Active Learning in the Flipped Classroom

Active Learning in the Flipped Classroom

• 1.
  RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATIONDESIGN © 2012 www.PosterPresentations.com Introductory biology students have difficulty applying basic biological concepts to more complex problems 1. They tend to rely on memorization, which affects their learning, class performance, and increases risk of attrition 2,3. A growing number of educational initiatives are promoting practices such as undergraduate research and peer and problem-based learning among others 4,5. One learning approach used is that of the flipped classroom, where lectures are pre- recorded and watched by the students before coming to class 6–7. The beauty of flipped classroom is to use class time to discuss difficult topics, clarify misconceptions, and have students apply the concepts learned through active learning such as case studies and group projects among others 8. BACKGROUND MATERIALS AND METHODS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Presenter contact: [email protected] @Bio_prof Ana Maria Barral, Veronica Ardi, Rachel E. Simmons Department of Mathematics & Natural Sciences, National University, San Diego CA. Active Learning in a Flipped Classroom: Implementation and Assessment RESULTS Learning videos: the video lectures were watched extensively by the students (Analytics by Kaltura) CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS 1.  Compared to their traditional counterparts, students in the inverted classroom: §  Answered more questions correctly §  Answered more higher Bloom level questions correctly 2.  In-class activities of higher level led to higher answer scores. 3.  Students found both the learning videos and the in-class activities useful for the understanding of the material. 4.  Although not statistically significant, students in flipped classroom preformed better at the end of class (Post 2) as compared to tradition classroom. 5.  Most students reported hands-on activities as their preferred way of studying. Two learning objectives in two inverted and one traditional sections of a General Biology course (BIO161) were evaluated. Matched student Post1 and Post2 quiz answers at three Bloom levels were evaluated while controlling for activity level (repeated measures MANOVA). Our results show that flipped classrooms have a dramatic effect on initial student quiz performance, especially with questions assessing higher Bloom levels. Further studies are needed to fully assess long-term retention and how the inclusion and level of in-class activities affect student learning in flipped and traditional classes. To date, a think aloud assessment is being implemented at the end of the course to evaluate students’ application of concepts in problem solving. RESEARCH PROBLEM AND HYPOTHESES How useful the following were to understand the material? Survey N=32 (5 most helpful) Percent correct answers for all students (mean ± SEM) DISCUSSION REFERENCES The authors wish to thank Mr. Nima Salimi for providing the control data, and Mike Kirkpatrick for statistics advice, as well as the Biology Scholars Research Residency 2015 cohort and writers’ group for insight and feedback. This study was approved by the National University Institutional Review Board (IRB), document #70-4990-4. Special thanks to Dean Richardson (funding), Prof. Tatum, and Romeo Lorenzo. 1. Wright R, Boggs J. Cell biology education. 2002;1(4):145–153. 2. Freeman S, et al. CBE Life Sci Educ. 2007;6:132–139. 3. PCAST Report. Washington DC; 2012. 4. AAAS. Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education. 2015. 5. Bradforth SE et al. Nature. 2015 July 16;523(7560):282–284. 6. Berrett D. The Chronicle of Higher Education. 2012:1–15. 7.  Strayer JF. Learning Environments Research. 2012;15:171–193. 8. Mazur E. Science. 2009;323:50–51. Quiz questions were scored according to Bloom categories as low, medium, or high level by 3 independent instructors. Examples of each level: 4874 Our overarching research question is to evaluate the role of active learning approaches in a majors’ general biology course. We tested the hypothesis that students in the inverted classroom would 1) answer more questions correctly, 2) answer more higher Bloom level questions correctly, and 3) have better scores based if they completed in-class activities, relative to their counterparts in traditional classrooms. Question Bloom score Bloom level Associated activity? Activity 1 6 medium none N/A 2 5 medium low Molecular models 3 6 medium none N/A 4 4 low none N/A 5 4 low low Molecular models 6 4 low none N/A 7 10 high high pH activity 8 5 medium none N/A 9 7 medium high Cell structures diagrams 10 5 medium high Cell structures diagrams 11 3 low high Cell structures diagrams 12 6 medium none N/A 13 12 high high Dialysis membrane 14 9 high high Dialysis membrane 15 9 high high Dialysis membrane Aspect No Medium level High level Points Factor Total possible Address VC core concept(s) None or only one (0) 1-2 >2 2 1 2 Inquiry-driven: students need to address of inquiry performed during the activity and interpret the results 0 1 2 2 2 4 Tangible/ hands-on 0 1 2 2 2 4 Requires quantitative reasoning None Minor Problem solving 2 2 4 Cooperative No Yes 1 2 2 Total 16 Scoring rubric for in-class activities (below). Setup of questions, their Bloom levels, and related in-class activity (right). Learning videos In-class activities 0 1 2 3 4 5 Agreement(Likertscale) Repeated Measure MANOVA, Matched Student data (flipped n=33, traditional n=19) All Between Test Value Exact F Prob>F F Test 0.274648 13.9155 <.0001 Flipped vs. Traditional Test Value Exact F Prob>F F Test 0.1735263 26.376 <.0001 Mean(Activity) Test Value Exact F Prob>F F Test 0.1877437 28.537 <.0001 All Bloom Levels Test Value Exact F Prob>F F Test 0.0084679 1.2871 0.2584 In class-activities ranged from filling out diagrams and worksheets to inquiry-based experiments involving basic concepts such as pH and diffusion, as well as hands-on exercises using molecular models. Mean # correct answers per Bloom level How do you learn the best? Word cloud of survey answers. Question prompt Bloom score Which structure is common to both plant and animal cells? A) chloroplast B) wall made of cellulose C) central vacuole D) mitochondrion E) centriole 3 Low Large numbers of ribosomes are present in cells that specialize in producing which of the following molecules? A) lipids B) proteins C) starches D) steroids E) glucose 7 Medium The solutions in the arms of a U-tube are separated at the bottom of the tube by a selectively permeable membrane. The membrane is permeable to sodium chloride but not to glucose. Side A is filled with a solution of 0.4 M glucose and 0.5 M sodium chloride (NaCl), and side B is filled with a solution containing 0.8 M glucose and 0.4 M sodium chloride. Initially, the volume in both arms is the same. After a day, in side B the volume __________, the NaCl concentration _______, and the glucose concentration _________. A) increases, increases, stays the same B) decreases, decreases, increases C) stays the same, increases, stays the same D) decreases, increases, decreases E) increases, increases, decreases 12 High