The effects of a flipped classroom approach on older adult students’ performance in digital photography

The trend of population aging is accelerating globally, which is resulting in increased attention on the educational needs of older adults. Given the cognitive changes associated with aging, there is a pressing need for innovative teaching strategies that cater to their unique requirements. Although the flipped classroom model has shown positive effects on student engagement and learning outcomes across diverse educational contexts, its efficacy in the context of older adult education remains to be empirically validated. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the flipped classroom approach in digital photography courses designed for older adult students (OAS). The research involved 25 OAS at a third-age university located in western China. This study used a quasi-experimental research design. The experimental group (N = 12) received instruction using a flipped classroom approach, while the control group (N = 13) received traditional lecture-based instruction. Data were collected and analyzed to compare student engagement, in-class observations, out-of-class communications, digital photography assignments, and after-class interviews between the two study groups. The findings indicated that the level of behavioral engagement differed significantly between the experimental and control groups. The observations revealed differences in note-taking methods and out-of-class communications between the two groups. The results further suggest that the flipped classroom approach enhances the learning achievements of advanced photography skills and knowledge. The challenges faced by students in the experimental group are also discussed. The findings of this research will facilitate the application of the flipped classroom model in third-age education.