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PEDAGOGIC DIRECTION
Abstract
This article describes strategies used by the author
to introduce a flipped teaching approach into a
traditional course taught at a UK higher education
institution. Traditional live lectures are replaced
by video screencasts to be viewed outside the
classroom by the students. Lecturer–student
contact time is used for interactive workshop
activities aimed at facilitating deeper conceptual
understanding of the subject material. Changing
to a flipped student-centric approach from the
more traditional lecturer-centric approach can be
challenging for both student and lecturer alike.
This article describes such an attempt in modules
for 2nd and 4th Year chemistry undergraduates.
Student surveys show that the vast majority of
students are quite positive about the flipped
approach and prefer it to the traditional delivery.
Based on the receptive nature of the student
response and the greater opportunity for
developing higher learning skills afforded by this
approach, we believe it should be more widely
adopted in the teaching of the physical sciences
in UK higher education.
MChem students at the University of Manchester. Its format with one tutorial until it was decided to
objective is to cover the mathematical content change the format to a flipped version. After the
required to satisfactorily complete 2nd, 3rd and 4th first meeting, where the format was explained, all
Year courses in physical chemistry and related other face-to-face sessions involved workshop
disciplines. Topics covered include advanced problem-solving activities or clicker sessions. No
calculus, coordinate geometry, vectors, complex formal traditional style lectures were delivered. All
numbers and matrices all with chemistry related of the content was delivered using screencast
applications emphasised. It was decided in 2011 to presentations, which were made available each
deliver this course using a flipped teaching method. week to the students via our virtual learning
The content was divided up and presented in short environment Blackboard. A discussion forum was
screencasts lasting from 20 to 40 minutes. The also set up on Blackboard to facilitate online
screencasts were produced on a Tablet PC as this interaction between the students. For each
allows for interactive writing on the computer, workshop/interactive session a summary screencast
which is particularly well suited for mathematical was prepared which covered any difficulties that
content delivery compared with static pre-prepared were apparent from the online forum or at the
PowerPoint slides. Each week problem-based interactive session itself. As this was quite a
exercises relating to the week's topic were departure for 4th year students more accustomed
distributed to the students. Students were to a traditional lecture format instruction, any
encouraged to attempt the problems in their own requests there might be to revert to the more
time and a clinic/workshop was run each week to traditional format were solicited early on. None
help them with any problem areas they were were forthcoming and generally positive comments
encountering. A discussion forum on Blackboard were received for the flipped format (see below).
was also set up to allow students to discuss Attendance was rarely above 70% at the interactive
problems online. Based on the comments received session but this was similar to what would be
online or at the clinics a screencast of solutions to expected for the traditional lecture. In probing
the previous week's problems was prepared and reasons for non-attendance the most common reply
distributed to the students via Blackboard. This was that the students had already grasped the
procedure ran for a total of one full semester. material from the online screencasts. This was
Students were required to sit an examination at the judged unsatisfactory, however, as the interactive
end of the course and the marks contributed sessions are meant to facilitate deeper learning, a
towards their overall average for their second year. point that is sometimes not appreciated by the
students. To encourage participation in the
Chem40261 is a final year 10-credit MChem module
interactive sessions, a small assessed element at the
on Biophysical Chemistry. It is an optional course
end of the workshop was introduced, which
and in the academic year 2012/13 was taken by
contributes a small proportion to the final exam
52 students. One of the authors of this article,
mark. This led to a significant increase in
Patrick O’Malley, was one of three lecturers teaching
participation at the interactive sessions and will be
the full semester course covering the topic of
expanded in future years.
bioenergetics. This section of the module had been
previously taught in a traditional eight-lecture
approach. This finding is somewhat surprising as perception of what learning is in the traditional
the second year cohort have been subjected to method, i.e. the students perceive the screencast
traditional lecture format teaching for a year and format as simply a more flexible method of
the 4th year MChem group have had traditional receiving information than the live lecture. While
lecture-based teaching for three years. adopting this method initially, it is important to
emphasise to students the added-value component
While the flipped format of teaching and learning
of the interactive face-to-face sessions. This may
was favoured, one worrying aspect was the lack of
well be aided by providing an initial incentive for
evidence that the students fully appreciated the
students to attend these sessions. In this case it was
opportunity afforded by the face-to-face interactive
agreed that a short test would take place at the end
sessions to facilitate deeper and higher learning
of each workshop session which would contribute a
skills. Based on the student responses, the main
small percentage mark to the final exam. This was
appreciation came from the increased flexibility
found to provide the incentive to attend the
afforded. There is a tendency for some students to
interactive session initially and allow the students
regard workshop attendance as optional as there is
the opportunity to appreciate the beneficial aspects
a perception that complete learning can be
of these to aid higher learning skills.
achieved by viewing the content screencasts alone.
This is probably a throwback to the students'