IMPROVING STUDENTS HANDS-ON LABORATORY SKILLS THROUGH FLIPPED VIDEO LEARNING

Abstract

Universities shape students beyond academics, fostering essential skills, work habits, and character traits. However, STEM graduates often lack these transversal competencies. A student-centred approach is proposed to align education with labour market needs, enhancing experience and social equity. The flipped classroom with instructional videos enhances concept comprehension and key competencies, including technological skills. It fosters critical thinking, creativity and collaboration at laboratory, while reducing presentation stress. Technological accessibility has expanded video use, improving interdisciplinary learning in STEM fields. Studies highlight better preparation and understanding of chemical processes through this approach. This study is developed in the first course of Biology Degree at the laboratories of Chemistry, part of the School of Experimental Sciences and Technology at Rey Juan Carlos University. Formative activity of laboratory practices is established through flipped classrooms using instructional videos. The proposed activity is included in a project to study both the students' results in the laboratory formative activity and their perception of the methodology through collected surveys, before and after the practices development. Surveys are conducted to assess prior knowledge of the methodology and student expectations, as well as final satisfaction after completing the activity. Student participation is voluntary, with consent obtained and coordinated with the approval of the University Ethics Committee. Regarding the results of the initial survey, students' perceptions scored above 4 points on a 5-point Likert scale. These data reflect a high level of engagement with the activity, demonstrating interest in analysing and synthesizing information to connect ideas and concepts related to the subject. Likewise, students emphasized the importance of understanding the course evaluation structure and positively valued their expectations regarding innovative group activities aimed at fostering their learning. Considering the values from the final survey, the highest scores obtained, indicated that this activity contributed to improving students' understanding of the content, even when conducted collaboratively with classmates. The grades obtained by students were compared with those from the previous course, in which the video-based learning activity was not implemented. The participants achieved medium-to-high grades with the implementation of the activity, compared to lower grades in the previous course. The improvement in grades increased by 10%, with the implementation of the teaching innovation activity. Therefore, adjustments in the methodology resulted in a favourable evaluation system that improved the teaching-learning process outcomes, indicating strong student acceptance and interest in the activity.