title: Increased Preclass Preparation Underlies Student Outcome Improvement in the Flipped Classroom.
abstract: Active-learning environments such as those found in a flipped classroom are known to increase student performance, although how these gains are realized over the course of a semester is less well understood. In an upper-level lecture course designed primarily for biochemistry majors, we examine how students attain improved learning outcomes, as measured by exam scores, when the course is converted to a more active flipped format. The context is a physical chemistry course catering to life science majors in which approximately half of the lecture material is placed online and in-class problem-solving activities are increased, while total class time is reduced. We find that exam performance significantly improves by nearly 12% in the flipped-format course, due in part to students interacting with course material in a more timely and accurate manner. We also find that the positive effects of the flipped class are most pronounced for students with lower grade point averages and for female students.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003 dgross@biochem.umass.edu.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.affiliation: Yale Center for Teaching and Learning, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520 Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520.
authors.forename: Evava S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Pietri
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Science, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003.
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Center for Teaching and Faculty Development, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Moyano-Camihort
authors.affiliation: Yale Center for Teaching and Learning, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520 Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511.
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Graham
mesh_terms: D001690:Biological Science Disciplines / Q000193:education*; D003479:Curriculum; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017145:Models, Educational; D018794:Problem-Based Learning / Q000379:methods*; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult