🧠 From Failing Grades to Top Scores: The Bold Teaching Experiment That Worked

🚨 The Crisis No One Could Ignore

Students were failing.
Frustrated.
Dropping out.

In 2018, a master-level bioinformatics course at Stockholm University was in trouble.

It was a course packed with promise—but buried under stress, confusion, and low pass rates.

Bio students struggled with code.
Coders couldn’t wrap their heads around biology.
Everyone felt overwhelmed.

So, the teaching team did something radical.

They tore up the old playbook—and rewrote it from scratch.

🔁 The Big Pivot: A Teaching Revolution Begins

Instead of patching up problems…

They flipped the classroom.
And layered in spaced repetition.

Two of the most powerful learning methods—now working together.

This wasn’t just innovation for innovation’s sake.
It was a full-blown pedagogical experiment.

The results?

📈 Higher grades.
😊 Happier students.
💥 A course transformed.

All of this is now documented in a 2025 study published via ResearchGate.

Let’s unpack exactly what happened.

🔄 Flipping the Script: The New Way to Learn

In the flipped-classroom model:

• Students watch lectures before class
• They read course material on their own time
• Then show up ready to discuss, solve problems, and ask questions

Class becomes active, not passive.

No more sleeping through PowerPoints.

Instead, students wrestle with ideas in real-time—with teachers as guides, not just talkers.

And because everyone’s already prepped, conversations go deeper.
Fast.

⏳ Add This: Spaced Repetition Supercharges Memory

Now layer in spaced repetition.

This method spreads learning out over time.

It’s backed by decades of cognitive science.

Instead of cramming once and forgetting, students revisit material at specific intervals—ideally just as they’re about to forget it.

In practice?

The course added daily quizzes, post-lab assessments, and low-stakes tests throughout the module.

By 2024, students were engaging with core topics 28 times in 30 days.

It sounds intense.

But it worked.

Why?

Because each quiz was short, targeted, and meant to teach, not punish.

📊 The Results: From Sinking to Soaring

So… did this actually change anything?

Absolutely.

📈 Grades Went Up

Compared to the 2018 baseline:

• 2019: Solid improvement
• 2020: Even better
• 2021: Best performance ever—even during the pandemic
• 2022–2024: Steady gains held

Statistical analysis (Cohen’s d) showed large effect sizes.

In plain terms:
Students were genuinely learning more—and retaining it.

😊 Students Got Happier

Course evaluations told the story:

• More praise for structure
• Labs became a favorite
• Anxiety dropped, even as testing frequency rose

📉 But Then—Satisfaction Slipped Again

In 2023 and 2024, something changed.

The lead instructor left.
TA training stopped.
Course structure shifted.

Student complaints came back.

• Poor organization
• Confusing videos
• Overloaded expectations

Lesson learned:
Even great systems can wobble without strong execution.

🧪 Why This Combo Actually Works

Here’s the neuroscience in a nutshell:

1. Flipped learning promotes higher-order thinking

When students prepare in advance, class time becomes interactive.
They discuss, solve, and apply—not just listen.

2. Spaced repetition strengthens memory

Your brain likes to forget.
Spacing out recall helps fight that natural decay.

3. Frequent, low-stakes testing builds confidence

Instead of one high-stress exam, you get many chances to practice.

Students don’t fear testing—they use it to learn.

Together, these tools build engagement, retention, and confidence.

🧰 Tools That Made It Possible

You can’t do this with just good intentions.
You need the right infrastructure.

This course used:

• Canvas LMS – to organize quizzes, readings, deadlines
• Zoom + Mentimeter – for online and hybrid discussions
• Google CoLab – for remote programming labs
• Exam.net – for secure online assessments

The tech wasn’t fancy—it was accessible, open-source, and well-integrated.

🧠 What Other Educators Can Steal From This

You don’t need to teach bioinformatics to apply these strategies.

This model can work in:

• Medicine
• Law
• Engineering
• Psychology
• Even liberal arts

Here’s how to start:

✅ Flip one lecture.
✅ Add spaced quizzes across the term.
✅ Replace one big test with multiple smaller ones.
✅ Focus class time on discussion, not lecture.

Small shifts = big impact.

⚠️ But… It’s Not Plug-and-Play

This model works—but only when done right.

Here’s what to watch out for:

• Prep time is huge up front. Pre-recording lectures takes effort.
• Student onboarding matters. They need to understand why it’s different.
• TA support is crucial. Poor lab help = poor experience.
• Course evolution is ongoing. You’ll need to adapt constantly.

Don’t expect instant results.

Do expect a better class experience over time.

🎓 The Final Takeaway

This experiment proves one thing:

You can take a failing course—and make it great.

Not by lowering standards.

But by raising engagement.
By treating students as partners.
By designing around how people actually learn.

Whether you’re a teacher, administrator, or curious student—the lesson is clear:

Flip it.
Space it.
Make learning stick.

📣 Get Involved

Curious about the course that started it all?

🧠 Explore the free, open-access version on Canvas

💬 Share this with a colleague who teaches.

💡 Or drop a comment—what’s your experience with active learning?

Let’s rethink how we teach—together.