is followed by the subchapters explaining the data collection process and analysis approach. Lastly, a presentation of this thesis’s validity and reliability, including ethical considerations, are presented subsequently.

3.1 Methodological approach

Before commencing the study, a case study was conducted to study the students’ participation in a master course at Linnaeus University. According to Jacobsen (2002), a case study is adaptable when the researchers aim to gain in-depth knowledge and perspective of a specific phenomenon. The case of this study is to study the factors that might influence the students’ engagement and how SRS can facilitate active participation in a flipped classroom setting.

A qualitative research approach was adopted to study the specific phenomenon regarding the students’ perception of the use of SRS. The participants of this thesis are the primary data source. Therefore, observation and interviews were considered appropriate techniques to study the participants of this thesis. Creswell (2014) explains that the qualitative research approach is adaptable when the researcher intends to study the complex meaning of individuals or a group assigned to a social or human problem. Furthermore, Creswell (2014) claimed that the qualitative approach seeks to answer a phenomenon through participants’ views.

3.1.1 Using SRS in Flipped Classroom

During the first lecture, the researchers explained Kahoot and how it was expected to be used during the lecture. The lecture had four discussion sessions, in which Kahoot was initiated with questions related to the topic before these sessions to stimulate the students’ engagement. The researchers intend to study if Kahoot could affect the students’ active participation during these four discussion sessions, where every question was presented with four alternatives.

Meanwhile, the last lecture with the Mentimeter followed a similar approach where the researchers started with a short introduction of the SRS and the lectures’ setup. Compared to the Kahoot session, open-ended questions and word-cloud were used, which require the students to be more expressive and descriptive in answering the stated questions. Therefore, the stated questions and answers could be used to facilitate the discussion sessions.

Both sessions introduced different SRS types and were intended to give the students a gist of its advantages and disadvantages in contrast to a standard flipped classroom without the support of SRS.

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3.2 Data collection

3.2.1 Pre-study – Observation

A pre-study with observations was systematically conducted during the three different lectures on campus, where the first observation was a standard flipped classroom setup without SRS; the latter two were performed with SRS, Kahoot, and Mentimeter. However, the results might include the teachers’ performance in utilizing the SRS with the flipped classroom approach.

The first observation was used to create interview questions regarding the students’ experience of the flipped classroom. This to gain an understanding of what factors the flipped classroom provided to affect the students’ engagement within the classroom in comparison to the traditional learning approach. The second and third observations were conducted using two different SRS, namely Kahoot and Mentimeter. Kahoot provided closed-ended questions, and Mentimeter used open-ended questions. Jacobsen (2002) explains that the observation method is suitable for studying what people are doing instead of saying what they are doing. The observations were used to form relevant questions with the primary goal to find how SRS can facilitate the lectures and what influence the students’ engagement and participation. The question form can be viewed in Appendix A.

3.2.2 Interview

An interview with the students was conducted after these three lectures individually. The world pandemic situation of Covid-19 in early 2020 lead to the interviews being conducted on distance, with the use of a video-conferencing communication platform named Zoom.

A semi-structured interview approach was selected due to its’ flexibility while maintaining a structured interview session with the informants. Brennen (2013) explains that the semi-structured interview uses predetermined- and follow up questions for clarification or progression during an interview.

The duration of the interviews was approximately 45 minutes. Furthermore, for transparency between the informants and the researchers, a consent form was created according to the Ethical Advisory Board in South East Sweden and the researchers’ supervisor. Before the interviews, the consent form and the question form were sent out and signed by the informants. The questions form and consent form can be viewed in Appendix A respective Appendix B.

The interview session with the informants was recorded; further on, researchers also confirmed an extra time about the informants’ consent to the consent form and the recording of the session. The recorded interviews were later transcribed, analyzed, and categorized according to the questions posed to the informants.

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3.2.3 Sample selection and population

The population of this study consists of the master students, who attended the flipped classroom in a master’s program course at the Department of Informatics, at Linnaeus University, in Sweden. Jacobsen (2002) explains that the population is the total size of the limited survey units that research wishes to study. The selected sampling method was purposeful sampling. Palinkas, Horwitz, Green, Wisdom, Duan and Hoagwood (2015) claimed that the purposeful sampling technique has its’ advantage when researchers need to identify and select information-rich cases to study a phenomenon. The first selection criterion was the population that attended the flipped classroom sessions in the classroom since it was a combination of both campus and distance setup. The second criterion was the students who attended the sessions with and without the use of SRS. A simplified criterion procedure can be seen in figure 1.

The interviews continued with the informants until information saturation was gained. Harsh (2011) argue that it is crucial when selecting a sample method is to understand when there is an oversaturation of the information, where additional interviews will not yield new information.

3.3 Data analysis

This thesis analysis approach does not follow a specific theoretical framework or literature study. The process of analyzing qualitative data is by first describing it as detailed and truthful as possible, then systemizing and putting the data into categories to get an overview of the data. Third and lastly is by combining the data to find meaning and cause of the different events (Jacobsen, 2002). The researchers of this thesis followed a similar process of analyzing the empirical findings.

The researchers began to transcribe the recorded interviews, in which the sources were divided into separate interviews and categories. The results from the transcription were categorized according to the questions stated during the interview

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session. The semi-structured interview approach and how the answers were closely related to some of the other questions asked. The process of categorizing the responses became difficult due to answers fitting into different categories. The researchers compiled the empirical findings within one main document, in which the answers were divided into relevant categories and the informants were labeled as I1, I2, and so on.

The researchers reviewed the main document several times to understand what type of data it contains. After that, the coding of the empirical findings was made in which the raw data was analyzed throughout. Also, the code which was beyond this thesis aim and scope was not included.

3.4 Validity and Reliability of the Research

To maintain validity and reliability for this thesis, the researchers have avoided making any pre-assumptions or hypothesis to maintain a neutral stance during the data collection phase. Interpretation of the empirical findings during the analysis phase was taken into consideration, and the data has been analyzed objectively to minimize the risks of bias. The creation of the question form was also considered and emanated from the research question and observations to ensure its relevance in answering the research questions.

Due to the researchers follow a semi-structured interview approach, the informants could contribute to the thesis with sufficient information. Meanwhile, the interviews’ structure provided some flexibility where informants contributed additional information outside of the stated questions that are later regarded as precious and relevant to the research’s outcome. Furthermore, the selection of informants is based on their experience and participation in the course to increase the research’s validity and reliability. The semi-structured interviews, combined with the purposeful sampling method, are believed to contribute to a relevant and abundant information source for this thesis.

According to Jacobsen (2002), terminology validity and reliability are used to determine the relevance of the empirical findings towards a research phenomenon. In contrast, validity could be divided into internal- and external validity, and the reliability refers to if the outcome of the study is generalizable.

3.5 Ethical Considerations

The ethical considerations were discussed and considered before conducting the study. A self-evaluation was made for the thesis according to the “Ethical Advisory Board in South East Sweden” requirements and criteria. The “Ethical Advisory Board in South East Sweden” presented the need for an ethical evaluation if the research used personal data. Which can be connected to an individual that is alive, involves the physical engagement of the research person, or if the research is conducted on biological material taken from an individual and can be used to identify the specific individual. The researchers concluded that this thesis did not need an official ethical review. The collected data will be processed by the researchers to maintain integrity and anonymity for the individuals.

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During the pre-study phase, the researchers asked for verbal consent from the teachers and students where the research is conducted. The teachers and students were made known of the researchers’ presence and intention to observe the classroom, which anyone involved had the chance to refuse. The researchers also asked for permission to record the classroom during the observation sessions.

The researchers formed a consent form before the interview session, which was sent to the respective informant (Appendix B). Before commencing the interview, the researchers confirmed with the informants by directly asking them if they had understood the consent form. Besides, answering any questions regarding the consent form. Furthermore, the participants’ consent was recorded before the interview.

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4 Empirical study

This chapter presents the results of the interview with the participated students. An overview of the found themes and the main findings from the respective theme can be seen in Appendix C.

The themes are based upon the categories the researcher previously divided into several themes and subthemes corresponding to the relevance of the topic. Meanwhile, the study’s empirical findings and results were organized according to the degree of similarity of the answers. The general information about the participants is compiled when sorting the transcribe interviews. An overview of the demographic data of the participants is presented in Table 1 below.

Table 1. Basic information of the informants

Participant Gender Total higher education in years Age Group Finished Education

Informant 1 [I1] Male 5 30 - 39 Master

Informant 2 [I2] Male 6 30 - 39 Bachelor

Informant 3 [I3] Male 4 30 - 39 Bachelor

Informant 4 [I4] Female 4 30 - 39 Bachelor

Informant 5 [I5] Male 15 30 - 39 Master

Informant 6 [I6] Male 11 40+ Bachelor

Informant 7 [I7] Female 6 20 - 29 Master

Among the seven total informants in the interview, five are males, and the remaining two are females. Total higher education in years refers to the number of years the informant has been studying at a University setting. Meanwhile, finished education relates to the informants’ highest finished education in higher education level. Among the divided age groups, five are within the age group of 30 to 39, and the remainder two informants are above 40 respective within the age of 20 to 29.

4.1 Theme A – The flipped classroom as a learning approach

During the first observation session, it was observed that not all the students prepared for the lecture. The students’ participation varied, where most students did not actively participate during the lecture. This can be accounted for some of the active students who prefer to control the course of the lecture. Therefore, making the less vocal students’ refraining from participating during the discussion. These findings lead to questions regarding the students’ participation without the use of SRS and the students’ preparation.

4.1.1 Subtheme A1 - The students’ experience with the flipped classroom

All the informants have shown in the interviews that this course was the first course they have had their experience with the flipped classroom concept in a higher education setting.

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The majority of students’ first experience of the flipped classroom showed that the informant liked the flipped classroom concept because it was a new way of learning. They showed an interest in getting the information beforehand, in which they could prepare before the lecture. Therefore, the students were better prepared and provided the student with a better general understanding of the topic. Furthermore, due to the preparation, the students had a gist of what to expect for the upcoming lecture.

[…] For me, it was new and sort of like more interesting, because you tend to go into the class having some information beforehand. If there is a grey area, you can go prepared with questions. It forms some sort of clarity. Even if you study and you don’t really understand, and you get to class, you tend to have a better understanding of the subject… [I2]

Furthermore, a few students showed their interest in the flipped classroom approach because it gave them a chance to immerse and understand the subject. Also, some lectures brought students’ clarity on the subject, even though they did not follow the topic they were reading during the study. Another informant showed a particular interest in their involvement in the classroom, stating that they can talk more freely and exchange ideas to further learn in the classroom. One of the informants said the problem with the flipped classroom approach was the information gathering beforehand was one-way learning.

I am not very keen on the flipped classroom concept. I would say half-half because watching the lecture beforehand it’s a one-way thing. [I1]

The informant argued that learning outside of the classroom without a tutor might lead to misinterpretation of the materials, whereas not be able to ask questions to the teachers.

4.1.2 Subtheme A2 - Preparing for the flipped classroom

The majority of the informants shown a liking to the Learning Management System (LMS) called Moodle, stating that the notification system worked well, and the learning platform provided the necessary information, including videos and PowerPoint presentations. The majority of the informants point out that the information from the PowerPoint could be used with the digital library to access the scientific studies.

I wouldn’t say it was difficult, because every title or every material or title of material was already provided, you know with the digital library I find it easier to find whatever material was recommended… As long as the title was available, the library had access to the material, it wasn’t difficult to find. [I2]

Two of the informants had difficulty while looking for the recommended research material to read. In contrast, one admitted to being at fault for not taking it up with the lecturer and posing the question when they had the chance. But, in general, they all agreed that the material was very accessible and easy to find.

The accessibility I had some problems, 2-3 of them I couldn’t find, I also forgot to ask the teaches after the classes about it… [I7]

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Some informants mentioned the amount of material the students need to go through. Two of the informants spoke about the academic studies they had to read before the lectures. It was explained that the students gained points through participation, which lead to the final course score, which worked as an incentive to prepare before the lectures. Furthermore, one of the informants stated that they want fewer scientific studies but with higher relevance. Therefore, they can focus on understanding the materials in-depth instead of skimming it through.

[…] my problem was for example, was there’s a long list to read. So maybe it’s better to have quality instead of quantity, maybe it can be good to read 2 good papers instead of 4 maybe [I7]

Another point brought up during the interview was the understandability of the materials the students must go through. One of the informants had a varying perception of the understandability of the content, where the significant factor was how familiar they were with the field beforehand. The majority of the informants stated that they did not find any problems in understanding the assigned materials. One of the informants said that issues with understanding the materials beforehand could be clarified through discussion during the lectures. Also, by preparing the students beforehand, the students might gain insight into the subject, which will facilitate the discussion session.

As master students, it’s not hard, it is not new to us… I am from IT background. [I3]

No, because if you had difficulty to understand, we had somewhat of a clarity in the class or we could kind of take the questions or paths we had problems with to understand or the paths we found that was difficult to understand. [I2]

As a follow-up question, the informants were asked about their general preparation for the class. In contrast, the informants stated the need to go through the material because they need a general understanding of the topic to participate during the discussion. Thus, getting rewarded with points for participation.

[…] I personally have had difficulty to reading all the materials and listening to the whole lecture, but I think that is my own mistake. That is nothing to do with the system or tutors… [I1]

The majority of the informants mentioned the hardship of time management, including personal matters when going through the assigned materials. Several informants highlighted the problem with the amount of the materials assigned to them within the allocated time. Therefore, they might not be fully prepared for the class, although some of the informants freely admitted that it is on themselves and not due to the flipped classroom concept.

4.1.3 Subtheme A3 - Participation in discussions during the flipped classroom

The informants’ consensus was their need to be prepared for the discussion, due to point rewards handed out by the lecturer. The points awarded for being engaged made the students competitive and more engaged in the discussions. Thus, without prior

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preparation might lead to a lack of participation during the discussion. Therefore, losing out on points that went to their credit, which might affect their final grading of the course. The majority of informants highlighted the learning gained from the discussions. In contrast, the informants stated that the students’ understanding and perception of the questions let them gain a broader and better understanding of the subject itself.

It was such that we had rewards in the class for participation we all had to prepare actively, so you could contribute… you didn’t want to be in a class where you couldn’t pick points in the discussion… you need to also be actively engaged. [I2]

Some of the informants stated the difficulties they saw with the discussions. The first informant spoke of the discussion itself that it could become tedious if the participants became stuck in one subject too long. Another point brought up by the informant was that the discussions could feel forced, due to the need of participation to get activity points.

I can say it was kind of boring. You just wanted to say something during the sessions because it was obligatory. Otherwise, we don’t get any points… it’s optional who wants to talk, but… someone just keeps talking you feel kind of bored because you don’t want to listen to just this specific subject. [I7] It’s not that easy to change or remove that information and put the new information in. I don’t know if many other people are capable of doing that easily… because whatever that registers in my mind first, it’s there. [I1]

Another informant argued that the first impression and knowledge acquisition by studying beforehand was harder to alter. When joining the lecture, it was difficult to change the opinion if it collided with their understanding of the subject. Moreover, the last informant highlighted that it could become uneven participation due to the students’ proficiency in having a discussion, how comfortable they were with talking, and if it was their native language.

4.2 Theme B – SRS in the flipped classroom

During the second and third observation sessions with the use of SRS, the researchers observed an increase in students’ motivation to participate. Furthermore, the researchers observed that some students found the use of SRS to be unfamiliar. However, the issue was not perceived to be significant, and the students still appreciate the use of SRS. It was observed that some students took notes during the lecture, reflecting upon the other students’ responses to facilitate their learning process. These findings lead to questions regarding the students’ perception of their effort and how they perceived the usefulness of SRS.

4.2.1 Subtheme B1 – Students’ perceived usefulness of SRS

The majority of the informants perceived some benefit in either of the used SRS. They elaborated that these tools had a tremendous and positive impact on students’ participation. Furthermore, influencing the students’ learning outcome by reinforcing their knowledge. Therefore, it leads to students’ satisfaction with the SRS. Most

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informants stated that Kahoot and Mentimeter were easy to use and had no problem to adopt these technologies. Although, the informants’ opinions, which they regarded as a better tool, were divided. Some informants expressed that the use of SRS not only supports participation but also motivates the students’ preparation for the lecture.

Using Mentimeter or Kahoot will encourage people to participate in the classroom more, it will help them to brainstorm. Using Kahoot is kind of fun using in the class. It also helps people to prepare themselves before coming to class by reading the materials. [I3]

Another advantage of using SRS, according to the informants, is that it eliminates the risk that some participants cannot join the discussion and hence reduces the feeling of being left out. Some informants who consider themselves less talkative stated that TEL helps the students and gives them a chance to voice their opinions through TEL.

It might help the less vocal students to have a voice because it gives them a voice. It’s a way of maybe creating balance… raising the competition amongst everybody, healthy competition… [I2]

One of the perceived issues stated by informant 3 is that even though the answer is known to the participant, due to the personality trait of the participant, the participant might reconsider sharing their thoughts and opinion openly. Therefore, the informant might share the same view as the remainder of the informants in which the use of SRS might reinforce the students’ participation.

I don’t very much like to participate in the class or talk to the class even though I know the answer, I am not the kind of guy that whenever anything comes to me, I raise my hand. [I3]

“Yeah, it was very interesting for me. Yeah, it was very interesting for me. As we all could participate in the discussion, so we were not competing to answer. I mean, every student has a room to answer the discussion, so it was very interesting for me.” [I5]

Although most informants agree that Kahoot is fun to use, informant 1 had a different opinion. In contrast, Kahoot, with its’ competitive elements, had a negative impact due to not measuring the real performance. Informant 1 argued that the way Kahoot measure performance was based on speed and knowledge, whereas performance cannot be measured by speed and instead perceived it as a fun game.

I think it’s to just for fun or a game you can play. But… I don’t think this can measure someone’s performance [I1]

The remaining informants perceived the competitive elements of Kahoot as positive due to their personality traits and desire to reach the top on the scoreboard. Meanwhile, some informants argued that the use of Kahoot helps to reinforce the students’ knowledge and might contribute to active participation by enforcing competition.

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And we try to actively engage, the leaderboard made everyone want to participate and get it right… [I2]

Some informants stated that they think the use of SRS leads to the discussion feeling less forced and more engaging due to it being more competitive, which in turn motivated the informants to prepare for the lecture beforehand.

Introducing student response system to the flipped classroom is a good combination, it increases participation, students feel free to participate in the class and discuss the materials within themselves [I3]

The advantages mentioned by the informants are that SRS helps them share their knowledge with their peers and to learn from each other. Another advantage perceived by the informants is that SRS can help the students clarify and assess their knowledge by observing their peers’ compiled answers on the screen.

We are learning from everywhere everybody you know, their understanding of the topic we try to learn not only from the lecturer but also from the colleagues. You are trying to learn from other perspectives, when people sit there, they are from different backgrounds. [I6]

Informant 6 expressed that the other students possess different backgrounds and experiences. Therefore, indicating that sharing this knowledge might influence and enlighten each other.

4.2.2 Subtheme B2 - Students’ perceived differences in the SRS

Some informants claimed that Mentimeter was better than Kahoot due to the lack of competitive elements. Mentimeter, with its’ open-ended questions, gave the students the option to express more freely and to share their opinions and perspective about specific topics with their peers. Also, the informants considered the negative side of such an approach. In contrast, the students who are not well prepared before the lecture with SRS might not be able to answer the stated questions. In comparison to Mentimeter, Kahoot, with its’ quiz-based approach, gave the students the possibility to guess the answer. Therefore, it was argued by some informants that the SRS with the game elements had its’ own advantage in being competitive instead.

It’s just like having a chat, we are more relaxed, and you can get more information out of me if you relax me… [I1]

I would definitely go with this Mentimeter and the open-ended questions. [I1] […] Kahoot tested speed and knowledge and this is the advantages of Kahoot… [I4]

Some informants argued that Mentimeter had the upper hand when the aim is to discuss in the classroom. An open-ended question was considered more adaptable during a discussion, due to the students can be more expressive in answering the questions. Also, the answers might not be as limited when compared to Kahoot, whereas a set of solutions are offered to the participants.

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If you want to discuss something, I think open-ended questions is the better because if it is two or three answers, you don’t have that much options to talk about, but if it’s open-ended then you can talk a lot about different things. [I7]

The majority of the informants stated that the materials’ concept might be hard to interpret. Therefore, being able to express and share the students’ interpretation with their peers through the Mentimeter was considered an advantage.

4.3 Theme C – Improving the use of SRS to enhance motivation and

active participation

All of the informants perceived some kind of benefit by using any of these SRS and would not want to exclude it in an education setting. The informants’ opinion of these SRS was scattered. The majority of the informants preferred the Kahoot more than Mentimeter even though some of them still expressed that they perceive Mentimeter as a better choice to conduct discussions during the class. Meanwhile, some informants would like to use both of these SRS for a variation to enhance the learning environment.

I think I would like to use both in combination, or I would like to flip it so in one class I would like to use Kahoot and the next one Mentimeter, just so people understand that they also have to be expressive. [I2]

Using Mentimeter or Kahoot will encourage people to participate in the classroom more, it will help them to brainstorm… [I3]

I myself liked the quiz based, but if you want to discuss something, I think open-ended questions is better for discussions. [I7]

The students have a consensus that they would like to use the SRS on a more regular basis because it brought something new and fresh to the classroom environment. It would also increase the active engagement in the classroom since it was perceived as something new and exciting.

One informant points out the disadvantage by overusing the same tool, where it might lead to the classes being stale. Thus, they would like the teachers to try different SRS to keep it fresh, and the students engaged in the classroom. Another informant highlighted the time allocated for the discussions by stating that time management should be accurate. Some informants said that discussions take up much time, which might affect the next subject.

[…] the lectures role shouldn’t be taken away they are still there to pass to us the information… There should still be factored in a little bit of clarification. [I6]

Some informants highlighted that the lecturer should make a short introduction before every subject and perceive the importance of the lecturers’ role as facilitators. Therefore, the lecturers’ role should not exempt from them, and they should be present throughout the lecture. The informant stated that some discussions, while good, might move in the wrong direction if not being controlled early.

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The majority of the informants stated that they had the interest to get familiar and to prepare themselves with the SRS before using it inside the classroom. The informants also highlighted that classroom time is precious and should be used effectively, including reducing the students’ confusion at the beginning of the lecture.

If the students haven’t seen it, then they don’t know what to do and it’s going to be a difficult time for the tutor to take them step by step… But a little bit of a pre-introduction would be better. [I1]

Some of the informants highlighted the importance of the flow of the lecture while using SRS. The flow will be disrupted when having a discussion between the different stages of the quiz, due to the small breaks whenever the students are asked to go back to the SRS. This disruption will affect students’ attention negatively. Therefore, the aim should be to make the lecture more exciting and interactive throughout the lecture.

[…] the transition between the different stages, discussion the quiz, it should be a flow it shouldn’t be any redundancy between them… It becomes boring when it’s not flowing anymore… try to look at how you can make it more interesting more interactive and interesting, from beginning to the end, so people don’t get bored… [I6]

In contrast to the former, another informant showed interest in changing the lecture flow by introducing the SRS after every discussion. The informant explained that using the SRS after the discussion could benefit the students, making them more engaged throughout the lecture. Therefore, the students would share the same basic understanding of the topic if they failed to finish the assigned materials and make it more engaging for the students who did not manage to watch through the material before the lecture. It would give those students the incentive to follow along in the class and try for more clarification during the discussion. Therefore, increasing the students’ willingness to use SRS.

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5 Analysis and Discussion

This chapter presents an analysis of the previous literature and discussion of the empirical findings. Also, a method discussion will be presented at the end of this chapter. The discussion will be divided into three parts according to the presented themes in Chapter 4.

5.1 The flipped classroom as a learning approach

5.1.1 The students’ experience with the flipped classroom

The findings of subtheme A1 indicate that all the participants had their first experience with the flipped classroom concept during the course. The participants perceive it as an interesting way to acquire new knowledge in contrast to prior lectures, implying that traditional learning methodologies are perceived to be boring. Furthermore, the participants highlight that the flipped classroom approach allows the students to better prepare and immerse themselves within the subject before the discussion session, implying that other sources can be used to study the subject in-depth. The lack of familiarity with the flipped classroom concept might lead to a different view compared to students who are experienced with the flipped classroom concept. The findings in subtheme A1 is in line with the studies by (Lewis, Chen and Relan 2018; Abeysekera and Dawson 2014; Murillo-Zamorano, Sánchez and Godoy-Caballero 2019), in which their studies highlighted the need to shift the learning environment in the classroom, switching from the inside- to outside classroom boundaries to prepare the students before the class better. Pierce and Fox (2012) argued that the students would instead be responsible for their learning.

The study by Murillo-Zamorano, Sánchez and Godoy-Caballero (2019) argued that a flexible environment enables students to devote their time to understand a topic better. The situation indicates a flexible learning environment where the students are in focus and responsibility for their learning. Furthermore, the flipped classroom approach requires the teachers and students to possess additional skillset and competence. Therefore, the findings of subtheme A1 are not unexpected when compared to prior studies.

5.1.2 Preparing for the flipped classroom

The findings in subtheme A2 indicate the participants’ willingness to prepare for a lecture is due to the discussion session during the lecture. Otherwise, the participants might fail to participate in the discussion. Furthermore, the findings in subtheme A2 highlight the issue with the amount and difficulty of understanding some of the assigned materials. One of the participants argues that the students’ academic background might help them follow a specific topic easier. According to the participants, another considered issue is the amount of the assigned materials, including videos and academic studies. The participants perceive that too much assigned materials might affect their understanding of a topic due to not manage to finish the assignment in time. According to prior studies (Ahmad and Schreurs 2012; Carpeño et al. 2010), constructivism is based on constructing new knowledge through prior knowledge and experiences. Carpeño, et al. (2010) claimed that the constructivists’ worldview set the students’ previous state of knowledge as standard.

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The teachers should adjust their involvement accordingly to support the students in their learning.

The study by Jamaludin and Osman (2014) argued that teachers need to select activities and relevant materials to the subject to stimulate active learning. Both the findings in subtheme A2 and prior studies (Ahmad and Schreurs 2012; Carpeño et al. 2010) indicate the importance of the students’ prior knowledge and experience. The situation suggests that prior knowledge and academic background might affect the students’ acquisition of new knowledge due to a higher threshold and lack of essential knowledge. Also, the situation implies that it might affect the students’ time needed to understand the assigned materials. Therefore, it requires the students to actively research outside the topics’ boundaries to understand the assigned materials. Furthermore, the teachers need to assess the students’ prior knowledge level beforehand and adjust the topics’ difficulty level accordingly. Otherwise, the students are believed to fail in contributing to their learning and participation during class.

5.1.3 Participation in discussions during the flipped classroom session

The findings in subtheme A3 indicate that preparation before the lecture is required to effectively participate and contribute to the students’ learning during the discussion session. This implies that the students are willing to learn on their own and perceive their participation as an important factor to construct new knowledge. Furthermore, the findings in subtheme A3 also indicate a contradiction that some of the students feel forced due to the obligation to participate in the discussion session to get activity points. One major drawback of having obligatory participation is that the students might feel stressed out. Therefore, affecting the students’ willingness to participate during the discussion session. This implies that obligatory participation might affect the students’ achievement and engagement, important factors included in higher education. Furthermore, one participant argued that the flipped classroom approach’s issue is that they had difficulty changing their opinion during the lecture if the outcome of the discussion contradicted their previous understanding and knowledge of the topic. The finding is further supported by the constructivist viewpoint, in which prior studies can be constructed upon prior knowledge.

The study by Çardak and Selvi (2016) claimed that students’ interaction with their peers might influence and enhance the students’ learning outcome positively. However, the study by Çardak and Selvi (2016) also claimed that designing course activities might not necessarily guarantee a higher interaction level between peers. Moreover, the teachers should realize three kinds of interactions type, including student-student, student-teacher, and student-content, to increase interaction level in the classroom.

The findings in subtheme A3 are consistent with the study by Kurucay and Inan (2017); Oblinger (2004), who claimed that group activities had a positive effect in enhancing the students’ learning outcome and achievement. The study by Oblinger (2004) claimed that the current modern generation prefers learning by doing and gravitating towards group activities and technology use. Furthermore, the study by Carpeño et al. (2010) claimed the importance of active learning, which promotes participation, that it is hard to achieve by only passively acquiring knowledge with

Students' Perception on Using Student Response Systems in Flipped Classroom in Higher Education