Three approaches to flipping CE courses: Faculty perspectives and suggestions

Classroom inversion or “flipping” is one of the latest models designed to actively engage students during class times. The model involves moving traditional lecture material outside the classroom and practical application of newly learned ideas into the class meeting times. In the inverted model, the course concepts, theory, or equations are presented in various media – videos, readings, notes – prior to the class contact time. Application of those new ideas is cultivated during the class time through faculty-directed problem solving, brainstorming and discussions as well as field trips and guest speakers. This paper offers specific suggestions for improving classroom time management by implementing an inverted classroom model. The authors have incorporated this approach in three distinct settings – a medium/large (50) enrollment senior-level foundations design course, a small-enrollment sophomore-level mechanics course (22) and a large enrollment junior-level environmental engineering course (90). Successes and lessons learned are documented for each of the settings. The authors provide suggestions based on their experiences for faculty considering a transition from a traditional lecture-style presentation to a strategy that transforms the classroom into a more active educational experience. The paper summarizes both the advantages and disadvantages of the classroom flip from the instructor’s perspective.