Flipping the Nursing Classroom

Caroline K. Mosca, RN, PhD

Recently I had a manuscript published in Nursing Education Perspectives in November 2017, titled “Flipping the nursing classroom without flipping out the students.” This article was based on research implementing a flipped classroom with nursing students in a traditional, brick-and-mortar setting.

A flipped classroom is student-led, with a focus on application and discussion of content. The instructor does not stand at the front of the class and present content; rather, they turn over the classroom to the students, facilitate discussion, and encourage critical thinking. It is thought to be a more effective way of learning; in a study, student course grades improved by approximately 8 points after the flipped classroom.

You may be asking yourself “How is this research pertinent to me as an online student at Excelsior College?” That’s a very good question!  These results are quite relevant to online learning because the online classroom is by nature a “flipped” classroom. As a student, you must independently prepare for weekly “class” in the discussion board. There is no sitting in the back row passively listening to the instructor review content, or waiting until the night before the exam to read the text. As you know, your evaluation in the course is dependent on your participation in weekly discussions, which requires independent preparation, extensive course participation, and thoughtful analysis of content. Your education is already student-led, and this research, along with other studies demonstrates that student-led learning environments may lead to better student outcomes.