Reflections on a flipped classroom in first year higher education

This paper explores the efficacy of a flipped classroom model for teaching first year students three-dimensional (3D) animation, and analyses the advantages and disadvantages when compared to traditional teaching mechanisms. In 2015, within the course Introduction to CGI at the University of South Australia, two different tutorial models were utilised: standard in-class tutorials, within which students were led through a task by a tutor; and 'flipped classroom' tutorials, where students completed a task prior to the session, and then engaged with their peers and tutor in large and small group discussions in the classroom. 128 first year students participated in the course, including 22 international students. The two tutorial models were evaluated at the end of the semester in the form of an online survey, which provided participating students with the opportunity to critically reflect on the learning experience; course staff also appraised the two tutorial formats, providing insight into both learning and teaching experiences. The findings of the study are discussed in light of the growing use of student-centred teaching measures in higher education, and outline the affordances and limitations of each model.

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