Why the flipped lecture is not a ‘One Size Fits All’ solution to undergraduate medical education

Stapleton, G. , Price, K. and Sneddon, S. (2020) Why the flipped lecture is not a ‘One Size Fits All’ solution to undergraduate medical education. Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice, 8(2), pp. 50-57. (doi: 10.14297/jpaap.v8i2.411)

Abstract

Lectures underpin most medical school curricula; however, due to their frequently didactic nature, their pedagogical efficacy and value are continually questioned. The “flipped” lecture is one approach with the potential to increase student collaboration and interactivity within the lecture theatre environment. Increasingly, medical teachers are introducing flipped lectures, reflecting the increasing use of active learning techniques and digital technologies across the higher education sector more generally. This intervention is seen as a solution to the problems of a traditional lecture, yet whether the use of flipped lectures in medical school programmes enhances learning for all students is not clear. This study investigates whether flipped lectures are perceived as a valuable learning resource by undergraduate medical students. By introducing a flipped lecture at two stages of the curriculum to three student cohorts, and determining students’ observations and perceptions of each experience, we discuss why a flipped lecture does not always meet the needs of the increasingly diverse range of students in medical education and propose exercising caution when considering the introduction of flipped lectures to undergraduate programmes.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Stapleton, Dr Genevieve and Price, Dr Katherine and Sneddon, Dr Sharon
• Authors: Stapleton, G., Price, K., and Sneddon, S.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Life Sciences; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing
• Journal Name: Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice
• Publisher: Edinburgh Napier University
• ISSN: 2051-9788
• ISSN (Online): 2051-9788
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2020 Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice
• First Published: First published in Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice 8(2): 50-57
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License