Is the Flipped Classroom Method Useful for Teaching Project Management?

Abstract

A teaching method known as the flipped classroom has become increasingly popular in recent years and the method is now widely used around the world at all levels of the education system. This paper seeks to examine and elucidate the concept of the flipped classroom method as well as scrutinize its varying manifestations within educational settings, focusing particularly on the question of whether the teaching method is a fruitful teaching strategy for project management. Data gathering was based on an analysis of research literature focusing on the application of the flipped classroom as well as interviews conducted with both teachers and students associated with a master’s degree program in project management at Reykjavik University. The interviews sought to extract perspectives of both teachers and students with regard to their experiences of the flipped classroom method in contrast to conventional teaching methods. Finally, the paper will present the findings from an analysis comparing test results from an international certification examination in project management for two groups of students. One group attended lessons where the flipped classroom method was applied whereas the other group was instructed using traditional teaching methods.

The findings of the study reveal that the flipped classroom method is a fruitful and relevant strategy for teaching and learning project management. The findings show that the students were more positive toward the method than the teachers. Furthermore, the students were generally more receptive to new teaching methods than the teachers were. 60% of the students who attended lessons that used the flipped classroom claimed that it had aided them in preparing for the certification examination.