John Morrison (School of Computing)
A study to explore flipped learning approaches in curriculum design. In a flipped classroom the traditional structure of lectures and homework are inverted. Students engage with directed studies at home before a class, while in class, passive lectures are replaced with interactive learning experiences.
The session for the conference will provide an overview of the process for flipping a classroom, with a particular emphasis on creating interactive lectures using a teaching method known as Peer Instruction (PI).
The techniques explored have a proven track record in science based disciplines to better empower students as co-creators of knowledge, facilitating a more student centred learning experience. I was keen to see if they could be applied to my teaching practice in Digital Media.
The experience of conducting flipped learning pilot studies, facilitating approaches such as PI, proved to be very popular with students who reported in the module survey they found it beneficial for learning. The literature suggests it could benefit students with a range of learning styles e.g. less experienced individuals being guided and supported by more experienced or capable ones. This social approach to learning may also help the more advanced students, who after internalising the expected standards to help others can also better supervise themselves.
More information on this study can be found on my teaching blog at http://digitaliteracy.co.uk/tagged/3eflipped
Theoretical underpinning
Bretzmann, J. (2013). Flipping 2.0: Practica Strategies for Flipping Your Class. New Berlin, Wisconsin: Bretzmann Group, LLC.
Garrison, D.R. (2011). E-learning in the 21st century: A framework for research and practice. Abingdon and New York: Routledge.