flipped learning, soil mechanics, NUI Galway

1. Flipped learning in an
engineering module
Bryan McCabe College of Engineering and
Informatics, NUIG

2. Flipped learning
Classroom time Own time
TRADITION
AL
model
FLIPPE
D
model
Learning
through
assignments
and
self-study
Content in
lectures
(passive)
Learning
through doing:
interactive
workshops
[not lectures]
Basic content
through
technology
(videos/podcasts)

3. Flipped learning – teacher’s role
http://www.knewton.com/flipped-classroom

4. Subject area
 2013: CE312 Soil Mechanics [3 ECTS, 24 hrs lect.]
 2014: CE377 Intro. to Geomechanics [5 ECTS]
 Student numbers 64 [2013], 45 [2014]
 BE Civil Engineering
 BE Environmental Engineering
 BE Energy Systems Engineering
 BSc Project and Construction Management
 Particular subject challenges
 Concepts challenging (e.g. effective stress)
 Mix of theory and empiricism
 How do various components of the course fit together?
 Soil variability

5. Implementation in 2014
 15 short videos [5-10 mins duration], each to be watched in
advance of relevant classroom session
 15 quizzes on Blackboard [3-4 questions], one on each
video, to be completed before relevant classroom session
 24 hours of active problem solving
in the classroom, workshop format
 3 assignments offline (by hand)
 3 laboratory sessions
examination
50%
assignment
s
15%
quizzes
15%
laboratories
20%
Assessment

6. The flipped approach - videos
 15 Narrated PowerPoints using Techsmith
 Produced to screencast.com, youtube.com, .mp4 files
 Scripted is easier
 Total duration less than 2 hours - the guilt!
File No. Filename No. of slides duration (mins) YouTube or Screencast URL
1A Origin of Soils 11 11:24 http://www.screencast.com/t/bxwVTwDxXz
1B Phase Relations 6 06:12 http://www.screencast.com/t/Ou0l4syBrLg5
1C Gradings and Plasticity 9 07:38 http://www.screencast.com/t/OObHEJ32w
2 Earthworks and compaction 10 08:39 http://www.screencast.com/t/PeUFKfZY3C
3A Effective stress and drainage part 1 7 06:32 http://www.screencast.com/t/tQeCq9Sx
3B Effective stress and drainage part 2 10 08:09 http://www.screencast.com/t/21D7Dr1G7FvS
4A Groundwater, permeability and seepage part 1 9 07:49
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCUJm5XDT
uI
4B Groundwater, permeability and seepage part 2 11 10:00 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvIBR8wwyjI
4C Groundwater, permeability and seepage part 3 5 03:50 http://www.screencast.com/t/alhZsDgSA4
5A 1-D consolidation and settlement part 1 10 08:01 http://www.screencast.com/t/lwshQcfHBAvH
5B 1-D consolidation and settlement part 2 11 07:57
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw2sw3BzyT
4
6A Shear strength part 1 9 06:03
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCFFUK3oVn
A
6B Shear strength part 2 7 06:33
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZh8LGCP7t
s
7A Horizontal stresses and retaining walls part 1 7 05:14 http://www.screencast.com/t/AsU215c8bcN

7. Groundwater Seepage and Permeability
Part 2
 11,300+ views in 72 countries since Jan 2013

8. Blackboard quizzes

9. The flipped approach -
classroom
Classroom workshops:
 DID NOT summarise videos!
 Parent PowerPoint files used for videos provided
 Workbook of soil mechanics problems provided (17
textbook problems in total)
 Solved by students with prompts by lecturer as
needed
 No questions at start of session, but plenty during!
 Some peer-learning (group brainstorming)
 Impromptu discussions on areas of
difficulty/challenging topics

10. Things to consider! Preparation
 Camtasia Studio easy to use (online tutorials
available)
 Videos fit for purpose, but don’t need to be a
highly-polished product!
 YouTube videos can be made unsearchable
 mp4 files uploaded directly to Blackboard
 Don’t need hours and hours of video!
 Concentrate on basics and cut to the chase
 Total video duration: 1.8 hours
 Lecture time minus examples: 16-18 hours
1:10

11. More things to consider!
 Pros!
 No ‘delivery’ - less preparation from now on
 Frees up time in classroom to add more value
 Specialist (technical) knowledge
 Focussing on difficulties/misunderstandings that arise
 Buzz of not knowing where session is going to go!
 Better attendance than average (67% in 2013, 70% in
2014)
 Cons!
 Existing PowerPoints may need to be modified
 Early videos time consuming to produce (mistakes etc!)
 Rethink assessments!
 Timetabling more relevant (scheduling video-ws-video-
ws-)

12. Selected results of survey 2013

13. Week 3 survey 2013 - videos
 Which of the following is your principal means of
accessing the videos?
Personal PC/
laptop (80%)
University PC suite
(19%)
Smartphone (1%)

14. Week 3 survey 2013 - videos
 The opportunity to study the videos in my own time is:
Very convenient
(46%)
Convenient (36%)
Neutral (15%)
Inconvenient (3%) Very inconvenient
(0%)

15. Week 3 survey 2013 - videos
 Engagement with first 6/15 videos in advance of
workshops
Watched with a view
to learning (no other
materials) (65%)
Watched with a view
to learning (other
materials used) (7%)
Did not watch in advance
(14%)
Watched
half-heartedly
without much effort
to learn (14%)

16. Week 3 survey 2013 -
classroom
 How do classroom sessions compare with traditional
lectures?
Much more valuable
(53%)
More valuable
(34%)
Neutral
(11%)
Much less valuable
(2%)

17. Week 3 survey 2013 -
classroom
 How likely are you to attend the classroom sessions
compared to a traditional lecture?
More likely (41%)
Much more likely (38%
Neutral
(18%)
Less likely (1%)

18. Week 3 survey 2013 – videos and
classroom
 The success of the flipped learning approach is due to:
Primarily the
workshops (24%)
A combination of videos
and workshops – both
are important (66%)
Primarily the videos (8%)
Is no more successful than
the traditional format (2%)

19. Feedback
“The flipped approach in the lecture was great because
working through examples and interacting with the material
actually made me think about what we were doing. In
contrast with this, other lectures I attend I drift in and out and
find it difficult to concentrate on what’s being said” (2014)
“Actually figuring out problems makes it easier to learn and
remember so you always feel you have achieved something at
the end of each session” (2013)
“I found doing examples in class greatly improved my
understanding of the subject and I engaged more than I do in
other classes” (2013)

20. Feedback
“Overall I found this method of teaching an improvement on
traditional lecturing and would be happy to see more lecturers
adopt this approach”. (2014)
“It avoided the typical low attendance and end-loaded
cramming that other similar subjects entail. A1! :)” (2014)
“It was reassuring knowing that if I did have a difficultly in that
part of the module that there was a video to explain it back”
(2014)
“Sometimes the class can be shy or unresponsive. Maybe a
clicker system of answering questions could make the shyer
people in the class answer questions.” (2013)

21. Conclusion
There’s no going back! 

22. Contact
 Phone: 091-492021
 Email: bryan.mccabe@nuigalway.ie
 LinkedIn: http://ie.linkedin.com/pub/bryan-
mccabe/29/983/bb1
 Twitter: @nuig_geotech