Effectiveness of Flipped Classrooms for K–12 Students: Evidence From a Three-Level Meta-Analysis.

This article presents a comprehensive three-level meta-analysis (TLMA) examining the effectiveness of flipped classrooms (FCs) compared to traditional classrooms (TCs) in K–12 education, synthesizing 129 studies with 399 effect sizes involving 12,727 students. The findings indicate that FCs have a significant positive impact on overall student learning performance, with large effects observed in both cognitive (knowledge and skills) and affective (motivation, attitude) domains, though effects on knowledge gains are stronger than on skill acquisition. Moderator analyses reveal that educational context—particularly the region (low- and middle-income regions showing greater benefits)—and research methodology characteristics (such as publication type and outcome dilution) significantly influence FC effectiveness, while FC design features (e.g., preclass activities, preparation checks) and factors like grade level, discipline, and instructor type do not show significant moderation. The study underscores the promise of FCs in K–12 settings but cautions that variability in outcomes and methodological factors should be considered when implementing and researching FCs.