Introducing the Flipped(ish) Classroom Method

By Erin-Lee Halstad McGuire, Associate Teaching Professor at the University of Victoria, BC, Canada

“The flipped classroom moments were such a gift.” (Student feedback, April 2024)

I teach an introduction to four-field anthropology course to two sections of approximately 200 students each autumn and spring. The course runs over three months and I have been teaching it in various formats since 2010. Early on, I introduced small-group tutorials for hands-on and active learning opportunities. However, since COVID, my tutorials have not run and resource constraints mean that they have now been phased out indefinitely. In response, I decided to attempt to revise some of the tutorial activities for use in the lecture halls. My flipped(ish) classroom days are part of that larger project.

The flipped classroom method has become an increasingly popular pedagogical tool, though research has mainly centred on the STEM fields. Why so popular? The approach is meant to foster deeper, active learning and create learner-centred and accessible environments. The fundamental aspects of the flipped classroom method involve moving first contact with new materials out of classroom spaces (online or in-person) to individual learning spaces and using the group learning environment for structured active learning (Talbert, 2017).

However, flipping the classroom is not always going to be the right choice. Reduced resources, pressure to increase enrollments, and rising workloads may all create barriers. Stephanie Burgoyne and Judy Eaton (2018), propose an alternative model whereby only selected modules (those deemed challenging) are flipped within a course. The example they provided was one whereby students learned about “junk science” through a pre-recorded lecture, then used the in-class time to collaboratively apply their new learning to claims made about vaccines and autism (2018, 155). The authors make an excellent case for the use of partially flipped classroom approaches to engage students with key course elements and outcomes.

A Hybrid Model

My own approach is similar to what Burgoyne and Eaton propose, but rather than focusing on individual topics, my flipped classroom sessions tie together sets of learning. Prior to implementing a flipped(ish) approach, students were expected to read the assigned chapter of their text, then attend lectures and a one-hour tutorial where they would engage in small group learning activities led by a teaching assistant. While I felt like my lectures were mostly just a recap of the text, I could not rely on students having completed the readings in advance. While adding a pre-lecture quiz led to more students reading, they then seemed to resent that the lectures expanded on the text. Essentially, my approach seemed to be mostly expanding the coverage of content, not deepening the learning. During the pandemic, I had to phase out tutorials and build a lot of online module content with video and podcasts. As we returned to face-to-face teaching, I opted to restructure my course to take advantage of the resources I had curated and adapt some of what had been tutorials to in-class activities for the lecture hall.

My new weekly module structure works as follows:

1. Students complete assigned readings and a brief open-book reading quiz at the beginning of the week
2. Classroom time includes one lecture with polling, brief discussions, or other learning activities presented by me AND one guest lecture on a topic relevant to the week’s theme
3. Other supporting content is available through the Learning Management System (LMS) including video, audio, image, and text

When one or more of the modules is complete, we spend a class session working through activities that require the application and practice of the skills that have been learned through the modules. The activities take varying forms, but always include the assessment of some kind of evidence, one or more team-based discussions, and the completion of a virtual worksheet before the end of class. In recent student course evaluations, one student wrote:

“I really liked the Flipped Classroom exercises, I think that they were well designed (though a little fast paced at times) and helped my understanding of the material.”

Increased engagement and increased understanding are what I am really striving for with these sessions.

Upcoming Resources

In the coming weeks, I will share four active learning sessions, including my experiences, some teaching resources, and ideas for variation. The next post will cover the icebreaker activity that I use to introduce students to course and teaching style. The examples that will follow cover primatology, archaeology, and globalization/sustainability. I hope that these serve as inspiration to others.

References

• Burgoyne, S., & Eaton, J. (2018). The Partially Flipped Classroom: The Effects of Flipping a Module on “Junk Science” in a Large Methods Course. Teaching of Psychology, 45(2), 154–157.
• Talbert, R. (2017). Flipped learning : a guide for higher education faculty. Stylus Publishing.

Erin-Lee Halstad McGuire is an archaeologist and Associate Teaching Professor at the University of Victoria, BC, Canada. In their teaching, they aim to help students develop transferable skills relating to research, project design, collaboration, and communication. They are interested in how students learn, and so strive to consistently further their knowledge in inclusive, learner-centred theories and strategies for teaching. In 2016, they were the inaugural recipient of UVic’s Excellence in Teaching for Experiential Learning Award. They were also awarded the Harry Hickman Alumni Award for Excellence in Teaching and Educational Leadership (2021), and the West Coast Teaching Excellence Award (2023).

Images:

• Person holding lensball by Michael, Pexels.
• Questioning by nugroho dwi hartawan from Pixabay
• Pixel cells by Manfred Steger from Pixabay