Flipping the classroom for information literacy instruction

considerations towards personalisation and collaborative learning

Abstract

This study examined the possibility of enabling personalised, collaborative information literacy (IL) instruction through a flipped class model. Two-stage interviews were conducted before and after a pilot project was given to participants, which was designed according to guiding principles of personalised learning and online collaborative learning (OCL) theory. The study used a qualitative framework to gauge learners’ perceptions regarding the effectiveness and feasibility of the design. Samples were taken from learners who had previously been involved in a flipped classroom. The data collected from the two-stage interviews were compared and further discussed in light of Giorgi’s (1999) understanding of learning through a phenomenological perspective. Five participants were involved in the study. For the first-stage interviews, the five participants all responded positively towards the prospectus of a flipped, personalised and collaborative IL instruction. For the second-stage interviews, three participants offered feedback regarding an interactive PowerPoint specifically designed for a flipped IL instruction, which had incorporated elements of personalisation and group activities. All three participants in the second stage interviews spoke favourably of the content of the interactive PowerPoint, but they also all exhibited a degree of hesitation when multiple options were presented to them. They were still expecting clear instructions instead of taking control of the process. This study discovered a gap between learners’ positivity towards a flipped, personalised and collaborative learning model, and the fact that learners are fundamentally accustomed to traditional learning paths. This implies there are hurdles to overcome before the flipped model can deliver results, especially when learners are expected to take more control over their own learning. Further research is needed to explore ways of altering learner mind sets in order to enable learners to embrace the full potential of flipped learning.