Flipping the odds: Using learner readiness, engagement, and gamification to predict student success in a flipped course

Abstract

Despite eforts to implement innovative approaches such as fipped learning leveraging computer technology, the challenge of student failure persists. Understanding the factors that contribute to student success in fipped engineering courses remains a critical issue. This study addresses this issue by investigating the impact of student readiness, engagement, and gamifed online formative quizzes on the academic achievement of low-achieving students. Logistic regression analysis was conducted on data from 122 university students who failed the pretest. The results reveal that fipped learning readiness, self-reported engagement, and digital footprints signifcantly infuence success. Surprisingly, gamifcation and certain dimensions of the Flipped Learning Readiness Scale do not have a signifcant impact. Of note, success decreases with more time spent on quizzes and higher levels of motivation to learn, while success increases with more quiz attempts, indicating the value of seeking feedback. To our knowledge, such a relationship between digital footprints and success has not been reported in fipped engineering classrooms, making our study a novel contribution to the literature. Our fndings have practical implications for the use of computers in fipped course design and ofer insights into the theory of the testing efect. They highlight the importance of providing special support for overmotivated, underperforming students. They also inform the pedagogical aspects of incorporating digital footprints and formative assessment in fipped learning environments where quiz duration is limited to mitigate potential drawbacks.