by Amanda R. Bertele, Pharm.D., PGY-1
Pharmacy Practice Resident, Frederick Memorial Hospital
Imagine that you are a second year
pharmacy student enrolled in a pharmacokinetics course. Your professor assigns
readings prior to the class. She then spends the two-hour lecture period with
her back to the class deriving equations. You are dismissed from class with 20
practice problems for homework. The topic seems understandable during class and
you think that your note taking skills are adequate. But when you arrive home and begin working on
the first problem, you soon realize that you understand very little about the
information covered during lecture.
Moreover, your notes are incomplete because you could not type or write
as quickly as the teacher was speaking. As you wade through the 20 problems
assigned the homework grows increasingly frustrating. You feel defeated and you decide that
pharmacokinetics just isn’t “your thing.”
Source: http://elearningindustry.com/flipped-classroom-2012-infographic |
One of the potential advantages of the
flipped classroom is that the model facilitates the implementation of in-class
activities that can appeal to multiple learning styles. During in-class
activities the teacher is better able to spend one-on-one time with each student and
to provide immediate feedback.3 Additionally, providing new course
material in formats that may be viewed more than once can be especially helpful
for students with barriers to learning (English as a second language, attention
deficit disorder, hearing impairment).1 To be successful, students
are required to be self-motivated and active learners.
The flipped classroom is not a new instructional
model as it contains elements similar to the Socratic method (5th
century BC) and has been implemented in traditional undergraduate courses like
physics for decades.4 However, it is a model that gaining more
attention in pharmacy education. Until recently there was little evidence
demonstrating its effectiveness. In 2012, the University of North Carolina
Eshelman School of Pharmacy assessed the effect of implementing a flipped
classroom model in a pharmaceutics course on student academic performance,
engagement, and perception.4 The intervention consisted of pre-class
assignments including readings and pre-recorded video mini-lectures. During each class period, four active
learning exercises were implemented. The effectiveness of the active learning
exercises were assessed using several methods including clicker questions,
think-pair-share, student presentations and quizzes. The assessments allowed
instructors to gauge students’ knowledge in real-time and deliver micro-lectures
(1-3 minutes) to clarify key concepts. Students were also assigned 2 course
projects, given multiple quizzes, a mid-term exam, and a cumulative final exam.
Based on data collected using pre and post course surveys it was determined
that learning foundational content prior to the scheduled class period
significantly enhanced student learning of course material in class (p = 0.001)
and interactive in-class activities significantly enhanced student learning overall
(p = 0.01). After completion of the course, more students indicated that they
preferred the flipped classroom structure over the traditional classroom
structure (p = 0.001). Despite positive outcomes related to student engagement
and perception, student academic performance based on examination scores was
not significantly improved using the flipped classroom model when compared to
the traditional model (p = 0.31).
While there are potential benefits of the
flipped classroom, there are potential pitfalls that educators should be aware.
The first is student workload.4 If careful consideration is not
given to the length of videos or volume of reading required prior to class, students
may become overwhelmed, show up unprepared for class, and unable to engage in the
in-class learning activities. Educators should also consider the time and
effort required to re-design lesson plans to fit the flipped classroom model.5
Educators will need to dedicate more time to evaluating activities and projects
designed to assess student learning. Lastly, educators and students must have
access to certain technology, like high speed Internet.
The flipped classroom method will probably
never eliminate the need for traditional models of teaching but, it is a method
that should be added to the teacher’s repertoire in higher education. When
educators observe that lecture attendance is low, students seem bored during
class, or when course material needs to be refreshed, the flipped classroom may
be an effective strategy for re-engaging learners and teachers alike.
References
- EDUCAUSE: uncommon thinking for the common good [Internet]. Washington, DC: EDUCAUSE. 7 things you should know about flipped classrooms; 2012 Feb 7 [cited 2014 Jan 26].
- Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching [Internet]. Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University. Flipping the classroom [cited 2014 Jan 26].
- Knewton [Internet]. New York, New York: Knewton Service. Flipped classroom a new method of teaching is turning the traditional classroom on its head; 2011 [cited 2014 Jan 26].
- McLaughlin JE, Griffin LM, Esserman DA, et al. Pharmacy student engagement, performance, and perception in a flipped satellite classroom. Am J Pharm Educ 2013; 77(9): Article 196.
- Edutopia: what works in education [Internet]. San Rafael, CA: The George Lucas Educational Foundation. The flipped classroom pro and con; 2012 July 10 [cited 2014 Jan 26].
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