Use of the inverted “flipped” classroom to enhance active learning in General Biology teaching at NU Drs. Ana Barral & Veronica Ardi

Flipped (inverted) classroom  Pre-recorded lectures (learning videos)  Students read textbook and review learning videos before coming to class  In class, minute lectures, short multi- media materials, & learning activities  Active learning in class  Debates & Discussion  Demos & in class materials  Process of “doing things”

Research Problem  Introductory biology students have difficulty applying basic biological concepts to more complex problems and tend to rely on memorization, which in turn affects their learning and class performance resulting in higher attrition.  General Biology : BIO161  1 st of 3 GenBio courses  Mainly Biology & Radiation Therapy Majors

Teaching Project Will using a flipped classroom enhance student learning in general biology? Students may better grasp the fundamental concepts in chemistry and biochemistry, and cell structure and functions by reviewing learning videos outside the classroom and performing active learning in the classroom.

Teaching Project – General Bio. Specific LOs being tested in General Biology:  Describe fundamental concepts in chemistry and biochemistry  Properties of water, important organic molecules, acids and bases.  Explain cell structure and function, and the difference between prokaryotes and eukaryotes.

Traditional vs. Inverted classrooms  Traditional (control) lecture classroom  Inverted (pilot) classroom – used videos available in NU Library & Internet  Inverted (flipped) classroom – learning videos made by us -> focus on the learning objectives  Placed in Media Space / Kaltura  Linked to eCompanion

Learning Videos  Annotating lecture material  iPad  Doceri  Camtasia for recording the lecture

Learning Video Playlist

Learning Video stored in Kaltura

Percent of students that reviewed the learning videos Pilot classroomFlipped classroom

In class Active Learning  8 major themes in biology on several large poster paper  Students write examples to major themes  Scientific Method exercise after reviewing the steps of the method  Group work  pH demo  Molecular model boxes

In class Active Learning  Diffusion Agar  Dialysis tube for diffusion  Worksheets  Cell structure & function

Measurements  Pre- & post-questions to measure student learning  Survey to measure student’s perception of learning

Students in inverted classes performed better than those in traditional classes  Pre-questions  Post-questions *: unpaired t-test, p< 0.05

Learning Retention in Inverted classroom

Student survey: for understanding of the material, how useful were the…? N=32

Conclusions 1.Enhanced student learning in flipped classroom (as assessed by pre- and post- questions when compared to a non-flipped course). 2.There was no significant difference between overall post question scores between the pilot and the flipped courses. 3.Students appeared to have retained the information, but more data are required.

Conclusions 4.Differences in retention expressed as post/pre score were observed at the question level. 5.Students perceived the videos and the activities as useful for their learning according to student surveys. 6.Most of the students watched the videos more than one time, both per self-reporting and video channel analytics.

Beyond flipping…  How do active learning approaches in the context of a flipped Majors general biology class help students to apply basic biological concepts?  Next steps:  Align in-class activities to specific concepts  Open ended, higher Bloom level questions for post- assessment  Qualitative methods

Qualitative methods  To “go inside students’ head”  “Think aloud” interviews:  Students are given a biology problem to solve (requiring critical thinking) and asked to say what are they thinking while solving it.  The interviews are recorded.  Material will be coded openly and theory-driven (looking for clues of application of concepts)

Biology Scholars Residency Program  Program sponsored by the American Society of Microbiology  Promotes biology education scholarship  3 types: assessment, research, and transition  Not only for microbiologists!  Ana Barral 2015 Research Scholar (flipped classroom project) 

Acknowledgments  Dr. Carol Richardson (COLS)  Dr. Charles Tatum  Romeo Lorenzo  Instructors William Fleming & Nima Salimi  Biology Scholars team, especially Dr. Miriam Segura-Totten & Dr. Stephanie Gardner