Exploring college students’ opinions on generative AI and flipped classroom

Abstract

This study aimed to explore college students’ and professors’ opinions, experiences, and requirements regarding the integration of Generative AI (GenAI) into flipped classroom (FC) models, as understanding stakeholders’ perceptions in these combined learning environments has become critical, given the rising adoption of both technologies in higher education. A mixed-methods research design was employed, with quantitative data collected through stratified random sampling from 400 college students and five professors in Hangzhou, China, during September 2024, complemented by qualitative insights gathered through in-depth interviews to provide a comprehensive understanding of participant perspectives. Quantitative analysis revealed moderate satisfaction with GenAI tools among participants (M=3.36) and higher proficiency levels in flipped classroom activities (M=4.37), with students particularly valuing GenAI’s capacity to enhance learning efficiency (M=5.00) and expressing a strong desire for improved pre-class preparation materials (M=4.49). Qualitative thematic analysis identified key themes, including personalized AI support and interactive technology usage as positive aspects, alongside significant challenges such as anxiety toward GenAI adoption and time management difficulties, with statistically significant differences (p<.01) observed between current conditions and desired educational outcomes. The integration of GenAI into flipped classroom environments presents both opportunities and challenges for higher education stakeholders, with students recognizing the potential for enhanced learning efficiency and personalized support while expressing concerns about technology anxiety and time management barriers that require attention. The findings provide actionable insights for instructional designers and educators, suggesting that targeted educational strategies should focus on addressing technology anxiety, improving time management support, and enhancing pre-class preparation materials to guide the effective and ethically sound integration of GenAI into student-centered learning environments and support more successful flipped classroom implementations in higher education settings.