An Experiment with Flipped Classroom Concept in a Thermodynamics Course

Flipped classroom is an instructional concept that reverses the traditional method of teaching by providing instructional content in advance outside of the classroom and bringing some of the outside activities such as solving problems into the classroom. Flipped classroom concepts was recently experimented in two sections of an introductory undergraduate course in thermodynamics. Students were assigned to read specific sections of the textbook and review previously prepared power point presentation of lectures before attending lecture periods. Electronic respond devices, such as I-Clickers, were used to gage students understanding of assigned reading material by starting class with a quiz. The concepts were explained in detail. When students had difficulties with the specific topics related to quiz questions, a second quiz was given later to see if the students’ understanding of the material were improved. A survey was conducted near the end of semester to seek student feedback on their experience with the flipped classroom concept. The paper includes the results of the student survey.