Small steps on the journey to ‘flipping the classroom'

This reflective case study focuses on the implementation of the “flipped classroom” in the context of large quantitative second year module. More specifically, I propose to share a very gradual and nuanced approach, which can be of interest to those who are already convinced of the benefits of the “flipped classroom” but are concerned as to how to approach it. This intermediate solution or a “semi-flipped” approach should be particularly relevant in the context of the post-pandemic teaching environment. The key idea is to select the relatively simpler parts of the course for bitesize pre-recordings for students to engage before the lecture, while the more challenging material, requiring more comment and interpretation, is discussed in a more traditional way. The main expected benefits are two-fold:

• students have the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the foundations and terminology at their own pace, enabling them to be better prepared for the more advanced material and
• there is more time and space in the lecture room for the discussion of this more advanced material.