Using the Flipped Classroom Method in Computer Science Education, pt. 1
02 Jun 2016 · 1 min read
Figure: The Weekly Structure of One Flipped Programming Course
Recently we have explored the application of flipped classroom to teaching computer science and especially in the context of programming courses. Flipped classroom is a teaching method where students first study theory by themselves as a pre-assigned homework and then learn in the classroom by working on exercises. This is the opposite of the traditional “listen at class and then work alone at home” approach, hence the term “flipped”. This approach aims to maximize the usefulness of the time the teacher and the students spend together.
We had a series of case studies with positive results. We first published one short poster paper and then a subsequent full paper. There is also the poster where we have a proposed process model for applying the method and a series of recommendations.
Read More
Read the short paper in ACM Digital Library (preprint) or view the poster. Alternatively go on to read the follow up blog article.
Abstract
Flipped classroom teaching method, where theory is studied at home and exercises are done in the classroom, is gaining foothold in teaching. The method has been used with different approaches and guidelines, yet a single unified process has not been described. In this work we compare existing literature to our experiences in teaching. As our main result we outline a simple process description and guidelines for building a course structure with flipped classroom. Flipping the classroom has been found to be more efficient than traditional lecture-exercises model and the our findings support this. Therefore we recommend teachers to explore the possibility of utilizing the method.