Flipping Threshold Concepts Using Technology

Presenter:

Hisseine Faradj, Assistant Professor, Social Sciences Department, Bronx Community College

Abstract:

This project focuses on improving the student learning outcome by integrating classroom and home learning environments into a continuous whole. The pedagogical model of the flipped classroom reverses lecture and homework distinctions. Accordingly, each course module assigns a prerecorded video lecture delivered via Blackboard Collaborate technology. Students can access and replay the lesson at home at a convenient time. Conversely, classroom time is devoted to discuss homework questions and for class discussion. The weekly course modules feature the threshold concepts in each textbook chapter, which are clearly stated and crystalized during the home video lecture. The threshold concepts technique enhances understanding and absorption of core concepts, thus improving the student learning outcome. I plan to measure the results of the project by running two courses of POL 11 (Introduction to American Government) and two courses of SOC 11 (Introduction to Sociology) in the Spring 2017 semester; one of each type of courses will be flipped while the other will be traditionally taught. The students’ performance and success will be majored by comparing quizzes and examinations scores that are based on the course learning outcomes. Moreover, students’ attendance and retention rate will be monitored and majored to determine the effectiveness of this pedagogical approach. I will run the same experiment in the Fall 2017 semester to compare outcome data.