RESULTS & GRAPHICS/CHARTS

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this project is to redevelop the curriculum for an introductory, undergraduate

course in transportation engineering. CE 355 is being converted from a traditional lecture

format to a “flipped” classroom environment that will include a series of recorded lecture content

introducing students to fundamental concepts in the field. These lectures will be supplemented

through interactive in-class review sessions, team-based in-class exercises, and a series of

small-scale real-world projects.

The material presented here is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Award No. EEC-0813570 and EEC-1406296. Any opinions, findings,

and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

CE 355 Curriculum Redevelopment / Flipped ClassroomNick Crosse, Dr. Peter Savolainen, Brendan Russo, Institute for Transportation, Iowa State University

RESEARCH QUESTION/HYPOTHESIS

It is anticipated the revised “flipped” course format of CE 355 will:

1. Improve student preparedness through mandatory video lectures at the start of each week of class;

2. Increase the level of engagement with the instructor, in addition to providing more opportunities for peer

mentoring; and

3. Provide students with a better understanding of how the technical aspects of transportation engineering

are applied in practice through a team-based learning (TBL) environment.

REFERENCESDavies, R., Dean, D., & Ball, N. (2013). Flipping the classroom and instructional technology integration in a college-level information systems spreadsheet course. Education Tech Research Dev Educational Technology Research and Development, 563-580.

Tune, J., Sturek, M., & Basile, D. (2013). Flipped classroom model improves graduate student performance in cardiovascular, respiratory, and renal physiology. AJP: Advances in Physiology Education, 316-320.

Iowa State University.(2015). Team based learning evaluation project [Data file] Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University of Science and Technology

BACKGROUND

Research supports that technology-enhanced, flipped classrooms are more effective at facilitating student

learning and allow greater differentiation of instruction (Davies, Dean & Ball, 2013). This is a particular concern in

large-enrollment courses, such as CE 355, which generally has 80 to 120 students. This is one of several

courses across Iowa State University that is being converted for the Fall 2015 semester as a part of the

President’s Flipped Class Initiative. The revised course is focused on increasing student engagement and

addressing the effectiveness of various aspects of the course, including the video lecture content, the integration

of the online and face-to-face components, and the use of extensive team-based learning.

METHODS

Two programs are being used to develop the video lecture content:

• Camtasia Studio 8 – used for screen capture and video editing

• Lectora – used to create interactive learning/assessment tools

The effectiveness of the course will be assessed through a variety of evaluation metrics including pre- and post-course surveys, video recordings of team interaction, and focus group interviews.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Thank you to Dr. Peter Savolainen, Brendan Russo, CBIRC,

InTrans, and the National Science Foundation.

DISCUSSION

There are various definitions as to what constitutes a flipped classroom. However, one primary component is the focus on active, pre-class work, allowing classroom time to focus on group work, problem-based learning, and discussion. Students also benefit from the availability of archived video lessons and review questions. A series of quizzes (given after each video lecture) will help to ensure students are prepared prior to each of the face-to-face course sessions. In-class time will utilize team-based learning exercises that support lecture content and require the students to apply what they have learned in a more practical setting using real data collected by official sources. Another key component of the course is projects that will be completed outside of the classroom. Each project will span 4-6 weeks, requiring students to work in teams to collect and analyze data to examine a question of research or practical interest.

Example of lecture preparation in Camtasia

video editing software.

Example of interactive HTML file that will present video

and quiz questions to student via Lectora.

Solving problems in a group is an effective

way to apply what I learn.

The ability to work with my peers is a

valuable learning tool.