Effectiveness of flipped classroom on module of severe acute malnutrition among undergraduate students: A randomized controlled study

Background Flipped classroom (FC) teaching is a distinctive method in which a reversal occurs between lecture and homework components. This model differs entirely from traditional classroom teaching and data regarding its effectiveness are sparse. Our primary objective was to evaluate the improvement in post-session test scores and self-acquired confidence between the FC and traditional lecture-based classroom (TLC) among undergraduate students in the clinical diagnosis and management of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in children. Our secondary objective was to compare, among both groups, the perception regarding their assigned teaching methods. Methods Our study was conducted among the fourth-semester MBBS students. Fifty-nine students were included and randomly allocated into the FC/intervention (n=29) group and a traditional lecture-based classroom (TLC)/ control group (n=30). The topic of the teaching module was SAM among children. Teaching sessions were conducted in both groups at the same time. Both groups underwent pre-session and post-session tests. In addition, students were asked about their self-perceived confidence and feedback on teaching methods in a structured questionnaire. Results The post-session scores (20.9 [3.6], 20.6 [3.1]) were significantly higher than the pre-test scores (16.7 [3.1], 18.8 [2.1]), with p values of <0.001 and <0.004, respectively. Self-perceived confidence was, however, similar in the two groups. Concerns like feeling pressurized, drained out, and lost leisure time were more prevalent in the FC group. Regarding feedback, students strongly agreed that FC teaching helped in self-directed learning and independent learning skills. Conclusion The FC model encourages learning interest among students, enhances their achievement in the final assessment, and strengthens their clinical approach, communication skills, and confidence in patient management.