The effect of flipped classroom on students’ basic psychological needs: autonomy, relatedness and competence and its association with self-esteem

Background: Modification of the learning environment enhance academic performance, and meta-motivational skills. Yet it is largely unknown which underlying cause potentiates these effects. The study's goal is to analyze flipped classroom (FC) effect on basic psychological needs and self-esteem. Methods: 40 undergraduate medical students participated in a one-site two phased study. In Phase I, students attended a traditional lecture-based classroom (TC). In Phase II, the same group attended FC. Upon completion of each Phase students completed two questionnaires: Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale, and Rosenberg self-esteem scale. Results: Autonomy satisfaction was significantly higher in FC (n= 40, z= 5.520, p<.001), the same tendency was seen for Competence satisfaction in FC (n= 40, z= 5.122, p<.001). As for the frustration of all three needs, the statistical difference was observed for all three subscales between TC and FC. In FC, autonomy (n= 40, z= - 5.370, p<.001), relatedness (n= 40, z= 4.187, p<.001), and competence (n= 40, z= - 5.323, p<.001) frustration was significantly lower. Self-esteem was significantly higher in FC (n= 40, z= 5.528, p<.001). In TC self-esteem negatively correlated with autonomy frustration, (r(38) = -.430, p < .01), and competence frustration, (r(38) = -.379, p< .05). In FC, self-esteem positively correlated with autonomy satisfaction (r(38) = .316, p < .05), and competence satisfaction (r(38) = .429, p < .01). Conclusions: FC better fulfills students’ basic psychological needs, specifically needs for autonomy and competence, and self-esteem compared to TC. Collaborative work, and academic scaffolding, contributes to behavioral engagement of students in the learning process. FC with the main focus on students active involvement may better meet millennials’ needs. Implementing validated questionnaires to measure students’ psychological needs should become a regular practice in medical schools, specifically during the process of curriculum redesign.