I-Corps L: Flipping the STEM Classroom Made Easy and Sustainable - Resources for Faculty

Colorado State University, Fort Collins CO

Investigators

Abstract

Through the NSF Innovation Corps for Learning Program, (I-Corps L), this project will develop ways to achieve more widespread use of a teaching method proven to increase the effectiveness of undergraduate faculty. In the past decade, a body of higher education research has emphasized the need to address the diverse learning needs of our students. Yet, the majority of college level science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses throughout the nation still rely upon a traditional lecture format that reaches only a subset of learning styles. As a result, many students struggle to master the material in STEM courses which often leads to lower academic performance and/or attrition. A classroom model called, "flipping the classroom," reduces the amount of traditional lecturing and augments it with more engaging applications of the course material. This model has been widely documented for its ability to better engage broad audiences of STEM students with diverse learning needs, thereby responding to a national need for improving STEM education. The work supported through this project encourages critical thinking through real-world applications of course content. This approach has positively impacted learning trends for students in disciplines and courses ranging from Cell & Molecular Biology and Ecology to Biotechnology and Chemical Engineering. Using the I-Corps for Learning program, approaches will be developed to enable this more easily implemented method of developing flipped classrooms to benefit more STEM faculty and students. Broadly applied, the flipped classroom model has a proven ability to achieve higher performance, understanding, applicability, and retention among STEM students in the U.S. However, most STEM faculty have exhibited a resistance to flipping the structure of their STEM courses due to a lack of time for restructuring their classes and/or a lack of knowledge related to the model and its benefits. To overcome the obstacles and faculty resistance associated with flipping the STEM classroom, this I-Corps for Learning Team seeks to sustainably and systematically promote the adoption of an educational innovation that includes guides and classroom materials to facilitate the process of implementing the flipped classroom model across a wide range of STEM subject areas. These materials provide a step-by-step procedure and teaching tools for simplifying the process and, thereby, reducing resistance to implementing the flipped style of teaching. The results will help to improve undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education throughout the country.