Keywords: flipped classroom, class size, student engagement, self-directed, videos.
Background
Amidst difficult times in higher education funding, student enrolment in computing courses has increased (OECD 2014). Increased class numbers negatively impact student achievement (Bedard and Kuhn 2008) impacting on student assessment of courses and lecturers (Bandiera et al. 2014). Consequently, undesirable impacts increase significantly if the class in question is a practical hands-on laboratory based computer science subject (McCool et al. 2015). In an attempt to increase the autonomy of the students and provide them with a learning environment which facilitated a more self-directed approach I began to explore alternative pedagogical models that would meet student needs in this rapidly changing environment through the use of the Flipped Classroom (Reidsema et al. 2017).
Aims
Facilitating students’ increased self-directed learning in a practical laboratory class thereby freeing up the lecturer to provide a more individualised contribution to each students needs.
Methods
Students were provided with course material in advance of the class through Moodle. This included a video recording of the lecture presented using Powerpoint together with a walk-through of each of the lab exercises using virtual machines. The students could choose to watch the videos and perform the exercise before or during class. They then had the opportunity to do additional exercises in class to increase proficiency.
Conclusions
From the outset a number of the higher GPA students took charge of their learning, working well with lab material and videos, whilst others merely viewed material in class, repeatedly waiting for lecturer assistance. However over the duration of the research all students began to take responsibility for their learning, as evidenced through increased motivation, confidence in their own ability, and, significant engagement in class. Reflection on this experience led to a re-evaluation of my own pedagogic techniques and increased ability to engage weaker students.
Bibliography
Bandiera, O., Larcinese, V., and Rasul, I., (2009) ‘Heterogeneous Class Size Effects: New Evidence from a Panel of University Students’ in C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers, CEPR Discussion Papers: # 7512, 2009.
Bedard, K., Kuhn, P. (2008) ‘Where Class Size Really Matters: Class Size and Student Ratings of Instructor Effectiveness’ in Economics of Education Review, vol. 27, no. 3, June 2008, pp. 253-65.
Department of Education and Skills (2013) Higher Education System Performance: First Report 2014-2016. Higher Education Authority
McCool, R., Kelly, S., Maguire, M., Clarke, D., and Loughran, D. (2015) ‘Factors Which Influence The Academic Performance Of Level 7 Engineering Students’ in AISHE-J Volume 7, Number 2
Reidsema, C., Kavanagh, L., Hadgraft, R. and Smith, N. (Eds) The Flipped Classroom: Practice and Practices in Higher Education 1st ed. 2017 Edition
