Upside-Down Creativity! Reversing Science Concepts Learning for Tertiary Level Students

Natural sciences are important for humanity and our knowledge of the world. A key factor for effective teaching that can lead to knowledge and improvement of learning outcomes is the promotion of students’ active participation, the activation of their creativity and their encouragement to implement their own ideas in the educational process, based on their own experiences and individual learning styles. Teachers are suggested to adapt their teaching practices based on their teaching subjects, the profile and learning styles of their students, and the teaching goals they have set for any particular subject. The flipped classroom approach and the creation/visualization of students’ mental representations/models in natural sciences were applied as an alternative form of teaching in order to strengthen students’ creativity, positive attitude towards science and their cognitive level. Students of a University Pedagogical Department, as being prospective primary education teachers, participated in the research. For the purposes of the study, a mixed method research approach (qualitative and quantitative) was used. The results of the focus group discussion and personal interviews as well as students’ final exams revealed a number of interesting findings arising from the application of the specific technique and tools (flipped classroom, self-made models/constructions/visualization of scientific concepts). According to the results, students’ creativity was highlighted and enhanced, their active participation in the educational procedure increased significantly and their attitude towards science was positively modified, followed by improved cognitive results.