Flipped Classroom Instruction and Student Learning Outcomes in Secondary Science Education: A Quasi-Experimental Mixed-Methods Investigation

Abstract

This study examined the effects of flipped classroom instruction on student learning outcomes in secondary science education in the Philippines, using a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest nonequivalent control group design embedded within a qualitative case study framework. Two hundred (200) Grade 10 and Grade 11 science students from two public secondary schools were assigned to an experimental group (n = 102) receiving flipped classroom instruction and a control group (n = 98) receiving conventional lecture-based instruction across a 12-week intervention period. Quantitative instruments included validated pre- and post-tests of science achievement, conceptual understanding, and critical thinking, as well as self-report scales measuring student engagement and academic self-efficacy. Results of analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and mixed-model repeated measures ANOVA revealed statistically significant and practically meaningful gains in all outcome variables for the experimental group compared to the control group (F values ranging from 22.47 to 48.37, all p < .001; Cohen's d ranging from 0.59 to 1.31). Qualitative thematic analysis of 32 semi-structured student and teacher interviews yielded five core themes: autonomy and ownership of learning, enhanced classroom interaction quality, transformation of the teacher role, technology access inequity, and increased cognitive demand. These findings collectively demonstrate that flipped classroom instruction, when implemented with robust instructional design and institutional support, substantially improves secondary science learning outcomes. Equity implications and recommendations for scaling flipped learning in resource-constrained educational contexts are discussed.