Flipping a Mathematics Classroom: A Budget Lightboard Approach

Abstract

There is currently a push for an increase in active learning in post-secondary math and science classes. The benefits of this style are discussed in the Freeman report [4] and advocated for in the recent Joint Statement on Active Learning from the Conference Board of the Mathematical Sciences [5] One commonly used style of active learning is the flipped classroom, where traditional lecture content is provided to students prior to class to facilitate more active or engaging activities during class meetings [2, 3]. The question of how to create this material served as the focus of this project. The ideal process would produce video content that is both effective for the teaching of mathematics (and ideally other disciplines), but adapted for online use, while not generating significant overhead in terms of time and effort for faculty. These requirements led to the decision to construct a lightboard [1], but within a significantly smaller budget. Currently published lightboard plans cost upwards of $8000 to build. This talk will describe the specifics of this particular build which allowed for a final cost of less than $4000 as well as additional cost saving opportunities for future builds. A majority of the cost savings are due to the adoption of available open-source software. A flipped classroom approach utilizing the lightboard was piloted during the Fall 2019 semester in two sections of a General Education Probability and Statistics class. This class typically includes freshman through senior science majors and non-majors. Students watched a 7-12 minute video prior to class and completed a pre-class quiz. I will discuss the implementation of this approach as well as initial observations and feedback from the pilot semester. In particular, I will highlight the impact the flipped classroom had on students who identify as bad at math or who fear being asked to do math. References [1] J Alex Birdwell and Michael Peshkin. Capturing technical lectures on lightboard. 122nd ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, 26:1, 2015. [2] George R Buch and Carryn B Warren. The flipped classroom: Implementing technology to aid in college mathematics students success. Contemporary Issues in Education Research, 10(2):109-116, 2017. [3] Kevin R Clark. The effects of the flipped model of instruction on student engagement and performance in the secondary mathematics classroom. Journal of Educators Online, 12(1):91-115, 2015. [4] Scott Freeman, Sarah L Eddy, Miles McDonough, Michelle K Smith, Nnadozie Okoroafor, Hannah Jordt, and Mary Pat Wenderoth. Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(23):8410-8415, 2014. [5] Conference Board of the Mathematical Sciences. Active learning in post-secondary mathematics education. Conference Board of the Mathematical Sciences Washington, DC, 2016.