Abstract

Pre-laboratory briefing on concepts and procedures usually takes up a lot of lesson time as part of an already tight course schedule, leaving students with insufficient time to conduct experiments, connect the experiments to theories, and acquire subject-specific experimental skills. The flipped classroom approach seems to be a potential solution to enable students to conduct pre-laboratory learning prior to class, endeavoring to help students maximize the benefits of the experiment learning experience in science. In this study, a “Flipped-Experiment–Consolidate” (FEC) model was proposed for laboratory learning and teaching, and it was implemented in an undergraduate physics course during two academic years. A two-cycle action research study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed FEC model, and this involved two cohorts of students from different academic years, nineteen participants from academic year 2018 and seventeen participants from academic year 2019. A mixed-method design was used with the Flipped Learning Environment Questionnaire (FLEQ), semi-structured interviews, and the rubric for teachers’ reflection on their flipped teaching. Findings from both action cycles indicated the need to integrate a flexible assessment (e.g., follow-up quiz, worksheet) into pre-laboratory learning to help foster students to take ownership of their learning. Without proper assessment paired up with the pre-laboratory learning activities, students may be unable to self-check and monitor their learning consistently and clearly. Additionally, there was a significant difference in students’ incentive in the second action cycle, where course grades were bundled with the completion of pre-laboratory learning.