Examining the Effectiveness Between Course Delivery Modes in a Teacher Training SPOC-Based Flipped Course

Purpose of the study. In response to the recent lockdown and social distancing, educators have been using the flipped learning approach (FCA) to transform their courses to maintain the quality of teaching and learning. While it is progressively adopted, scholars are interested in flexible learning strategies for accommodating the "New Normal" in the post-pandemic era. One of the elements to support FCA, is the Small Private Online Course (SPOC). It is a campus-based variation of a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course). In addition to standard course materials, it offers interactive courses with user forums discussions to enhance interactions among students and educators, as well as immediate feedback on short quizzes and assignments. This study aims to see how effective a SPOC-based flipped course can enable students to apply and reflect on their learning and teaching in different delivery modes. Using the experiential learning cycle (ELC), students learn how to apply the flipped classroom approach in their future instructional design and delivery by experiencing the flipped teaching and learning in the course. Course activities were mapped in the experiential learning model. Methods. A quasi-experimental mixed design was adopted. Variables such as course facilitators, and content were controlled. Participants were 130 research students from three semesters who were in face-to-face, online, or hybrid group. The impact of the different delivery modes on the course was assessed by students' course assessments and a feedback survey. Results. One-Way Welch's Analysis of Variance indicated statistically significant effects of delivery modes on students' participation and their reflective assignment. Students from each learning mode have relatively good performance in different assessments. No significant difference was found in students' total scores and teaching demonstration. Responses from the course feedback questionnaire showed positive attitudes specific to the learning modes they received. Conclusions. This study explored the flexibility of delivering a SPOC-based flipped course. Regardless of delivery mode, by integrating the FCA with the experiential learning framework, it was found to be effective for students' reflective learning. However, because students' learning performance in specific assessments may vary depending on delivery modes, the design of the SPOC and the assessments should be adjusted. This study demonstrated how to use FCA and ELC to establish curriculums that will benefit students as they navigate the world's recent challenging educational transformation.