Flipping the academic classroom: insights from an action-research in humanities

This paper makes a case for the implementation of the flipped learning model in higher education humanities classes. While there is extensive evidence on the effectiveness of such a method in science classes where it was first introduced, the practice of reversing the traditional learning model in humanities is still poorly discussed in research literature. Based on a participatory action-research approach, the paper explores two applications of the flipped instructional model: one in relation to skill-oriented classes on language teaching methodology, the other in relation to content-oriented theoretical literary studies. Both case studies have been conducted with medium or small-sized classes of undergraduate students in an Italian academic environment. The research design was qualitative: data have been collected through a semi-structured students’ survey, from which an overall picture of the effectiveness of the flipped instructional model has been discussed and evaluated. Findings indicated a highly positive appreciation of the efficacy of the flipped strategy in enhancing learning outcomes, cognitive awareness, communication and interactive skills. These research findings are all the more remarkable if we take into account the dominant teacher-centered educational culture of the Italian academic setting. Students’ satisfaction and engagement with the flipped learning method is therefore proof of the potential benefits inherent in reversing the classroom and shifting the educational paradigm in the humanities.