A survey on the use of flipped learning at the University of Sheffield was undertaken to explore how the method was interpreted across a range of disciplines and subject areas, unearth good practice in the field, and investigate the experiences of academics using flipped classrooms. There were clear benefits to learners, including increased engagement, better student feedback and (in some cases) higher attainment, reflecting other studies (e.g. Tune et al, 2013; Calimeris & Stauer, 2015; Gross et al, 2015). It was also a driver for academic engagement, and staff development in TEL and multimedia. However a number of challenges presented themselves to academics, including lack of time allocation and resources for creating flipped materials, managing large classes, and challenges in evaluating practice.
In this session, a short summary of the survey will be given, highlighting the affordances a flipped learning approach has given university staff and their learners, and the constraints and challenges they have encountered. This will be followed by a workshop activity looking at these findings in more detail, using an activity based around a bespoke card game. This activity is a springboard for discussion, with the card contents having been informed by the survey results. Groups will be asked to choose from the cards (or a self-written wildcard of their own idea) to indicate what, in their opinion, are the strongest benefits and greatest challenges in engaging in a flipped approach. As a whole group the chosen factors will be discussed, with prepared comments and suggestions from the presenter. The activity will be made available to participants as a Creative Commons resource to undertake with academic colleagues at their own institutions.
Through the card game, participants will leave this session with an appreciation of the benefits a flipped approach can bring learners, an awareness of the challenges that can occur, and ways that these can be overcome. As well as this the range of situations and disciplines a flipped approach can be used in will be highlighted, through the experiences of the presenter’s institution as detailed in the survey result. Participants will also be introduced to a workshop activity exploring the method, which can be utilised or adapted in their own practice.
Calimeris, L. & Stauer, K. (2015), ‘Flipping out about the flip: All hype or is there hope?’, International Review of Economics Education, vol 20, pp13-28.
Gross, D., Pietri, E., Anderson, G., Moyano-Camihort, K., Graham, M. (2015) ‘Increased preclass preparation underlies student outcome improvement in the flipped classroom’. CBE Life Science Education, 14:36.
Tune, D., Sturek, M. & Basile, D. (2013), ‘Flipped classroom model improved graduate student performance in cardiovascular, respiratory, and renal physiology’, Advances in Physiology Education, 37:4, pp316-320