Investigating the Impact of Flipped Math Teaching on Self-directed Learning and Academic Achievement: The Case of Female 6th Graders in 12th District of Tehran)

Authors
Fatemeh Qolipour
Ahmad Fathollahi
Abstract
Introduction:

In recent years, flipped learning has been able to continuously open its position as a new and effective educational method in Iran's educational system, and with the emergence of the Corona epidemic, teachers and educational institutions welcomed this style of education, which transformed the traditional method of education. On the other hand, in order to develop and improve self-management skills, it is necessary to have a new and revolutionary view of learning methods.

Due to the importance of covering the needs of learners and their participation in the teaching-learning process, using the digital world and using technology in creative ways, as well as due to the large amount of subject knowledge and little time for teaching in the classroom, should go beyond traditional methods and seek to develop and strengthen students' academic skills, including academic participation and self-management skills. On the one hand, the importance of self-direction and active participation in learning, especially in courses such as mathematics and the inefficiency and weakness of traditional methods in the teaching and learning process, and on the other hand, considering the few studies in the research background, especially in Iran in There is the case of flipped learning and self-directed learning and the factors affecting it, so the question of the current research is how effective is flipped learning on the academic progress and self-directed thinking of sixth grade students in mathematics.

Method:

The current research is a quasi-experimental study that was carried out with the participation of two experimental and control groups in the academic year of 2021-2022. The statistical population of this research was sixth grade female students of district 12 of Tehran. In this study, 60 sixth grade female students participated as a sample, and the students were selected based on the available sampling of Roshan Gar Shahid School in District 12. To carry out this research, students were selected based on the evaluation results of the first semester and basic education. To carry out this research, students were selected based on the evaluation results of the first semester and basic education. The selected students were randomly divided into two experimental groups (30 people) and control group (30 people). First, the questions of the pre-tests were provided to the students, and after the implementation of the test, the teaching program using the flipped learning method was implemented for the experimental group in 8 weeks, and the control group learned the math lesson in the traditional method (lecture, question and answer). After the end of the flipped training course, the post-test questions were given to the experimental group students and then the collected data were analyzed.

Results and Discussion

The results of this research, as shown in the previous chapter, indicated that the flipped teaching method improves the level of self-management of students as well as their academic progress in the sixth-grade mathematics course. The increase in students' self-directedness in the flipped classroom can be justified by the fact that such a learning environment requires students to manage a high degree of self-directedness in order to effectively complete their tasks (Azevedo & Cromley, 2004). In fact, although the students did not have the background of mathematical knowledge about the taught subjects, they find more confidence in doing a mathematical task in the flipped class. This conclusion is in line with previous research and is consistent with its results (Ferla et al., 2009; Rimal, 2001; Song, 2010).

Examining how students learn in a flipped learning environment should be the focus of future flipped classroom studies. Research in this area is important because although the flipped classroom is considered a promising educational approach, a theoretical understanding of how students learn in this environment is still developing. In order to advance the theoretical understanding of the learning process involved in the flipped classroom learning environment, research is needed that empirically examines factors related to academic learning, such as prior knowledge and self-directed factors, and considers the use of learning strategies. The results of this study showed that self-direction can contribute to students' success in the flipped classroom, especially in the flipped math classroom.
Keywords
Mathematics Education
sixth grade
Academic achievement
self-directed learning
flipped learning
Azevedo, R., & Cromley, J. G. (2004). Does training on self-regulated learning facilitate students' learning with hypermedia? Journal of Educational Psychology, 96(3), 523535.
Ferla, J., Valcke, M., & Cai, Y. (2009). Academic self-efficacy and academic selfconcept: Reconsidering structural relationships. Learning and Individual Differences, 19(4), 499-505.
Rimal, R. N. (2001). Longitudinal influences of knowledge and self-efficacy on exercise behavior: Tests of a mutual reinforcement model. Journal of Health Psychology, 6(1), 31-46.
Song, H. S. (2010). The effects of learners' prior knowledge, self-regulation, and motivation on learning performance in complex multimedia learning environments. Retrieved from ProQuest Digital Dissertations.