Mapping the First Twenty Years of the Flipped Classroom Model in Primary School Education: A Systematic Review

Nesibe Ağırman; M. Hanifi Ercoşkun

Vol. 17 No. 5 (2025) IEJEE

Mapping the First Twenty Years of the Flipped Classroom Model in Primary School Education: A Systematic Review

Nesibe Ağırman
M. Hanifi Ercoşkun

Published September 28, 2025 | Pages: 722-744 | Views: 688

Download PDF

SHARE

Abstract

This systematic review of flipped classrooms examined the trends, purposes, results, and recommendations of relevant research conducted in primary schools. This study evaluated 20 articles that met the eligibility criteria obtained from publications in the Web of Science, ERIC, Scopus, Science Direct, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global, TR Index, and Turkey Council of Higher Education Thesis Center databases between 2000 and 2020. The results revealed that the first study on this subject was published in 2014, and although most of the studies were carried out in the fourth grade, no studies were found with first-grade students. The studies were mostly conducted in the fields of language and mathematics education. The results also revealed that videos prepared by the researcher-teacher were mostly used as digital learning materials, and that content sharing was predominantly used in online environments. The most frequently examined purpose in the studies was academic achievement, followed by students' and parents' opinions. In these studies, the use of flipped classrooms positively affected the academic achievement of primary school students. Furthermore, offering fun learning and increasing student-student interaction were the common positive results. The most common negative results were that students needed parental support in extracurricular processes, that preparing and finding digital learning materials was a workload for teachers, and that parents had various concerns. The prominent suggestions made in these studies were long-term studies, parents' education, and cooperation with parents.

<p>This systematic review of flipped classrooms examined the trends, purposes, results, and recommendations of relevant research conducted in primary schools. This study evaluated 20 articles that met the eligibility criteria obtained from publications in the Web of Science, ERIC, Scopus, Science Direct, ProQuest Dissertations &amp; Theses Global, TR Index, and Turkey Council of Higher Education Thesis Center databases between 2000 and 2020. The results revealed that the first study on this subject was published in 2014, and although most of the studies were carried out in the fourth grade, no studies were found with first-grade students. The studies were mostly conducted in the fields of language and mathematics education. The results also revealed that videos prepared by the researcher-teacher were mostly used as digital learning materials, and that content sharing was predominantly used in online environments. The most frequently examined purpose in the studies was academic achievement, followed by students' and parents' opinions. In these studies, the use of flipped classrooms positively affected the academic achievement of primary school students. Furthermore, offering fun learning and increasing student-student interaction were the common positive results. The most common negative results were that students needed parental support in extracurricular processes, that preparing and finding digital learning materials was a workload for teachers, and that parents had various concerns. The prominent suggestions made in these studies were long-term studies, parents' education, and cooperation with parents.</p>

Listen -

References

Abeysekera, L., & Dawson, P. (2015). Motivation and cognitive load in the flipped classroom: Definition, rationale and a call for research. Higher Education Research & Development, 34(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2014.934336.
Abdullah, M., Hussin, S., & Ismail, K. (2021). Does flipped classroom model affect EFL learners’ anxiety in English speaking performance? International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 16(1), 94-108. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v16i01.16955.
Ağırman, N., & Ercoşkun, M. H. (2022). History of the flipped classroom model and uses of the flipped classroom concept. International Journal of Curriculum and Instructional Studies, 12(1), 71-88. https://doi.org/10.31704/ijocis.2022.004.
Akçayır, G., & Akçayır, M. (2018) The flipped classroom: A review of its advantages and challenges. Computers & Education, 126, 334-345. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2018.07.021.
Aktay, S., & Keser, R. (2023). Online Education or Face-to-Face Education in Elementary School? International Primary Education Research Journal, 7(2), 70-90. https://doi.org/10.38089/iperj.2023.138.
Baker, J. W. (2000). The “Classroom Flip”: Using Web Course Management Tools to Become the Guide by the Side [Paper presentation]. The 11th International Conference on College Teaching and Learning, Jacksonville.
Bergmann, J., & Sams, A. (2012). Flip your classroom reach every student in every class every day. ISTE/ASCD.
Bergmann, J., & Sams, A. (2015). The flipped learning for elementary instruction. ISTE.
Bond, M. (2020). Facilitating student engagement through the flipped learning approach in K-12: A systematic review. Computers & Education, 151, 103-819. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2020.103819.
Boyraz, S., & Ocak, G. (2017). Implementation of flipped education into Turkish EFL teaching context. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 13(2), 426-439.
Carlisle, C. (2018). How the flipped classroom impacts students’ Math achievement (Publication No. 10817518) [Doctoral dissertation, Trevecca Nazarene University-Nashville]. Proquest Dissertations & Theses Global https://search. proquest.com/openview/6dc2eb267827810a03841df5de107d6d/1?cbl¼18750&.
Chen, K. S., Monrouxe, L., Lu, Y. H., Jenq, C. C., Chang, Y. J., Chang, Y. C., & Chai, P. Y. C. (2018). Academic outcomes of flipped classroom learning: A meta‐analysis. Medical Education, 52(9), 910-924. https://doi.org/10.1111/medu.13616.
Chen, M. R. A., & Hwang, G. J. (2020). Effects of a concept mapping‐based flipped learning approach on EFL students’ English speaking performance, critical thinking awareness and speaking anxiety. British Journal of Educational Technology, 51(3), 817-834. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12887.
Cilliers, L., & Pylman, J. (2020). South African students’ perceptions of the flipped classroom: A case study of higher education. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 59(3), 296-305. https://doi.org/10.1080/14703297.2020.1853588.
Çiftçi Seyhan, E., Akdağ, E., Ulu, Ö., Eyili, Ö., & Doğan, N. (2022). The effect of the flipped classroom model on academic success of secondary students: A meta analysis. Alanyazın 3(2), 311-328. http:// dx.doi.org/10.22596/ cresjournal.0302.311.328.
Enfield, J. (2013). Looking at the impact of the flipped classroom model of instruction on undergraduate multimedia students at CSUN. Tech Trends, 57(6), 14-27. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-013-0698-1.
Erbil, D. G., & Kocabaş, A. (2020). Flipping the 4th grade social studies course in a cooperative way: Effects on academic achievement and motivation. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 66, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2020.100878.
Fornons, V., & Palau, R. (2021). Flipped classroom in the teaching of mathematics: A systematic review. Education in the Knowledge Society (EKS), 22, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.14201.
Galindo-Dominguez, H. (2021). Flipped classroom in the educational system: Trend or effective pedagogical model compared to other methodologies? Educational Technology & Society, 24(3), 44-60. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27032855.
Gao, X., & Hew, K. F. (2021). Toward a 5E-based flipped classroom model for teaching computational thinking in elementary school: Effects on student computational thinking and problem-solving performance. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 60(2), 512-543. https://doi.org/10.1177/07356331211037757.
Ginsburg, H., & Opper, S. (1969). Piaget’s theory of intellectual development. Prentice Hall.
Grant, M. J., & Booth, A. (2009). A typology of reviews: An analysis of 14 review types and associated methodologies. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 26, 91-108. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-1842.2009.00848.x.
González Gómez, D., Jeong, J. S., Cañada, F., & Gallego Picó, A., (2017). La enseñanza de contenidos científicos a través de un modelo “Flipped”: Propuesta de instrucción para estudiantes del grado de educación primaria. Enseñanza de las Ciencias, 35(2), 71-87. https://doi.org/10.5565/rev/ensciencias.2233.
Horn, M. B., & Staker, H. (2015). Blended: Using disruptive innovation to improve schools. Josey Bass.
Hultén, M., & Larsson, B. (2018). The flipped classroom: Primary and secondary teachers’views on an educational movement in schools in Sweden today. Scandınavıan Journal of Educatıonal Research, 62(3), 433-443. https://doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2016.1258662.
Koç Akran, S. (2018). Academic studies in educational sciences. In H. Şahin et al. (Ed.), Education programs and teaching (pp. 139-158). IVPE.
Lage, M. J., Platt, G. J., & Treglia, M. (2000). Inverting the classroom: A gateway to creating an inclusive learning environment. The Journal of Economic Education, 31(1), 30-43. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220480009596759.
Li, J., & Jiang, Z. (2017). Students' perceptions about a flipped online Chinese language course. Journal of Technology and Chinese Language Teaching, 8(2), 25-38. http://www.tclt.us/journal/2017v8n2/lijiang.pdf.
Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook. Sage.
Moher, D., Liberati, A., Tetzlaff, J., & Altman, D. G. (2009). Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: The PRISMA statement. PLoS Med 6(7), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000097.
Mulrow, C. D. (1994). Systematic reviews: Rationale for systematic reviews. The BMJ, 309 (6954), 597-599. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.309.6954.597.
Nayci, Ö. (2017). The evaluation of implementation of flipped class model in the teaching of social studies (Publication No. 481748) [Doctoral dissertation, Ankara University-Ankara]. Turkey Council of Higher Education Thesis Center.
Newman M., & Gough, D. (2020). Systematic reviews in educational research: Methodology, perspectives and application. In O. Zawacki-Richter, M. Kerres, S. Bedenlier, M. Bond, & K. Buntins, (Eds.), Systematic reviews in educational research: Methodology, perspectives and application. (pp. 3-22). Springer VS.
Özbay, Ö., & Sarıca, R. (2019). Ters yüz sınıfa yönelik gerçekleştirilen çalışmaların eğilimleri: Bir sistematik alanyazın taraması. Ahi Evran Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, 5(2), 332-348. https://doi.org/10.31592/aeusbed.595036.
Pengfei, G., & Mingxuan, C. (2015, 16-18 October). Flipped classroom: Teaching experience from practice [Paper presentation]. The 2nd International Conference of Educational Innovation through Technology (EITT). Wuhan.
Petticrew, M., & Roberts, H. (2006). Systematic reviews in the social sciences: A practical guide. Blackwell Publishing.
Satparam, J., & Apps, T. (2022). A systematic review of the flipped classroom research in K-12: Implementation, challenges and effectiveness. Journal of Education, Management and Development Studies, 2(1), 35-51. https://doi.org/10.52631/jemds.v2i1.71.
Susanti, S., Maftuh, B., & Dwiputra, D. F. K. (2024). A systematic literature review on flipped classrooms in elementary schools for advancing 21st-century learning. Education and Human Development Journal, 9(2), 173-184. https://doi.org/10.33086/ehdj.v9i3.6158.
Shnai, I. (2017, 26-27 October). Systematic review of challenges and gaps in flipped classroom implementation: Toward future model enhancement [Paper presentation]. The 16th European Conference on e-Learning (ECEL). Porto.
Talan, T., & Batdi, V. (2020). Evaluating the flipped classroom model through the multi-complementary approach. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 21(4), 31-67. https://doi.org/10.17718/tojde.803351.
Touchton, M. (2015). Flipping the classroom and student performance in advanced statistics: Evidence from a quasi-experiment. Journal of Political Science Education, 11(1), 28-44. https://doi.org/10.1080/15512169.2014.985105.
Tully, D. (2014). The effects of a flipped learning model utilizing varied technology verses the traditional learning model in a high school Biology classroom [Master’s thesis, Montana State University-Montana]. http://scholarworks.montana.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1/3600/TullyD0814.pdf;sequence =1.
Turan, Z., & Göktaş, Y. (2016). The flipped classroom: Instructional efficency and impact of achievement and cognitive load levels. Journal of e-learning and Knowledge Society, 12(4), 51-62. https://www.learntechlib.org/p/173672/.
Tutal, Ö., & Yazar, T. (2021). Flipped classroom improves academic achievement, learning retention and attitude towards course: A meta-analysis. Asia Pacific Education Review, 22,655-673. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-021-09706-9.
Utami, U., Ghufron, A., & Setiawati, F. A. (2024). A systematic literature review of "flipped classroom": Is it effective on student learning in elementary school?. Pegem Journal of Education and Instruction, 14(1), 244-251. https://doi.org/10.47 750/pegegog.14.01.27.
Üstün, A. G., Kurşun, E., & Kayaduman, H. (2024). How do higher education institutions offer online courses for on-campus students? Pull and push factors influencing their decisions. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 25(1), 95-117. https://doi.org/10.17718/tojde.1175726.
Wright, G. W., & Park, S. (2021). The effects of flipped classrooms on K-16 students’ science and Math achievement: A systematic review. Studies in Science Education, 1-42. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2019.1637351.
Yang, J. (2014, May). Implementing the flipped classroom in elementary and secondary schools in China [Paper presentation]. The 1st International Conference on Education, Language, Art and Intercultural Communication. Zhengzhou. https://doi.org/10.2991/icelaic-14.2014.34.
Yılmaz, Z. (2017). Investigating the use of the Khan Academy and Mathematics Software with a flipped classroom approach in Mathematics teaching. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 20(2), 89-100.
Zainuddin, Z., Haruna, H., Li, X., Zhang, Y., & Chu, S. K. W. (2019). A systematic review of flipped classroom empirical evidence from different fields: What are the gaps and future trends? On the Horizon. 27(2), 72-86. https://doi.org/10.1108/OTH-09-2018-0027.
Zhang, Q., Cheung, E. S., & Cheung, C. S. (2021). The impact of flipped classroom on college students’ academic performance: A meta-analysis based on 20 experimental studies. Science Insights Education Frontiers, 8(2), 1059-1080. https://doi.org/10.15354/sief.21.re019.
Zownorega, J. S. (2013). Effectiveness of Flipping the Classroom in a Honors Level, Mechanics-Based Physics Class. (Publication No. 1155) [Master’s Thesis, Eastern Illinois University-Charleston]. Eastern Illinois University Institutional Repository. https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/1155.

Keywords

Flipped Classroom, Primary School, Systematic Review, Blended Learning

Affiliations

Nesibe Ağırman

Atatürk Üniversitesi

M. Hanifi Ercoşkun

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

How to Cite

Ağırman, N., & Ercoşkun, M. H. (2025). Mapping the First Twenty Years of the Flipped Classroom Model in Primary School Education: A Systematic Review. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 17(5), 722–744. Retrieved from https://iejee.com/index.php/IEJEE/article/view/2496