Improving Students’ Higher Order Thinking Skills and Achievement Using WeChat based Flipped Classroom in Higher Education | Education and Information Technologies Skip to main content

Advertisement

Springer Nature Link
Log in

Improving Students’ Higher Order Thinking Skills and Achievement Using WeChat based Flipped Classroom in Higher Education

  • Published:
Education and Information Technologies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This quasi-experimental study compared traditional teacher-centered instruction and a WeChat based flipped classroom to investigate student achievements and higher order thinking skills, such as critical thinking and problem-solving. The WeChat based flipped classroom adopted a Structured Query Language (SQL) lesson from an information technology course. The 94 university students were divided into an experimental group (n = 50) and a control group (n = 44), and an achievement test, the critical thinking disposition inventory—Chinese version (CTDI-CV), and a questionnaire and problem-solving survey used in both groups. It was found that the flipped classroom student achievements and higher order thinking skills were significantly better than their peers who had been taught in a traditional classroom environment. This study provides empirical evidence that higher education achievement and higher order thinking skills can be improved using a WeChat-based flipped classroom approach and is a valuable reference for both instructors and educators on the use of social software.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
¥17,985 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price includes VAT (Japan)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 5.

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.

References

  • Abdulghani, H. M., Sattar, K., Ahmad, T., Halepoto, D. M., & Akram, A. (2022). An insightful estimation of undergraduate medical students’ experience about the Flipped Classroom. Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences, 38(1).

  • Akçayır, G., & Akçayır, M. (2018). The flipped classroom: A review of its advantages and challenges. Computers & Education, 126, 334–345.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alamri, M. M. (2019). Students' academic achievement performance and satisfaction in a flipped classroom in Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning, 11(1), 103–119.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ash, K. (2012). Educators view “flipped” model with a more critical eye. Education Week, 32(2), S6–S7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Awidi, I. T., & Paynter, M. (2019). The impact of a flipped classroom approach on student learning experience. Computers & Education, 128, 269–283.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bashir, S., & Hamid, I. (2021). Pharmacy students’ perception of learning and engagement in a flipped-classroom of a physiology course. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 1-9.

  • Brewer, R., & Movahedazarhouligh, S. (2018). Successful stories and conflicts: A literature review on the effectiveness of flipped learning in higher education. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning.

  • Butzler, K. B. (2016). The synergistic effects of self-regulation tools and the flipped classroom. Computers in the Schools, 33(1), 11–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cabı, E. (2018). The impact of the flipped classroom model on students' academic achievement. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 19(3).

  • Chan, S. Y., Lam, Y. K., & Ng, T. F. (2020). Student’s perception on initial experience of flipped classroom in pharmacy education: Are we ready? Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 57(1), 62–73.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen Hsieh, J. S., Vivian Wu, W.-C., & Marek, M. W. (2017). Using the flipped classroom to enhance EFL learning. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 30(1–2), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2015.1111910

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng, L., Ritzhaupt, A. D., & Antonenko, P. (2019). Effects of the flipped classroom instructional strategy on students’ learning outcomes: A meta-analysis. Educational Technology Research and Development, 67(4), 793–824.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chuang, H. H., Weng, C. Y., & Chen, C. H. (2018). Which students benefit most from a flipped classroom approach to language learning?. British Journal of Educational Technology,49(1), 56-68.

  • Costley, J., & Lange, C. (2016). The Effects of Instructor Control of Online Learning Environments on Satisfaction and Perceived Learning. Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 14(3), 169–180.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davies, R. S., Dean, D. L., & Ball, N. (2013). Flipping the classroom and instructional technology integration in a college-level information systems spreadsheet course. Educational Technology Research and Development, 61(4), 563–580.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dawes, J. (2008). Do data characteristics change according to the number of scale points used? An experiment using 5-point, 7-point and 10-point scales. International Journal of Market Research, 50(1), 61–104. https://doi.org/10.1177/147078530805000106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Day, L. J. (2018). A gross anatomy flipped classroom effects performance, retention, and higher-level thinking in lower performing students. Anatomical sciences education.

  • Dillon, J. (2002). Perspectives on environmental education-related research in science education. International Journal of Science Education, 24, 1111–1117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dima, M. L. B., & Ahmadi, A. (2021). The Implementation of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) in English Language Teaching: The Case of Indonesian Senior High School EFL Teachers. ELT Worldwide: Journal of English Language Teaching, 8(2), 255–268.

    Google Scholar 

  • Durrani, U. K., Al Naymat, G., Ayoubi, R. M., Kamal, M. M., & Hussain, H. (2022). Gamified flipped classroom versus traditional classroom learning: Which approach is more efficient in business education? The International Journal of Management Education, 20(1), 100595.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elmaleh, J., & Shankararaman, V. (2017, April). Improving student learning in an introductory programming course using flipped classroom and competency framework. In Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON), 2017 IEEE (pp. 49-55). IEEE.

  • Estriegana, R., Medina-Merodio, J. A., & Barchino. (2018), R. Analysis of competence acquisition in a flipped classroom approach. Computer Applications in Engineering Education.

  • Facione, P. A., & Facione, N. C. (1992). The California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI). California Academic.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fan, W. X., Ma, Y., Li, K., & Qiu., B. F. (2015). A Practical Study in the Flipped Classroom Based on WeChat under Environment of Mobile Learning. Open Education Research, 21(3), 90-97.

  • Hao, Y. (2016). Exploring university students' perspectives and flipped learning readiness in their flipped classrooms. Computers in Human Behavior, 59, 82–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hou, R., Han, S., Wang, K., & Zhang, C. (2021). To WeChat or to more chat during learning? The relationship between WeChat and learning from the perspective of university students. Education and Information Technologies, 26(2), 1813–1832.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang, M. Z. (2011). “Problem-solving” skills. Science Education, 04, 34–36.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jiugen, Y., Ruonan, X., & Wenting, Z. (2014). Essence of flipped classroom teaching model and influence on traditional teaching. In Electronics, Computer and Applications, 2014 IEEE Workshop on (pp. 362-365). IEEE.

  • Kazanidis, I., Pellas, N., Fotaris, P., & Tsinakos, A. (2019). Can the flipped classroom model improve students’ academic performance and training satisfaction in Higher Education instructional media design courses? British Journal of Educational Technology, 50(4), 2014–2027.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kazanidis, I., Pellas, N., Fotaris, P., & Tsinakos, A. (2018). Facebook and Moodle integration into instructional media design courses: A comparative analysis of students’ learning experiences using the Community of Inquiry (CoI) model. International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction, 1-11.

  • Khan, M., & Ibrahim, M. (2017, March). Flipped classroom in technology courses-impact on personal efficacy and perception based on learning style preferences. In Integrated STEM Education Conference (ISEC), 2017 IEEE (pp. 135-142). IEEE.

  • Kim, J. Y. (2018). A study of students’ perspectives on a flipped learning model and associations among personality, learning styles and satisfaction. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 55(3), 314–324.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lang, F., Zhang, K., Li, P., & Sun, G. (2016). Computer English teaching based on WeChat. In International Conference of Pioneering Computer Scientists, Engineers and Educators (pp. 10-20). Springer, Singapore.

  • Li, D. H., Jiang, B. S., Li, H. Y., & Liu, X. P. (2016). Design of experiment course “Computer-aided landscape design” based on flipped classroom. Computer Applications in Engineering Education, 24(2), 234–240.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lien, C. H., & Cao, Y. (2014). Examining WeChat users’ motivations, trust, attitudes, and positive word-of-mouth: Evidence from China. Computers in Human Behavior, 41, 104–111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, H., & Jiang, X. (2015). A design and teaching practice of college English teaching based on WeChat platform. Foreign Language and Literature, 31, 138–143.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu, Y. X. (2015). An empirical study on problem-solving ability development of high school students. (Doctoral dissertation, East China Normal University).

  • Lundin, M., Rensfeldt, A. B., Hillman, T., Lantz-Andersson, A., & Peterson, L. (2018). Higher education dominance and siloed knowledge: a systematic review of flipped classroom research. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 15(1), 1–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu, L. P. (2020). An Empirical Analysis of the Reliability and Validity of the Foreign Language Test of German. Education and Teaching Forum (10).

  • Luo, H., Yang, T., Xue, J., & Zuo, M. (2018) Impact of student agency on learning performance and learning experience in a flipped classroom. British Journal of Educational Technology.

  • McCormick, N. J., Clark, L. M., & Raines, J. M. (2015). Engaging students in critical thinking and problem solving: A brief review of the literature. Journal of Studies in Education, 5(4), 100–113.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McLaughlin, J. E., Roth, M. T., Glatt, D. M., Gharkholonarehe, N., Davidson, C. A., Griffin, L. M., et al. (2014). The flipped classroom: a course redesign to foster learning and engagement in a health professions school. Academic medicine, 89(2), 236–243.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mehring, J. (2016). Present research on the flipped classroom and potential tools for the EFL Classroom. Computers in the Schools, 33(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1080/07380569.2016.1139912

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miri, B., David, B. C., & Uri, Z. (2007). Purposely teaching for the promotion of higher-order thinking skills: A case of critical thinking. Research in science education, 37(4), 353–369.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Missildine, K., Fountain, R., Summers, L., & Gosselin, K. (2013). Flipping the classroom to improve student performance and satisfaction. Journal of Nursing Education, 52(10), 597–599. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20130919-03

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O'Flaherty, J., & Phillips, C. (2015). The use of flipped classrooms in higher education: A scoping review. The internet and higher education, 25, 85–95.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Osman, S. Z. M., Jamaludin, R., & Mokhtar, N. E. (2014). Flipped classroom and traditional classroom: lecturer and student perceptions between two learning cultures, a case study at Malaysian Polytechnic. International Education Research, 2(4), 16–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peng, M. C., et al. (2004). The reliability of the Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI). Chinese Journal of Nursing, 39(9), 644–647.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pratama, G. S., & Retnawati, H. (2018). Urgency of higher order thinking skills (HOTS) content analysis in mathematics textbook. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1097, No. 1, p. 012147). IOP Publishing.

  • Priyaadharshini, M., & Vinayaga Sundaram, B, (2018), Evaluation of higher-order thinking skills using learning style in an undergraduate engineering in flipped classroom. Computer Applications in Engineering Education.

  • Putri, Y., Cahyono, E., & Indriyanti, D. R. (2021). Implementation of Flipped Classroom Learning Model to Increase Student’s Critical Thinking Ability. Journal of Innovative Science Education, 10(1), 143–151.

    Google Scholar 

  • Qi, G. Y., & Wang, Y. (2018). Investigating the building of a WeChat-based community of practice for language teachers’ professional development. Innovation in language learning and teaching, 12(1), 72–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Røe, Y., Rowe, M., Ødegaard, N. B., Sylliaas, H., & Dahl-Michelsen, T. (2019). Learning with technology in physiotherapy education: design, implementation and evaluation of a flipped classroom teaching approach. BMC medical education, 19(1), 291.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sankey, M. D., & Hunt, L. (2013). Using technology to enable flipped classrooms whilst sustaining sound pedagogy. InASCILITE-Australian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education Annual Conference (pp. 785-795). Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education.

  • Shen, S. S., Liu, Q., & Xie, T.X, (2013). A Practical Study in the Flipped Classroom Based on WeChat under Environment of Mobile Learning. China Educational Technology, (12), 107-111.

  • Siregar, B. H., Mansyur, A., & Siregar, N. (2021, March). Development of Digital Book in Enhancing Students’ Higher-Order Thinking Skill. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1819, No. 1, p. 012046). IOP Publishing.

  • Strayer, J. F. (2012). How learning in an inverted classroom influences cooperation, innovation and task orientation. Learning environments research, 15(2), 171–193.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strelan, P., Osborn, A., & Palmer, E. (2020). The flipped classroom: A meta-analysis of effects on student performance across disciplines and education levels. Educational Research Review, 100314.

  • Sun, D. H., & Cheng, Q. X. (2007). The Application of Reliability and Validity Research in Language Testing. Journal of Higher Education Research, 2, 42–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tu, S., Yan, X., Jie, K., Ying, M., & Huang, C. (2018). WeChat: An applicable and flexible social app software for mobile teaching. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 46(5), 555–560.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ugwuanyi, C. S. (2022). Developing Sound Knowledge of Basic Science Concepts in Children Using Flipped Classroom: A case of simple repeated measures. Education and Information Technologies, 1-13.

  • Wang, Y., Fang, W. C., Han, J., & Chen, N. S. (2016). Exploring the affordances of WeChat for facilitating teaching, social and cognitive presence in semi-synchronous language exchange. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 32(4).

  • Wei, Z. F. (2017). Construction of Higher Vocational English Teaching Model Based on WeChat. Campus English, 2017(41), 56–57.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wen, A. S., Zaid, N. M., & Harun, J. (2016). Enhancing students' ICT problem solving skills using flipped classroom model. In Engineering Education (ICEED), 2016 IEEE 8th International Conference on (pp. 187-192). IEEE.

  • Widana, I. W., Parwata, I. M. Y., Parmithi, N. N., Jayantika, I. G. A. T., Sukendra, K., & Sumandya, I. W. (2018). Higher order thinking skills assessment towards critical thinking on mathematics lesson. International journal of social sciences and humanities, 2(1), 24–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilks, S. (1995). Critical & creative thinking: Strategies for classroom inquiry. Heinemann.

  • Wilson, S. G. (2013). The flipped class: A method to address the challenges of an undergraduate statistics course. Teaching of psychology, 40(3), 193–199.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu, J. J. (2017). The study on the influence of PBL chemistry teaching model on middle school students’ chemistry problem solving ability (Master’s thesis, Central China Normal University).

  • Xu, B., Chen, N. S., & Chen, G. (2020). Effects of teacher role on student engagement in WeChat-Based online discussion learning. Computers & Education, 157, 103956.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yan, J. F. (2015). A review of the researches on WeChat. In 2015 International Conference on Social Science and Technology Education. Atlantis Press.

  • Yeh, M. L. (2002). Assessing the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 39(2), 123–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Youhasan, P., Chen, Y., Lyndon, M., & Henning, M. A. (2021). Exploring the pedagogical design features of the flipped classroom in undergraduate nursing education: a systematic review. BMC nursing, 20(1), 1–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu, Z., & Gao, M. (2022). Effects of Video Length on a Flipped English Classroom. SAGE Open, 12(1), 21582440211068474.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, L. (2016). Research on the Practice of Flipped Class Mode Based on the Platform of WeChat. Journal of US-China Public Administration, 13(5), 358–366.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zohar, A., & Dori, Y. J. (2003). Higher order thinking skills and low-achieving students: Are they mutually exclusive? Journal of the Learning Sciences, 12(2), 145–181. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327809JLS1202_1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zoller, U., Dori, Y., & Lubezky, A. (2002). Algorithmic, LOCS and HOCS (chemistry) exam questions: Performance and attitudes of college students. International Journal of Science Education, 24(2), 185–203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Information Science and Technology, Northeast Normal University, Jingyue Avenue 2555, Changchun, Jilin, People’s Republic of China

    Dongping Liu

  2. School of Media Science, Northeast Normal University, Jingyue Avenue 2555, Changchun, Jilin, People’s Republic of China

    Hai Zhang

Authors
  1. Dongping Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hai Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hai Zhang.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

None

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Liu, D., Zhang, H. Improving Students’ Higher Order Thinking Skills and Achievement Using WeChat based Flipped Classroom in Higher Education. Educ Inf Technol 27, 7281–7302 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-10922-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-10922-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation