THE image of a classroom has not changed in Bangladesh over decades. A teacher occupies the front, delivers a lecture and students listen to the teacher or fall asleep. After that, the students take assignments home to complete individually. Such an approach to teaching traditionally results in boredom, memorising and de-motivation. But what would happen if the model was reversed? If students got the basics at home and classroom time was spent on discussion and solving problems? This is what the flipped classroom is all about. A student-centred concept that is becoming increasingly relevant in higher education system.
The conventional learning process is reversed in a flipped classroom. Short instructional videos, readings or online material are also offered by teachers; and students can learn at their own pace before the lesson in class. The classroom time can then be freed to be used in active learning through discussions, debates, group work and problem solving. The teachers leave the podium and transforms themselves into guides and facilitators who assist the students in putting into practice what they have already learnt.
Such a model enhances the interest and concentration of the students, promotes collaboration as well as giving the learners a chance to repeat and revisit the tricky concepts numerous times as they may require. It replaces passive listening with active listening. The reality is simple: it works.
It is not only a pleasant theory, but there is evidence to support it. A large meta-analysis of 272 studies found a positive impact on student learning outcomes. Another meta-analysis reviewing 95 studies reported moderate improvements in both learning achievement and motivation. A 2024 systematic review further confirms that the flipped model significantly boosts student engagement and academic performance. The world is making a major investment. According to the Global Flipped Classroom: Global Strategic Business Report, the global flipped-classroom market is projected to grow from $3.8 billion in 2024 to $9.7 billion by 2030.
More important, local studies prove that it provides the following benefits. A 2022–2023 study in Bangladesh discovered that the adoption of flipped classroom resulted in outrageous statistics of 44.24 per cent attendance and a 14.40 percent increase in participation. A 2025 study conducted at the University of Rajshahi showed that the students had a strong level of agreement that this method aids them to comprehend complicated subjects. Research in Government Rajendra College and Jashore University of Science and Technology identifies that students want to use this approach, but teachers require additional training and infrastructure assistance.
Generative artificial intelligence
GENAI is inevitably part of the future of education. GenAI such as ChatGPT is already everywhere. In 2025, the Student Generative AI Survey 2025 by Higher Education Policy Institute revealed that 92 per cent of all students are already using artificial intelligence in their studies, but only 36 per cent have had any formal training in artificial intelligence taught to them by academic institutions. This is a perilous shortage in skills.
In this case, the flipped classroom provides a strong solution. We can also ethically incorporate artificial intelligence as opposed to prohibiting it. At home, students can apply artificial intelligence to understand simple concepts, definitions or readings: in other words, precisely the type of background work that can be targeted by the pre-class model.
After that, they go to class ready to think on a higher level: analysis, criticism and innovative problem solving, which are things that cannot be recreated by artificial intelligence. According to a teacher of English in a private university, when students know the plot of a Shakespeare play at home with the assistance of artificial intelligence, in the classroom, the learners and the instructor can talk about the literary aesthetics and the philosophical side. This results in more effective learning.
Way forward
OUR universities should take action in order to realise this vision. Here is a practical road map:
All courses learning outcomes should be matched with pre-class and in-class activities. This makes sure that flipped learning complements the objectives of outcome-based education directly. A ‘zero unethical use guideline’ model should be adopted. The exact areas of GenAI use, pre-class research, and those areas where it is banned, final examinations, should be determined. It is necessary to have mandatory artificial intelligence literacy modules.
The local research on investment in teachers and infrastructure is unanimous. Teachers should be trained and students should have good access to the internet. The three areas that universities need to invest in include instructional design support, learning management systems and connectivity. Pilot courses should be introduced. Attendance, interaction and learning should be monitored. When the model works, the results become measurable.
The flipped classroom is not a fad. It is an evidence-based, well-established practice of placing the student at the centre of learning. In the era of GenAI, it secures classroom time that should be used in the most important areas in human interaction, critical thinking and creativity. International statistics, industry rends, and research work in the local market all indicate the same thing: the moment has come to implement the flipped classroom. The higher education cannot be left behind.
Shaharima Parvin ([email protected]) is a senior assistant librarian and Md Arshad Shahriar ([email protected]) is a lecturer in English at the East West University.
