Jul 2026· International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research· Vol 8· 0 citations· 17 references
Abstract
Models of teaching remain central to instructional design in higher education, yet the field lacks a consolidated comparative account of how well competing models actually perform against one another. This review synthesizes evidence on the effectiveness of five widely researched models—inquiry training, active learning, cooperative learning, the flipped classroom, and problem-based learning—drawing on meta-analytic and primary quantitative studies published between 1991 and 2025. Across models, effect sizes on learner achievement range from small (g ≈ 0.05–0.29 for flipped-classroom and problem-based formats) to large (d ≈ 0.7–1.9 for inquiry training), with cooperative and general active-learning approaches occupying a moderate middle band (d ≈ 0.47–0.54). The review identifies four recurring mechanisms—active engagement, constructivist cognitive processing, structured feedback, and metacognitive reflection—that explain effectiveness across otherwise dissimilar models, while implementation fidelity, intervention duration, comparison-group rigor, and learner educational level emerge as the principal moderators of observed magnitude. A persistent gap concerns higher education specifically: most primary evidence, particularly for inquiry training, derives from school-level populations, leaving conclusions about undergraduate and graduate contexts comparatively tentative. The review concludes that no single model is universally superior; effectiveness is contingent on alignment between model, discipline, duration, and learner readiness, and it proposes a synthesized framework to guide model selection in higher education practice.
Flipped instruction has received attention in K–12 education for the potential to increase student engagement, motivation, and active learning by combining technology and redesign of the teaching and learning process. The purpose of this study is to determine the recent trends and the main findings of literature studies related to flipped classrooms in K-12 education in order to find the most common investigated themes of the studies, the research methods used, and to look at the benefits of flipped classrooms in those. The review was conducted based on the PRISMA 2020 framework to maintain rigor and transparency. The electronic databases including Science Direct, ProQuest and Scopus were reviewed from January 2020 to December 2024 for peer-reviewed articles. Twenty-nine articles were chosen as relevant by content analysis. The results showed that research on the flipped classroom model in K–12 education was a new area of research, with a notable increase in the number of publications in the last five years. The most commonly employed designs were mixed-methods and quantitative. The prevalent topics were student engagement, motivation, and active learning. The results of the studies found that the flipped classroom approach is significantly increasing the learning process in terms of interaction, independent work, and active participation in the class. Nevertheless, a lack of studies in the higher secondary school and on several stakeholders (e.g., the parents and school leaders) was underlined. The flipped classroom model presents notable benefits for K–12 education, but further research is needed to explore its challenges, particularly in underrepresented contexts. Practical recommendations for educators to help increase implementation and for further research into the benefits and limitations of this strategy are included.
Jahirul Islam, Siti Nadhirah Abd Rahman, J. J. Jeyaraj· TEM Journal· 0 citations
The objective of the systematic review was to compare the impact of inquiry-based learning (IBL) compared with traditional teaching on learning outcomes for pre-service biology teachers (PBTs). Previous research within science education has demonstrated that learners have a much stronger understanding and investigative abilities as a result of being actively engaged in authentic scientific practices, such as developing hypotheses, designing experiments, interpreting data, and using evidence-based reasoning, instead of passively receiving information. In developing PBTs, it is critical that these individuals develop IBL not only as a process of learning for themselves but also as an approach in their future classrooms as educators. In addition to this increasing body of empirical literature, there has been no systematic synthesis examining the differences between IBL and traditional teaching specifically related to this population with respect to the types of outcomes and formats for inquiry used.
Using PRISMA guidelines, the systematic review was registered on the Open Science Framework prior to commencing data collection and included searches conducted across Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and ERIC between 2020 and 2026, supplemented by hand-searching of two high-impact journals (Teaching and Teacher Education; International Journal of Science Education), which yielded the identification of 17 eligible empirical studies for inclusion in the review. Methodological quality was appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT), and inter-rater reliability indicated almost perfect agreement (Cohen's κ = 0.852; 91.6% overall agreement).
Overall, the included studies reported that IBL was associated with positive learning outcomes across several domains, including scientific process skills, research competence, conceptual understanding, environmental literacy, and self-efficacy for teaching. Direct comparative evidence from studies with active comparator or control groups suggested that IBL may offer advantages over traditional, confirmatory, or lecture-based instruction particularly for scientific process skills, research-related competencies, critical analysis skills, creativity, active participation, and academic achievement. In addition, guided inquiry tended to provide more consistent improvements in foundational level competencies while open inquiry provided stronger evidence of autonomous reasoning and higher-order skills when the conditions under which they are implemented were appropriate.
In conclusion, inquiry-based instruction appeared to support a more comprehensive range of learning outcomes compared with traditional instruction, however, there were still challenges with the implementation of either format. Moreover, there was a notable difference between being an IBL learner versus being prepared to be an IBL teacher, which suggests that teacher education curriculum must specifically include explicit preparation in IBL pedagogy.
https://osf.io/j2pmd/overview?view_only=023f5b4e8e344a52ba95ea6d9f794810
, identifier: 6ys83.
Meruyert Kopbayeva, A. Uspabayeva, T. Atıcı· Frontiers in Education· 1 citation
Higher education faces a growing tension between the expansion of knowledge, the increasing diversity of the student population, digitalisation, and the persistence of teaching models centred primarily on lectures. This paper examines which teaching strategies have sufficient evidence to be considered successful and under what conditions they promote deep, durable, self-regulated, inclusive, and transferable learning. A structured integrative review with a scoping-review orientation was conducted, drawing on meta-analyses, systematic reviews, influential empirical studies, and documents issued by international organisations that were available through open access or verifiable bibliographic records. Sources were organised according to study design, quality of evidence, outcomes examined, and implementation conditions. The findings show consistent support for active learning, retrieval practice, and spacing; favourable but more design-dependent evidence for problem-based learning, formative assessment, feedback, and the teaching of self-regulation; and a still-emerging evidence base for Universal Design for Learning and generative artificial intelligence when evaluated in terms of causal effects on learning. The paper argues that success does not reside in any single methodology, but in the articulation of five mechanisms: activation of prior knowledge, cognitive elaboration, distributed practice, action-oriented feedback, and transfer. An integrative model for designing university learning experiences is proposed, and its implications for academic development, curriculum, assessment, and the institutional governance of innovation are discussed.
T. B. Bulling· International journal of res...· 0 citations
This study conducted a meta-analytic review of the effects of teaching methods on students’ academic achievement, retention, and interest in mathematics. The primary aim was to synthesize existing empirical and opinion-based selected research from 2020 to 2025 to provide a comprehensive understanding of how instructional approaches influence learning outcomes. The review examined a range of teaching methods, including activity-based learning, collaborative problem-solving, inquiry-based approaches, and ethnomathematics, and assessed their reported impacts on cognitive, affective, and motivational dimensions of mathematics learning. The meta-analysis indicated that student-centered methods consistently produced higher academic achievement compared to traditional lecture-based instruction, as they engaged learners actively, promoted critical thinking, and facilitated meaningful knowledge construction. Moreover, approaches that incorporated cultural relevance, and interactive engagement were found to enhance long-term retention by allowing students to revisit and apply concepts in multiple contexts. The study also revealed that learners’ interest in mathematics was strongly influenced by instructional methods that provided autonomy, relevance, and interactive opportunities, which in turn reinforced both achievement and retention. Implications for teaching emphasized the necessity of adopting multi-dimensional instructional strategies, integrating formative assessments. Suggestions included professional development for teachers, curriculum designs that support active and culturally responsive learning, and policy interventions to facilitate resources and training. Limitations of the study were noted in its reliance on secondary sources, variability of contexts among reviewed studies, and the broad categorization of teaching methods without topic-specific detail. The study contributed to the educational sector by informing teachers, curriculum designers, policymakers, and researchers about effective strategies for enhancing mathematics learning. Overall, the review underscored the importance of evidence-based, learner-centered approaches that simultaneously promote academic achievement, retention, and interest, thereby supporting the development of holistic and sustainable mathematics education practices.
Uloma Celestine Gbara· International Journal of Adv...· 0 citations
Science Process Skills (SPS) are essential for developing students' conceptual understanding and scientific thinking. However, teacher-centered instruction and limited laboratory facilities hinder optimal SPS development. This study aims to analyze and synthesize the impact of Inquiry-Based Learning assisted by virtual laboratories on students' SPS using a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach. Literature was gathered from national and international journals (Google Scholar, ProQuest, ERIC) published between 2016 and 2025. Guided by PRISMA 2020 protocols across four selection stages, 15 relevant articles were systematically analyzed using qualitative descriptive methods. The findings reveal a consistent positive effect on SPS specifically observing, hypothesizing, experimenting, data analyzing, and communicating alongside increased student engagement. Effectiveness depends on inquiry type, teacher guidance, and instructional design. Although virtual labs cannot fully replace hands-on manipulative skills, this integrated approach offers an effective, flexible alternative for science education.
Robiatul Adawiah, Aulia Aulia, Lutfiatussolihah Lutfiatussolihah et al.· Indonesian Journal of STEM E...· 0 citations
This mixed-methods study investigated the effectiveness of a flipped classroom model in an adult English as a Foreign Language (EFL) continuing education program in Egypt. A total of 297 learners participated by responding to an online questionnaire, yielding a 72.6% response rate. Learner perceptions were assessed using a Model for Improving Student Learning (MISL) framework across five instructional dimensions, demonstrating strong internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .72–.93). Quantitative findings indicated positive perceptions across all dimensions (mean scores: 4.30–4.52 on a 5-point scale), with Knowledge Construction rating highest. Multiple regression analysis (R² = .668) identified learner confidence, motivation, engagement, and digital competence as significant predictors of perceived learning. A multivariate analysis (MANOVA) found no significant effect of prior flipped classroom experience. Thematic analysis of open-ended responses revealed increased participation, confidence, and collaboration. The study extends conventional mixed-methods analysis by incorporating sentiment analysis of qualitative responses using Python’s TextBlob library. Sentiment analysis supported these results, with overall positive polarity scores. Findings underscore the role of affective and digital readiness factors in flipped classroom effectiveness, emphasizing the critical importance of well-structured implementation over prior experience with the flipped classroom model, with implications for curriculum design in technology-enhanced adult education, especially in non-Western, resource-constrained settings.
Hala Mohamed Said, Islam Al Sawi, Heba Alaa-Eldeen Said· PLoS ONE· 0 citations