Flipped Learning | Disruptive Media Learning Lab

The evaluation of the use of flipped pedagogies though the lab’s flipped learning survey and first phase of the mobile learning solutions report[1] revealed the following key points through the evaluation process:

Delivery of teaching and learning activity

The majority of teaching staff stated that flipped approaches were definitely or mostly applicable to them and that they used flipped approaches in their teaching
The majority of teaching staff taught undergraduate students using flipped methods
Providing online reading materials is the most popular teaching and learning activity around flipped (pre- and post- session)
Group/collaborative work, team-based discussion and problem solving activities are the most popular activities around flipped during synchronous activity
Post-session activities are more widespread than pre-session
Moodle and online discussion forums are the most common learning spaces for distance learners and online/virtual classroom
Mobile learning solutions promote flexibility, equality and increased student participation and have positive impact on students’ experience, allowing them more autonomy and self-directivity, easing psychological pressure and workload management
Mobile learning solutions provide students with the means to easily co-operate and peer-tutor each other

Assessment

Flipped approaches resulted in increased student engagement followed by improved student satisfaction and increased marks
The mobile learning solutions scheme has not significantly improved student marks* (see footnote below)
However members of teaching staff indicated that “panic around deadlines has been reduced” and that the quality of coursework has improved
The mobile learning solutions scheme also contributed to improving students’ creative and technical skills

Review and improvement of programmes and practice

Educational outcomes noticed from using flipped approaches include increased student engagement and student satisfaction
Enhancing student engagement and increased opportunity for student interaction are the most popular reasons for using flipped approaches in the classroom
Most of the more negative comments around flipped referenced students’ (lack of) engagement with the concept
The mobile learning solutions scheme enables students to take work from home to work with relative ease
Both staff and student responses to the scheme were positive about continuing the scheme (student responses were overwhelmingly positive)
Staff generally believed that the scheme should continue but some suggested altering it to better fit work related skills requirements

Student support and guidance

Some staff felt that using flipped approaches was too time consuming both for staff and students
Half of the teaching staff mentioned the need for training on how to use the flipped approach and less mentioned the need to convince students of its value
The majority of teaching staff had a student cohort of 50 or fewer and used a medium-sized teaching room
Most popular reasons for not using flipped included lack of time and awareness of flipped learning and trying but not succeeding
Students’ responses regarding the support for the mobile learning solutions scheme could be categorised into technical (support from non-teaching staff about updates/malfunctions) and pedagogical issues (support from teaching staff in how to use software provided on laptops)
The mobile learning solutions scheme significantly increases the workload of support/technical staff, which should be a consideration in future plans (support staff time to support the scheme needs to be acknowledged and built into staff workloads)
Significant work has been done to provide students with information and support, using presentations, flowcharts, videos and other help documentation

Effective use of resources

The majority of teaching staff stated that development was a resource consideration when implementing flipped (this may relate to a desire for further training or getting help in order to manage time requirements)
The mobile learning solutions scheme is worth amending to provide appropriate devices by course to meet specific requirements of relevant professions and increase students’ employability (there is no clear alternative to laptops given to students on MC courses)
Insurance was a key issue for students, teaching and support staff. The university should explore group insurance schemes for future iterations to reduce costs and ensure cost/insurance coverage (facilitating group coverage deal which students could pay for)
Not all software on laptops is required, students and staff suggested that some software might be removed to enable the laptops to work more efficiently
There are suggestions to rethink the university communication strategy, making clear that laptops are university property provided as support for students. The overarching legal framework/documentation should be also openly discussed with students to ensure their acknowledgement
Regardless of the scheme, there are still difficulties in spatial organisation in the School, as there are now reduced resources available for students who are not part of the scheme

[1] Since this report was written and further number of focus groups and interviews have been conducted with staff – the analysis of this data in currently underway and the full report will be available in September 2016, which may alter some of the points raised here