Using transactional distances to explore student satisfaction with group collaboration in the flipped classroom

Abstract

In the 'flipped' classroom, students use online materials to learn what is traditionally learned by attending lectures, and class time is used for interactive group learning (IGL). IGL differentiates the flipped class from a traditional class and is touted as what makes the flipped class reflective of how higher education will change. In this paper, we use transactional distance (TD) and relative proximity theory (RPT) to hypothesise collaboration factors that could model student satisfaction in a flipped class. An instrument based on these factors was administered to a total of 84 students enrolled in two sections of a flipped operations management course over two semesters and EFA, SEM and CFA analyses determined it to be valid and reliable. Multiple regressions were used to determine which factors were statistically significant unique predictors of student satisfaction in the flipped classroom. The findings of the research imply that neither instructors nor students should be left to 'sink or swim' when first exposed to the flipped classroom. Instead, instructors should be incentivised to develop the skills required to be an effective learning, or cognitive, coach and students should be instructed in teaming skills as part of the flipped classroom experience.