Date
11-2021
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Education in Curriculum & Instruction (EdD)
Chair
Jerry L. Woodbridge
Keywords
Flipped Classroom, Self-regulated Learning, Self-determination Theory, Student Motivation, Agentic Behavior, Constructivist Learning Environment
Disciplines
Education
Recommended Citation
Farrell, Sharon Beaudoin, "Student Autonomy and Self-Direction in the Secondary Flipped Chemistry Classroom" (2021). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 3271.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/3271
Abstract
The purpose of this collective case study was to describe the student-autonomous learning experiences of secondary chemistry students actively engaged in classrooms utilizing a flipped classroom approach (FCA). The FCA is a pedagogical framework that includes asynchronous, student-paced experiences outside the classroom and face-to-face active learning activities during class meeting times. The theories guiding this study were self-regulated learning and self-determination theory which emphasize the construction of knowledge through shared experiences to support student self-efficacy in the learning process. Participants included students bounded within first-year chemistry classrooms at the honors and college preparatory levels. Data collected from student questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups were analyzed by disaggregating in vivo codes to generate a thick and rich description of the participants’ understanding of agentic behavior. Holistic within-case and cross-case analyses were summarized to derive contextual observations. The triangulated essence of the FCA was distilled systematically until the external knowledge, and internal perceptions were unified. Findings revealed favorable experiences with the flexibility and student choice aspects of flipped learning; however, concerns regarding digital communication, technology overload, and the lack of social interaction arose. Addressing these concerns will benefit stakeholders seeking to create constructivist hybrid learning environments which promote student self-direction within a community of practice.