Impact of flipped classrooms on economics learning outcomes in undergraduate programs: A field study

Thesis Abstract

The study investigates how flipped classroom pedagogy influences economics learning outcomes among undergraduate students across three public universities in a mid-sized country, addressing concerns about traditional lecture-centric delivery and the growing adoption of active learning modalities in economics education. The aim is to determine whether flipped classrooms improve performance, engagement, and self-regulated learning, and to identify contextual factors that modulate these effects. Specific objectives include (1) comparing final course grades and standardized assessment scores between flipped and traditional sections, (2) examining differences in knowledge retention after eight weeks, (3) assessing changes in student engagement, motivation, and self-regulated learning strategies, (4) exploring instructors’ implementation fidelity and perceived instructional value, and (5) evaluating differential effects by gender, prior achievement, and course level (Introduction to Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, and Econometrics). The study is underpinned by Constructivist Learning Theory and Self-Determination Theory to explain how active, student-centered environments support conceptual understanding and autonomous motivation. A mixed-methods research design is employed, combining a quasi-experimental field trial with qualitative process evaluation. The population comprises 1,200 undergraduate economics students enrolled in designated core courses during the 2024/2025 academic year. A stratified random sampling approach selects 12 course sections (6 flipped, 6 traditional), with a total anticipated sample of 720 students (approximately 60 students per section). Data collection instruments include (i) objective achievement measures such as end-of-term course grades, standardized economics concept tests (reliable at Cronbach’s alpha ?0.85), and a 6-week retention assessment; (ii) validated engagement and motivation scales (e.g., the Situational Interest Scale and the Academic Motivation Scale); (iii) a self-regulated learning inventory (e.g., the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire); (iv) instructor fidelity checklists and a structured interview protocol for qualitative insights; and (v) course analytics capturing online pre-lesson warm-ups, video-viewing metrics, and post-lesson assessment performance. Reliability and validity are ensured through pre-testing, triangulation, and pilot testing of instruments in two non-participating sections. Quantitative analysis employs multilevel hierarchical linear modeling to assess differences in outcomes between flipped and traditional sections while controlling for prior achievement, gender, and course type, with robustness checks via propensity score matching. Mediation analysis investigates whether engagement and self-regulated learning mediate the impact of pedagogy on achievement. Retention outcomes are analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA. Qualitative data from instructor reflections and student focus groups are analyzed thematically using an inductive approach, with coding reliability established through intercoder agreement (Cohen’s kappa ?0.80). A convergent parallel mixed-methods framework integrates quantitative and qualitative findings at the interpretation stage to provide a comprehensive understanding of context-specific effects and implementation fidelity. Key expected findings include statistically significant improvements in final grades and retention scores for flipped-classroom sections relative to traditional ones, moderated by prior achievement and course type. Increased student engagement, higher intrinsic motivation, and more frequent use of self-regulated learning strategies are anticipated in flipped settings, with fidelity of implementation positively correlated with effect sizes. The study may reveal differential effects across courses, with larger gains in Econometrics due to higher cognitive demand and in macroeconomic courses where complex models benefit from segmented, active learning activities. Instructors’ perceived value of flipped pedagogy is expected to align with observed outcomes when there is structured pre-class preparation and timely feedback. The study contributes to knowledge by providing rigorous field-based evidence on the effectiveness of flipped classrooms in undergraduate economics, elucidating the mechanisms through which engagement and self-regulation mediate learning gains, and offering practical guidance on implementation fidelity and course design. It informs policymakers and curriculum designers about scalable strategies to improve learning outcomes in economics education. The main conclusion anticipated is that well-structured flipped classrooms, underpinned by clear learning objectives and high-fidelity implementation, yield meaningful improvements in achievement and retention, with benefits most pronounced for students with moderate prior achievement. Recommendations include adopting standardized pre-class materials, continuous instructor training, iterative fidelity monitoring, and course-specific adaptations to maximize impact across economics disciplines.