The Value of Video Quizzes in a Computer Science Flipped Classroom : An Empirical Study

Flipping the classroom has become much more common in the last several years, but in the field of Computer Science it is still a much rarer means of delivery than the traditional classroom setting. One big concern is whether or not students will spend the preparation time necessary outside of the classroom in order to come prepared to class ready to engage in the active learning activities prepared by the instructor and thus maximize their learning potential. The study concerns four class sections in a Principles of Computer Science I course. Each student was required to watch video lectures prior to class. Some students were also required to take pre-class video quizzes which provided those students with immediate feedback on the level of their preparedness. Statistical analyses did not support the hypothesis that the pre-class video quizzes were effective in helping the students earn better grades. Student perceptions of the usefulness of video quizzes and anecdotal evidence from instructor experience are also presented. Keywords-education; computer science; flipped classroom, assessment