Flipping the Classroom: Challenges & Opportunities from the Student Perspective

1. Flipping the Classroom: Challenges & Opportunities from the Student Perspective Karen Benway University of Vermont

2. What is a flipped classroom? • Typical lecture and homework elements of a course are reversed • First exposure to new material occurs outside classroom through reading & videos • Class time is repurposed as a workshop

3. Why flip the classroom? • Increase student engagement • Improve learning • Offer an experience that cannot be duplicated in an online environment

4. What did my flipped classroom look like? Text: Statistics: Unlocking the Power of Data (Lock 5) Before Class: Reading, videos, prep questions (WileyPLUS) During Class: Warm up worksheet Review of learning objectives with Q&A Activity

5. Early Semester Feedback Time spent preparing ≈ 45 minutes/class meeting. “I like the warm up worksheet because it gives me a chance to practice problems and working with my classmates helps me understand.” “In class activities keep class fun and solidify the learning.” “I have enjoyed the flipped learning style so far, and I really like how we do work in class that complements our homework.” “I am feeling more responsible for my learning than in my other classes.” “If I haven’t completed the preparation, then I just don’t come to class because I know I’m not going to be ready to do the work.” “I would like more time spent going over the reading. Class moves quickly!” “Sometimes I tune out in class because we are going over material that I already know from doing the prep the night before.”

6. How My Approach Evolved • Difficulties with physical classroom prevented the “differentiated learning” environment that I envisioned. • More review of material in readings & videos. • Allowed students to complete “prep questions” after class.

7. End of Semester Feedback 39/48 enrolled students returned surveys. • 74% completed at least 90% of preparation • 69% skim instead of reading completely • 92% find videos somewhat (35%) or very (57%) helpful • None felt that the flipped format made coming to class less important

8. “What were some things that you enjoyed about the flipped format?” “It felt great to do the practice in class with help from peers and teachers at our convenience.” “I liked the activities we did in class. It helped reinforce the prep work, and going over the activities after helped my understanding of the material.” “I liked taking notes outside of class because it gave me time to process through them without feeling rushed.” “I put more time on this class outside of class time than I would have otherwise and this has helped with my understanding of the material greatly.” “It takes me time to grasp concepts. In lectures I feel other students get impatient with me slowing the class down. I liked being able to do the preparation at my own pace, watch things more than once, and be ready to ask questions when I come to class. “

9. “What would have made the flipped format more effective for you?” “Towards the end of the semester, we were allowed to go back and complete the homework the day after we did the in-class activity, and I wish we could have done that all semester.” “More reminders about what we needed to do. A lot of responsibility was put on the student.” “Learn more new things in class.” “Maybe do an overview of the reading before we start the warm up.” “Nothing, couldn’t have been better- loved it much more!”

10. End of Semester Assessment Common Final Exam: Scores were similar for all of my sections. Course grades: Distribution of grades (A, B, C) similar, except that no students in flipped section finished the course lower than C.