Background

Traditional teaching is associated with dilemmas, such as low motivation to learn and passive learning. In contrast, use of a flipped classroom with the proper learning design has the potential to promote accelerated learning, bolster transmission of competencies (i.e., critical thinking, communication and problem-solving skills) and improve teamwork capacity, all of which are of great significance in professional healthcare practice, including nursing, dentistry and medicine.

Objective

The aim of the study was to examine the effects of using a flipped classroom in ophthalmology courses for undergraduate nursing students, dental students and higher vocational medical students.

Design

A quasi-experimental design was used with an intervention (n = 100) and a comparison group (n = 100), pre-/post-testing measures and a mixed-methods approach.

Setting

A university in China.

Participants

A total of 200 students were included.

Methods

Students' self-rated learning ability was measured before and after the courses, and skill exams were performed after the courses. In addition, interviews were conducted with the clinical medical students concerning their experiences of the flipped classroom.

Results

Students' self-rated learning ability improved significantly more in the intervention than in the comparison group, for the total scale and the three factors ‘learning goals’, ‘self-efficacy and social learning’ and ‘problem-solving’. Skill exam scores were statistically significantly better in the intervention than in the comparison group. On the whole, the clinical medicine students felt the flipped classroom had a positive impact and improved their learning ability as well as knowledge in ophthalmology.

Conclusions

Use of a flipped classroom for nursing, dental and clinical medical students in ophthalmology courses shows promising results in the form of students' skill exam scores and self-rated learning ability.