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Table 2 Characteristics of prep materials in each cluster as self-reported by students

From: Using cognitive load theory to evaluate and improve preparatory materials and study time for the flipped classroom

Year

Cluster

N of sessions

Prep hours

(mean ± SD)

Familiarity

(mean ± SD)

Difficulty

(mean ± SD)

Year 1

1 (least prep time)

29

1.8 ± 0.2

1.7 ± 0.3

2.8 ± 0.2

 

2 (most familiar)

31

2.5 ± 0.3

2.5 ± 0.4

3.0 ± 0.2

 

3 (most difficult)

33

2.3 ± 0.2

1.6 ± 0.2

3.6 ± 0.3

  

ANOVA

p < .0001

p < .0001

p < .0001

Year 2

1 (least prep time)

43

1.8 ± 0.2

1.8 ± 0.3

2.9 ± 0.3

 

2 (most familiar)

28

2.3 ± 0.3

2.7 ± 0.3

3.0 ± 0.2

 

3 (most difficult)

25

2.4 ± 0.2

1.8 ± 0.2

3.6 ± 0.4

  

ANOVA

p < .0001

p < .0001

p < .0001

Year 3

1 (least prep time)

39

1.8 ± 0.2

1.7 ± 0.3

2.9 ± 0.3

 

2 (most familiar)

31

2.2 ± 0.3

2.5 ± 0.3

3.1 ± 0.2

 

3 (most difficult)

27

2.3 ± 0.4

1.6 ± 0.2

3.6 ± 0.3

  

ANOVA

p < .0001

p < .0001

p < .0001

  1. Ratings from ~ 170 students per year were collected after prep work per session. Session-level data were averaged and clusters were derived by K means clustering (JMP®, Version 14–16. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, 1989–2021). Familiarity and difficulty were rated on a 5-point scale from least familiar/difficult [1] to most [5]. Analyses of variance (ANOVA) tested differences in means for each individual measure (preparation time, familiarity, difficulty) across clusters within each year. Means and SD shown in bold highlight the value that most distinguished each cluster (least preparation time in cluster 1, most familiar in cluster 2, and most difficult in cluster 3)