Flipped learning, or flipped classroom structure, is a teaching style increasingly popular across the country in higher education, and at Seattle University. Although there are a variety of ways to implement a flipped classroom structure, the term generally refers to a style of learning where students watch pre-recorded lectures or other videos before class, and use class time to ask questions and do practice problems or other more hands-on learning methods. In this style of learning, what would normally be done as homework is done in class, and what normally would be done in class, is watched by students as homework, hence the term “flipped.”
Samantha Hoang, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Seattle U, elaborated on what this looks like. She often has students watch a short video before class teaching the concept she wants to spend class time on. Actual class time then consists of sometimes a short review and practice problems.
“It actually frees up a lot of class time in order to have more hands-on working time, instead of just me lecturing,” Hoang said.
Hoang shared that she had often received student feedback asking for more time to do practice problems, something this structure helps provide.
Brenda Bourns, a professor in the biology department at Seattle U, utilizes some aspects of flipped classroom structure for both her biology class and her UCOR. For the biology class, she has students watch pre-recorded lectures on basic material, freeing up class time to lecture on more advanced material as well as active learning. For her UCOR, students watch the entire lecture beforehand, and then come to class to work through practice problems or other activities.
For Bourns, a flipped classroom structure frees up class time to allow student group work or other activities, where she can help students struggling.
“Instead of working on it at home after I’ve lectured, they’re working on it right now, and if they have a struggle or a problem or a misconception, they can raise their hand and I can be right there,” Bourns said.
Sally McLaughlin, an associate professor in the biology department, agreed that this style of learning helps her better respond to student needs, and help students who are stuck.
Different students learn best in very different ways, and some react to flipped classrooms better than others. McLaughlin shared that her student evaluations became much more negative when she first switched to flipped classrooms. This style of learning requires more self-motivation on the part of students to watch the lectures outside of class.
“If students don’t come in prepared for the activity it’s a bust. It’s one of the downsides of this,” McLaughlin said.
Bourns has experienced a variety of student reactions to flipped classrooms, stating that some students respond well to it, while others prefer learning material face-to-face.
Positive feedback Bourns has heard from students includes the ability to rewind pre-recorded lectures to take better notes, or review sections they didn’t fully understand, as well as students feeling more prepared for class. She has also heard from students who have difficulty feeling engaged by a recorded lecture, and learn much better from a face-to-face lecture.
“I’d say a mixed bag, from my perspective, which is why I don’t jump over into one or the other, it’s kind of a mixture,” Bourns said.
McLaughlin discussed how much teaching has evolved from when she began teaching at Seattle U 24 years ago, and how this flipped class model is a part of that change.
“The fundamental teaching mode was; I talk, students listen, students take notes, students study, and then students take tests, and it was very unsatisfying, on both ends I think,” McLaughlin said, discussing what used to be the norm of teaching.
She shared that she had been interested in this method of teaching for a long time, and made the transition following the pandemic.
“Just the thought of having students, after all that isolation caused by the pandemic, to have them sit there not interacting with each other just listening to me felt like it was wrong,” McLaughlin said.
All interviewed professors shared that they see a large social benefit to flipped classrooms, with more student-to-student interaction in class, and more of a chance for them to get to know students.
McLaughlin explained that she put extensive time into planning hands-on group activities for students, which flipped classrooms free up time for, and deciding what can be learned better actively than through a lecture. She gave an example of teaching properties of water.
“To sit there and apply it to the previous lecture that prepared them for understanding properties of water just made a huge difference,” she said. “I just felt like they were able to deeply learn these principles, to the point of being able to then apply them to the next topic.”
Post-COVID, more teachers than ever before are utilizing flipped classroom methods of teaching.
Most professors mentioned introducing flipped classes after the pandemic. While some students struggle with this unconventional classroom format or feel they are being expected to teach themselves, others benefit from the increase in class time available for forms of active learning.
