Student engagement and accountability in flipped and traditional classrooms: A comparison of concept map and question and answer homework strategies.

This article examines the effectiveness of two types of accountability homework—concept maps (CM) and question-answer-rationale (QAR)—in supporting student preparation and engagement within flipped and traditional first-year master's level occupational therapy classrooms. In a quasi-experimental study with 77 graduate students, CM homework was found to significantly enhance perceived learning, satisfaction, and usability compared to QAR homework across both classroom structures, with the flipped classroom showing slightly greater benefits from CM. While concept maps were favored as a tool for organizing and integrating knowledge, students reported challenges in transferring this method to exam study, indicating a need for explicit instruction on their use as study aids. The findings highlight the importance of active, accountable homework strategies in higher education and suggest that concept mapping can effectively support deeper learning and critical thinking in healthcare education.