Westmont College
Academic Technology Faculty Pilot Projects
PODCASTING and the FLIPPED CLASSROOM
GOAL
The professor's stated goal was to explore how recording his lectures and then publishing them in small segments for students to watch outside of class times would impact the in class learning environment.
RESEARCH QUESTION
If lecture material was provided for students to watch outside of class, what would be the impact on in class student discussions and achievement of course pedagogical goals?
ACTION
I set up the professor with a digital camcorder, tripod and wireless lapel mic to record his lectures. An iTunes U collection was created to publish the videos for students to view outside of class. The lectures were edited into short (5 - 8 minute) segments focusing on one specific lecture topic each. Students were given direction on what viewing was required before the next class period and in class discussions were based on the understanding that students would come to class already having viewed the lecture material at least once.
EVALUATION
This pilot project involved the logistics of setting up the professor with technology that fit his specific goals and vetting the process he would go through to use the equipment. Once the procedure was in place and tested, the students were brought into this project as partners in the discovery of the potential benefits of flipping their classroom. The graphic below shows that in reflection at the end of the semester, students felt that this model of course content delivery was effective.
The graphs below address more specifically the impact that the flipped model had on the students' learning experience. For a quick revue of the basic tenets of the flipped classroom, check out this Flipped Classroom Infographic.
PILOT PROJECT PARTNER Reflection
When I approached Doug Conrad with a daunting proposal to record,
edit, and podcast my whole general education course, he was excited to
help and soon ready with camera and wireless microphone equipment,
training, software advice and instruction, feedback on the final
product, and tech support whenever I needed it. He got me up and
running in a very short time, and was patient and helpful guiding me
through my first few dry runs and productions. With his assistance,
everything was accomplished on time and on budget. A poll of my
students indicated that their experience with my classroom-flipping
technology was nearly seamless, and what wasn't had to do with network
infrastructure rather than matters under his purview. Doug's help was
instrumental to a task that has improved my teaching and my students'
satisfaction, and I was and remain entirely satisfied with it.
When I approached Doug Conrad with a daunting proposal to record,
edit, and podcast my whole general education course, he was excited to
help and soon ready with camera and wireless microphone equipment,
training, software advice and instruction, feedback on the final
product, and tech support whenever I needed it. He got me up and
running in a very short time, and was patient and helpful guiding me
through my first few dry runs and productions. With his assistance,
everything was accomplished on time and on budget. A poll of my
students indicated that their experience with my classroom-flipping
technology was nearly seamless, and what wasn't had to do with network
infrastructure rather than matters under his purview. Doug's help was
instrumental to a task that has improved my teaching and my students'
satisfaction, and I was and remain entirely satisfied with it.