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Just the Flippin’ FAQs

Year: 2020
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: Flipping is an appealing method to engage students for meaningful and active learning.In a flipped classroom, the in-class and out-of-class elements are often reversed (e.g., typical lecture content is gained by watching short videos at home, while homework problems are conquered in class with coaching by an instructional team).However, many find the perceived barriers to developing and coordinating content and activities for a flipped classroom daunting.Here, frequently asked questions generated during multiple workshops designed to overcome barriers for active learning in engineering courses are addressed, resulting in a guide to flipping the engineering classroom.Responses are based upon a faculty member's experience and engagement in the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning, as well as pedagogical advice from the literature and observations from a specialist in teaching and learning who interacts with many faculty across campus engaged in course design.a Abbreviations used throughout this paper include: active learning classroom (ALC), Center for Teaching & Learning (CTL), chemical engineering (ChE), information technology (IT), institutional review board (IRB), learning management system (LMS), Material & Energy Balances (MEB), Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SOTL), and teaching assistant (TA).  Managing the Instructional Team in a Flip (p. 12) provides guidance on conveningand supporting an instructional team that will enable the flip to run smoothly. Managing the Classroom in a Flip (p.14) gives ideas for adapting the flip for large classes and traditional classroom spaces. Managing Students in a Flip (p.15) contains helpful suggestions on managing student expectations, perceptions, engagement, and effort in a flipped course. Assessing Student Learning in the Flip (p.18) suggests ways to (re)structure assessment given that the learning environment is much different in a flipped course than in a traditional lecture.This paper is intended as a user-friendly manual for planning and delivering a flipped course.Thus, it is not necessarily meant to be read from start to finish, but rather used as a supportive reference.If your question is not addressed in the FAQ of a section, feel free to contact the authors for further assistance. Choosing to Flip Why should I flip?Anna -The benefits of flipped course designs may be underscored by the frameworks of Self-Determination Theory (by supporting students' needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness), Cognitive Load Theory (by allowing for more individualized learning), and Self-Regulated Learning (in part through increased access to feedback) (see pp. 41-51 in Ref. 3).In their recent analysis of 62 articles about flipping in engineering classrooms, Karabulut-Ilgu, Cherrez, and Jahren identified "flexibility, improvement in interaction, professional skills, and student engagement" as frequently cited benefits.(see p. 7 in Ref. 5).A 2016 metastudy of flipping in STEM disciplines similarly found mainly positive results, including evidence of increased student engagement and of students' perceptions of self-efficacy.7 Despite such benefits, it is necessary for any teaching strategy to be implemented as part of a process of, as adult education scholar Stephen Brookfield puts it, "think [ing] deeply about what we do and how best to introduce students to complex new knowledge or skillsets."8 This guide is intended to help faculty members overcome concerns and potential difficulties cited in the literature, including "workload for faculty, student resistance, lack of opportunities for just-intime questions, technical issues, decreased interest and neglected material" (see p. 7 in Ref. 5).This paper will address strategies for making the most of these benefits and for overcoming these challenges. Julie -My decision to flip was based on a disconnect between my reality and my vision for my MEB class.Students tended to sit passively in my lectures (sometimes) taking notes, but I wanted (and tried) to engage them in the course material through examples interspersed between the main concepts.I longed to interact with and help them on a one-on-one basis, but my office hours were only populated by the top few students in the class.I knew students struggled with the homework, but they turned to on-line solutions rather than the teaching assistant or me (resulting in more copying and less learning).9 In flipping this course, that disconnect was eradicated, and my teaching experiences became exponentially rewarding.In addition, using both qualitative and quantitative assessments, I was able to show that flipping contributed positively to course outcomes -even with substantial increases in course enrollments.10What should or shouldn't be flipped?Julie -I prefer not to limit the technique.I have found flipping to be very successful for my classes with substantial problem solving and/or design, but I would be hesitant to say "you can't flip X course" just because I can't imagine how to do it at the time.You need to decide what material and activities your students can handle without you and those that are better served with your guidance.Then, use creativity in how you engage the students in the material.Brainstorming with a flipping network and/or active learning community can expand how you use the technique.Anna -The crux of flipping is that you are choosing which content students need to encounter with you there to guide them.Those should happen with you present.Generally those concepts will be higher levels of Bloom's Taxonomy, which is a classification of cognitive processes often used for developing specific, measurable learning objectives.11 It also makes sense to thoughtfully structure your lesson plan around disciplinary bottlenecks 12 (i.e., those places where students always get stuck) and threshold concepts 13 (i.e., those ways of thinking that once you've developed that habit of mind, you can't un-think that way).Will all of the work be worth it?How can I keep it from taking way too much time?Julie -I went into flipping thinking that I would have to put a lot of time into generating resources and activities for the class.However, as I surveyed my available resources, I realized I didn't have to reinvent the wheel.9 I could use what I already had (e.g., lecture captures) and what others had generated (e.g., YouTube videos).By networking with other faculty -on campus and across the nation, in ChE and in other disciplines -and CTL staff, I got ideas on what to do and where to find other resources.Once I put the pieces in place, it has been rather easy to maintain the flip each semester.The time and energy I would normally spend on lecture preparation is now spent on providing students with targeted feedback that addresses their questions and misunderstandings so that they can learn the material better.Anna -It's not uncommon for instructors to find that teaching requires a lot of time and effort, so it's important to prioritize work that will be most meaningful.14 Sometimes faculty who are flipping for the first time will invest a lot of energy in creating videos --which may not even be necessary.That time and effort might be better spent developing strategies for ensuring that students prepare for class and designing thoughtful in-class activities that will help students to explore content in a deep and meaningful way.Look for resources on your campus -including librarians, educational developers in CTL, instructional technology experts, and others who can provide support and advice. Is it worth it if I have to switch courses every three years?Julie -You should talk with your departmental head.Tell them that you will be working on this new method of teaching and would like to keep your teaching assignment for a longer period.I've taught my course flipped for five years now.This past semester, my departmental head assigned another faculty member to team teach with me so that they can take over the reins at a later date instead of reverting back to lecture-based classes.Thus, the effort is worth it because the flip will perpetuate (and I'll still be in the rotation to teach the class).Anna -How much new material will you need to create for your new preps?Will the previous professor have lecture capture that you could leverage in a flipped model (and would they be open to you making changes to the course?)Another question to ask yourself is whether all work is equally exhausting.If teaching in this way feels invigorating to you, it might be a better fit to invest the energy on something that feels personally rewarding.If your department "counts" publication on teaching topics for tenure and promotion or reviews, you may also have opportunities to engage in the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SOTL).Karabulut-Ilgu, Cherrez, and Jahren found a need for more study of flipped learning in engineering education, including studies that take on new frameworks and that include qualitative analysis.5 Note: If you opt to go down that route, make sure that you are in conversation with the institutional review board (IRB) at your institution before doing research on students.Some CTLs (including the one housed in our home institution), now have umbrella IRBs that may streamline that process for you.Selling the Flip How do I get buy-in from my department/administration/other constituencies so that I can flip?Julie -I did not go into flipping as a lone reed; I gathered the support and resources needed to be successful.I built a network of like-minded engineering faculty through participation in the Frontiers of Engineering Education symposium 15 and through CTL workshops 16 at my university.Early on in my flip, I had a few students complain to members of our advisory board about the flipped class.Through my network, I was able to present literature that documents students' initial resistance to active learning, 17,18 as well as my own SOTL on the positive impact of flipping on
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--30741
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2959920842
FWCI:
Cites: 36
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Related to: 10