Evaluating Instructional Efficiency in a Flipped Classroom: A Pilot Study in a Pharmacotherapy Course

Area of Science:

• Pharmacotherapy education
• Educational technology
• Health professions education

Background:

• Flipped classroom models require effective pre-class learning materials.
• Evaluating the efficiency of these materials is crucial for optimizing student learning outcomes.
• Mental effort and assessment performance are key indicators of instructional efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the instructional efficiency of pre-class learning materials in an integrated pharmacotherapy course.
• To identify specific modules or topics that are less effective in promoting student learning.
• To utilize instructional efficiency data for quality improvement initiatives.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study in a required pharmacotherapy course using a flipped classroom approach.
• Third-year PharmD students completed pre-class activities across six modules.
• Instructional efficiency was calculated using the Paas scale for mental effort and readiness assurance test performance.

Main Results:

• 129 students participated with high survey response rates.
• Instructional efficiency scores pinpointed less efficient topics like atrial fibrillation and acute coronary syndrome.
• Efficiency graphs visualized areas for improvement across modules and sections.

Conclusions:

• Pre-class learning is vital yet challenging in flipped classrooms.
• Instructional efficiency measures effectively identify and target areas for quality improvement in learning tasks.
• Efficiency data supports data-driven decision-making for curriculum enhancement and year-over-year comparisons.