Mechanisms and outcomes of flipped music education: a conceptual framework linking self-directed learning, collaboration, and student wellbeing
Flipped music education has increasingly emerged as a learner-centered instructional approach that promotes active participation, self-regulated learning, and collaborative engagement. In music theory education, students often encounter difficulties in understanding abstract concepts and connecting theoretical knowledge with practical application. Although flipped learning has shown positive educational effects, existing evidence remains fragmented and primarily emphasizes instructional implementation rather than the mechanisms underlying broader developmental outcomes. This study therefore synthesizes current evidence concerning how flipped music education influences student engagement, learning experiences, and wellbeing while proposing an integrated conceptual framework. A systematic literature review following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines was conducted using Scopus, Web of Science, and ERIC databases. Following a multi-stage screening process, 12 peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2025 were included in the final synthesis. The findings indicate that instructional design, collaborative participation, teacher support, assessment practices, and self-regulated learning collectively contribute to cognitive engagement, conceptual understanding, motivation, social connectedness, and wellbeing-related outcomes. Based on these findings, the study proposes a conceptual framework explaining how instructional and contextual factors indirectly influence student development through engagement, collaboration, and reflective learning processes. The review contributes to current scholarship by advancing a mechanism-oriented understanding of flipped music education and providing practical implications for developing more engaging and supportive music learning environments.