Preparing University Students for Flipped Learning

Flipped learning is a pedagogy that emphasizes higher levels of learning by inverting the traditional in-class faculty lecture and information-discovery phase with the typical out-of-class student practice phase through homework activities. In this chapter, the author shares experiences in creating and implementing flipped learning using traditional textbook reading out of class and active learning strategies in class. The initial experience of flipped learning led the author to determine that university students require preparation for flipped learning, especially when students are required to read the textbook as out-of-class preparation and to engage in collaborative activities in class. The purpose of this chapter is to provide strategies for preparing university students for flipped learning. A brief review of the literature related to flipped learning and a look at the author's initial flipped learning experience are reviewed to provide support for the need for student preparation.

Flipping the Classroom

Adoption of new practice only occurs if the proposed change is perceived as being beneficial and if the challenges associated with implementing the new practice are not overwhelming. The teaching method of flipping the classroom is a newer practice that has received a lot of attention in current literature, where the potential benefits are thoroughly discussed. The challenges associated with flipping the classroom are more obscure in the literature. The purpose of this chapter is to outline challenges associated with flipping the classroom and propose solutions to overcome each of the challenges described. Challenges of implementing a flipped classroom can occur at the institutional or individual level and can be categorized as technological or non-technological. Specific challenges to be discussed include technology delivery challenges at the organizational and individual level, lack of technical support, IT infrastructure challenges, inadequate technical and non-technical training resources for instructors, instructor and student resistance to using non-traditional teaching methods, the inability to assess student comprehension using traditional strategies, increased course preparation time, and lack of student preparation or buy-in.

The View from a Flipped Classroom

Flipped classroom pedagogy is one that is applicable for a multitude of disciplines and for course enrollments of various sizes. The focus of this chapter is to demonstrate the pedagogical effectiveness of flipping by describing the methodologies and assignments used in a flipped Organic Chemistry I course and by assessing the performance and experiences of students in a flipped course in comparison to those in a not flipped control section. Historical data and learning outcomes of students in not flipped courses is discussed as indicators of why the flipped pedagogy was implemented. Both quantitative and qualitative data are analyzed, along with the challenges and best practices for flipping. The findings have useful implications for educators interested in flipping their own classrooms, as well as for the researchers and administrators who support them.

Strategies to Transform the Foreign Language Classroom and Increase Learning Outcomes with the Flipped Model

The scaffolds of American colleges and universities can no longer protect our institutions from the winds of change that penetrate their walls and appear to be threatening their foundations. They also seem incapable of protecting faculties from persistent criticism due to unsatisfactory performance and reluctance to modify educational approaches to meet society's current demands. This chapter reviews some of the most common concerns pertaining not only to the quality of higher education in general but also to that of foreign language teaching in particular. It analyzes the reasons that there is a general sense of dissatisfaction with the results of traditional practices to language learning and discusses the benefits of implementing the flipped model to enhance the quality of instruction. In addition, it underlines the importance of adopting innovative technologies to increase language development in a world in which instructors are expected to be more productive and students have to reach higher learning outcomes.

A Challenge for the Flipped Classroom

Many institutions across the United States and internationally have adopted the flipped classroom pedagogical model for its potential to enhance learning and retention by creating interactive classroom environments. While the flipped model has plenty of promise, the technology involved—including access to online videos, readings, and other materials—can be problematic for students on campuses in rural settings. Furthermore, traditional classrooms designed for lecture also inhibit student mobility and flexibility, which complicates the implementation of flipped models. The authors examine the challenges faced by those attempting to incorporate flipped strategies when electronic spaces are intended to supplement physical ones.

Ideation to Execution

In this chapter, a flipped model is implemented in an undergraduate mathematics course. There is a need to enhance learning experiences in STEM disciplines and college mathematics courses. The authors seek to redefine the traditional relationship of instructor as the active conveyor of knowledge and the student as the passive receiver of knowledge. They discuss their efforts to plan and prepare for the course and their experiences with its implementation. The authors started with what they wanted their students to learn in the course. Prior to coming to class, students watched video lectures and completed pre-work assignments. In class, the authors incorporated group-work through peer-instruction and lab activities, and the use of a classroom response system. They present the results of their data collection, feedback from student response surveys. Among other results, the students realized the value of preparation and took an active role in the formation of their own learning experiences.

The Acrobatics of Flipping

The flipped learning experience provides learners with pre-class activities that allow them to understand subject matter. This understanding is subsequently use during the class to develop higher-level appreciations of the subject through problem-based and collaborative learning activities. The reoriented roles and dynamics of learning afforded by flipping provide opportunities for active learner-centered learning; however, these opportunities are sometimes not considered or underappreciated. This chapter rethinks the structure and dynamics of flipped courses and explores the instructional possibilities offered. In particular, it considers the opportunities and challenges of flipped instruction and examines the author's experience in flipping an Introduction to Accounting course. The chapter provides suggestions on how instructors and learners can best take advantage of the opportunities created when the learning experience is flipped.

Flipping First-Year English

This chapter discusses the development, implementation, and assessment of an online module that addresses argument writing for First-Year English classes at University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. The author offers a blueprint for the development of online modules—from planning and funding to implementation and assessment—in order to offer new approaches to the flipped or inverted classroom that may be of particular interest to courses in the Humanities, specifically English. The chapter also offers advice and best practices for instructors interested in developing such modules in order to supplement student learning and create more effective conferencing strategies.

How Students in a First-Year Composition Course Respond to the Flipped Classroom

This qualitative pilot study investigated how 19 students enrolled in an entry-level college writing course responded to the use of video technology to supplement and flip class curriculum. Students were provided 10 video podcasts to augment course content and flip four class lessons. Collected through six student surveys and video download data, the results, including students' podcast viewership behaviors and attitudes toward the videos, are presented. The data revealed the college writing students involved in this study were generally satisfied with the flipped classroom and preferred it over the traditional lecture format. Download patterns indicated, however, less than half of the students watched the podcasts. Despite low viewership, the results suggest that the incorporation of video technology brings writing teachers opportunities to optimize class time by delving deeper into course content and by expanding the number of course assignments.

Harnessing Technology to Help Students Reveal an Authentic Research Process

Screencasting and screen capture technologies have been used extensively by teachers in flipped instruction, placing students as passive recipients of knowledge. This chapter proposes a way to engage students as users of screen recording software in order to learn the research process. By visually recording various steps as they conduct research, students reveal authentic successes and mistakes in their research, ultimately resulting in an experiential understanding of an effective research process. The purpose of this chapter is to prepare teachers to implement this strategy as they teach students how to conduct research, and it includes software comparisons, suggestions for overcoming challenges, and benefits to students.