Understanding the Benefits of the Flipped Classroom in the Context of Sustainable Engineering

Engineering is a field marked by critical thinking, problem solving, and application of vast amounts of scientific and technical knowledge. College-level engineering courses often focus on learning scientific material and are challenged to provide an opportunity for students to apply this material or develop the above skills necessary for success in the field. Because of this disconnect, a teaching method known as the flipped classroom is gaining consideration and implementation in engineering classes as well as in classrooms of many levels and disciplines. In a flipped classroom, live class lectures are moved out of classroom and replaced with on-line videos, and active, project-based learning activities are done in their place. At the University of Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania State University two sustainable engineering courses focused on residential energy efficiency were flipped, and the impact this method had on the students was investigated. For this study, data was collected using preand post-confidence tests, a final course reflection survey, and the College and University Classroom Environment Inventory (CUCEI). This data was then analyzed and used to develop conclusions on the students’ perception of the flipped classroom teaching method and the course. Students in both courses frequently expressed that they learned various personal skills such as leadership, listening, and communication, which were consistent with class objectives. The tones of the student responses were positive, and on the CUCEI, the students scored the class environment above average. The highest scoring section of the CUCEI, 4 out of 5, was Personalization, which includes professor availability and highlights how a flipped classroom provides students with more opportunity to interact and connect personally with the teacher. As expected, the Involvement section, pertaining to student participation in in-class activities and class discussions, also scored high at 3.94 out of 5. Student comments were generally positive such as, “It was great that there was always time in class to ask about the module and topics I didn’t understand,” or, “I thought it created a more comfortable learning environment in class and allowed students to learn in their own way at home.” Our findings suggest that the flipped classroom was a successful teaching method for these sustainable engineering courses.