East Georgia State College-[node:field-date:custom:Y]--Flipped Classrooms

Goal 8

Restructure instructional delivery to support educational excellence and student success.

Strategy 8.2 Implementation

Math and Science faculty have prepared video lectures that allow them to effectively flip their classrooms.

8.2 Summary of Activities

For the past five years various EGSC faculty have been experimenting with new ways to restructure delivery.  One key activity has been to provide instructional material for the student that is available anywhere and anytime.  Tablet PCs with video production software were made available to most instructors in the School of Mathematics & Sciences and a number of instructors have produced several hundred videos that are short, to the point, address areas in which students struggle, and are available on-line 24/7 for access by the students.

Examples of flipping the classroom include:

• Flipping the classroom in Biology requires students to utilize a wide variety of resources (e.g. short videos, scientific articles, podcasts, websites), in addition to their textbook, to learn key concepts and supporting subject information. During class, students actively participate in their own learning by completing tasks that focus on critical thinking, problem-solving, and practical application of concepts.
• Calculus students viewed videos before class and class sections were devoted to working calculus problems that involved critical thinking in problems setup and discussion and further elaboration on calculus concepts. In Calculus I classes, it was noted that students struggled with certain concepts in Calculus ("The Chain Rule", "Relative Rates", "The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus").  Videos were created summarizing many of these concepts.  The class was “flipped” by creating a YouTube Channel entitled “Calculus In a Nutshell.”
• The general chemistry I and II classes were flipped last year.  The organic chemistry I class was flipped this year.   Videos of all chemistry lectures were developed and students were required to view the videos BEFORE class.  Students were given a short (~10 minute) quiz based on the video(s) at the beginning of class and the class time was used to answer questions, do demonstrations relevant to the topics, and emphasize particular points that students seem to be missing.

The “flipped classroom” method of instruction continues to expand to other math/natural science areas, as well as into the social sciences and humanities areas.  Faculty are being trained in the use of the “flipped classroom” in our Teaching and Learning Center.

8.2 Measures of Progress

The chemistry instructor transitioned to fully “flipped” courses in general chemistry I, general chemistry II, and organic chemistry I this year.  As can be seen by the following table the success rates increased from the prior year (2013), with a non-flipped format, to this year (2014).

The instructor noted an increase in overall student success rates, an increase in student completion of assignments, an increase in exam scores, a more relaxed atmosphere in class, and an increase in student engagement and group work

In the table below the evolution of the process to “flip” the Calculus I class is shown.  The resulting success rates and the class GPA for these students can be seen as the class transitioned from traditional lecture to various phases of being totally flipped.  No traditional lectures were delivered in class starting in AY2013.  The classroom session involved hands on problem solving and discussion of various calculus concepts.  After an initial period of adjustment, the students began to realize the value of the flipped classroom.  All comments were positive and the students were pleased with their improved understanding of the concepts learned in the course.

8.2 Measures of Success

Ultimately the success of restructuring instructional delivery is tied to the success of students taking the classes and the expansion of the delivery methods to courses in other academic disciplines.