Flipped Learning not Flopped Learning

Context: Introducing Flipped Learning across the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) was trialled through the Faculty of Engineering and IT (FEIT). It raised concerns on how to implement such a teaching program in skill-based subjects that had strong elements of core competencies centred on communication, understanding and critical analysis. Rather than revert to conventional teaching when half a class fails to prepare, an alternative approach for motivating students to read and study the material was needed. We had to demonstrate to students an advantage in preparing for class if active engagement was to take place. This may include peer assessing of each other’s work, presentations by expert staff on alternative perspectives, or application of the content being taught beyond the assessable items.

Purpose: In order to encourage intrinsic motivation in study we wish to allow students to manage their own study and engage with material in their own time. This experience will increase their confidence to approach problems themselves if they receive timely feedback. One of the aspects of Flipped Learning that academics consider the most difficult is to enforce preparation for class work. We describe here some more conducive approaches to encourage students to engage with preparation material, including pre-submitting work for sharing in the tutorial. We provide some case studies of strategies, from those doing face-to-face courses ,to engage their students. We wish to show that there are a variety of ways to provide this added benefit for students.

Approach: The paper provides case studies from approaches that have been shared amongst staff during staff development workshops run by Teaching and Learning in FEIT at the UTS. Some strategies to engage students who have prepared for a class, and hence provide intrinsic motivation for preparation, are:1. Provide immediate feedback as they go through the preparation material; e.g. a quiz designed to cement concepts learnt in the lectures provided before the class.2. Provide practical examples for the student to undertake and upload online a report.Students use this material to peer assess each other using an assessment rubric also online. This process allows them to engage with the rubric to learn how it applies to such a submission as well as engage in group discussion with their peer about their work.3. Present material from a different perspective that is not part of the course, but bonus work, such as stories of the use of the skill in the workplace, an alternative use of the theory in another sector not related to course, and so on.4. Develop a narrative approach where the experience of the lecturer in industry is used to make the material more engaging, and where the industry in this case can be cross cultural experience such as Aboriginal community infrastructure and appropriate technology.

Results: In the first and second example, the changes to the preparation strategy has achieved a nearly 20% increase in success rate on a significant assessment, the writing of a resume to fit industry standards and ensure students achieve an internship job. The third examples has provided mixed students feedback partially due to different student learning expectations.