Students’ Perceptions of Learning in a Flipped Statistics Class
Dr. Anthony Dove
Radford University
United States of America
adove3@radford.edu
Abstract: Recently a new method of instruction, the flipped classroom, has gained national
publicity. In this model, lectures are watched outside of the class and time in class is spent
practicing and applying the material. Despite this publicity, little research has been done on this
method. This study explored how community college students perceived the flipped classroom
approach and their learning opportunities after completing a flipped Statistics I course. Results
suggested that students preferred this method of instruction over in-class lectures, believed it
improved their conceptual understanding of statistics, would prefer taking more flipped
mathematics classes and would recommend taking flipped mathematics classes to their peers.
Introduction
While teachers often wish to use collaborative discovery-based experiences during class, they are often
concerned about the time needed for these activities when there is pressure to cover the breadth of material required
in an era of high stakes testing (Hannafin et al., 2001; Ruthven et al., 2008). However, unique opportunities through
the use of technological methods can assist in allowing such experiences to occur in the classroom. One such
method that has received national publicity is the flipped classroom approach. In a flipped classroom, students are
assigned video lectures to watch at home and then return to class to apply the learning through practice problems,
projects, and discovery-based activities. While this method has received recognition in various settings, little
research has explored student perception of the use of this approach in the mathematics classroom. For this reason,
this study explored the question: How do students perceive learning Introduction to Statistics in a flipped classroom?
Background
While programs like the Kahn Academy have brought publicity to the concept of flipping the classroom,
very little research has been done on the effectiveness of flipped classrooms. However, available research suggests
that the flipped classroom can have a positive influence in the classroom. At the K-12 level, Clintondale High
School in Detroit, Michigan significantly decreased their failure rate in mathematics and overall discipline referrals
after teachers shifted their classroom instruction to the flipped method (Roscorla, 2011). At the collegiate level,
Yoon and Sneedon (2011) found that availability of video lectures in mathematics courses provided significant
increases in final grades.
Although there is limited research specifically on flipping the classroom, the method utilizes wellresearched notions on how students learn. For example, findings have indicated that students who sit in the front
row often perform significantly better in class (Rosengrant et al., 2011). Since lecture videos are watched outside
the class and individually in a flipped classroom, students have a virtual front-row view of the material. In addition,
research has suggested that building trusting relationships between students, teachers, and parents can have a
positive influence on student achievement (Goddard, Tschannen-Moran, & Hoy, 2001). Since lecture videos are
readily accessible, content and instruction become transparent, which can help build trust between parents, students,
and teachers. Also, many of the classroom distractors that occur during lectures are no longer an issue since the
student watches the videos individually (Rosengrant et al., 2011). Finally, lecture videos offer a unique learning
opportunity since students can access the videos when they are most needed (Yoon & Sneedon, 2011). Students can
rewind, rewatch, and skip to sections of the video that they need to specifically review. When students miss class
for any reason, they have an opportunity to not fall behind on the content as the videos can be watched anytime,
anywhere.
Methods
This study incorporated an action research design. The primary researcher served as the instructor of a
Statistics I course at a large community college in the Mid-Atlantic region with the intent of changing his instruction
via the flipped classroom method. This course provided four credits. The class met twice a week for 2.5 hours each
meeting in a computer lab.
There were 21 students that completed the course. Students ranged in age from 18 – 55. The class was
comprised of 15 females and 6 males. There were five minority students and three with special needs. The students
had a diverse background upon entering the class as well, such as nursing majors at the community college for
which the course was required, students just beginning their degrees at the community college, and students taking
the course for transfer credit to one of the four-year universities near the community college.
The course utilized Elementary Statistics 5th Edition (Larson & Farber, 2011) and the classroom
management system, MyMathLab (http://www.mymathlab.com/). To flip the classroom, the instructor created
lecture videos using Microsoft PowerPoint and Screencast-O-Matic (http://screencast-o-matic.com/). A lecture
video was created for each required section from the Statistics I course pacing guide. Videos were uploaded to a
YouTube channel prior to each class and were linked to the corresponding section in MyMathLab. In addition,
section materials required for all activities were uploaded in MyMathLab (Figure 1).
Figure 1: Example of a Section in MyMathLab
During the first class of the semester, the instructor explained to the students the flipped classroom
approach. As this was a new experience for all students involved, the class watched the lecture videos for the first
two textbook sections together. During this time, the teacher focused both on the content and how to watch the
video with the intent of taking notes. This time included instructions on how to use YouTube features such as
viewing the video in full screen, pausing, and rewinding.
For the duration of the semester, students were assigned one to two lecture videos which they were to
watch prior to the upcoming class. Students were required to show their lecture notes for the first two weeks of the
semester to verify they were watching the videos and understanding how to take appropriate notes. During class,
students completed practice problems, discovery-based activities, and projects. All activities were accessed via
MyMathLab (Figure 1).
Throughout the semester, students were encouraged to collaborate with one another for all activities except
quizzes and tests. During each activity, the instructor circulated throughout the class and assisted students
individually or in pairs. Students were also required to complete online homework sets and quizzes that were
assigned to all students taking Statistics I at the community college.
At the completion of the semester, students were asked to complete a 12 question Google Forms survey
about their experiences in a flipped classroom (Figure 2). Questions included two questions on how often students
watched the video lectures and took notes as well as eight Likert questions and two open-ended questions about the
overall flipped classroom experience. For calculation of each question’s mean and standard deviation, the Likert
Scale was given values of 1 (Strong Disagree) to 4 (Strongly Agree). The open-ended questions were examined for
common themes among the students. Completion of the survey was fully anonymous as no identifying questions
were asked within the survey. In addition, the survey was not required and was presented as a tool for the professor
to use to improve his flipped classroom method for future courses. Of the 21 students who completed the course, 20
completed the survey.
Statistics Survey
I am working to improve my class, and I am trying to figure out what worked well and what didn't with the "flipped
lecture video" method (watching lecture videos at home instead of lecturing during class). Please take a moment to
complete this very brief survey. This is completely anonymous. I would greatly appreciate your input.
How many of the lecture videos did you watch?
o Never
o I watched no more than 1/4 of the videos
o I watched more than 1/4 but no more than 1/2 of the videos
o I watched more than 1/2 but no more than 3/4 of the videos
o I watched between 3/4 and all of the videos
Of the videos you watched, did you take notes?
o I never watched the videos
o I never took notes
o I took notes for less than 1/4 of the videos
o I took notes for more than 1/4 but no more than 1/2 of the videos
o I took notes for more than 1/2 but no more than 3/4 of the videos
o I took notes for between 3/4 and all of the videos
Answer the following statements using a rating from "Strongly Disagree" to "Strongly Agree"
I would have preferred having the lecture during
class time
Strongly
Disagree
o
Disagree
Agree
o
o
Strongly
Agree
o
I appreciated having the lecture videos readily
available
o
o
o
o
I appreciated having the lecture notes readily
available
o
o
o
o
I found the practice problems completed in class
o
o
o
o
helpful in learning concepts
I found the class assignments/activities to be helpful
in learning concepts
o
o
o
o
I found the opportunity to work with other students
during class to be helpful
o
o
o
o
If I were to take another math class, I would prefer it
to use the "flipped lecture video" method
o
o
o
o
I would recommend other students to take a class
using the "flipped lecture video" method
o
o
o
o
What did you like most about this class?
What did you like least about this class?
Figure 2: End of Semester Survey
Findings
Results suggested that students found the lecture videos helpful, the in-class activities relevant, and the
opportunity to work with others a positive opportunity to enhance their learning. Of the respondents, 65% watched
75%-100% of the videos, while 70% took notes for 75%-100% of the sections. Student responses suggested that
they perceived two values in the lecture videos: opportunity to build conceptual understanding; and opportunity to
access and learn at their own pace. For example, one student commented, “Honestly, I didn't watch all the videos.
The ones I did watch, however, greatly improved my understanding of the concepts.” Another student stated that
due to the access of the lectures, “I could learn at my own pace at home.” Another student suggested, “The videos
were nice because I could always go back to review before a test.”
For the eight Likert questions, students were overwhelmingly in favor of the overall opportunities presented
in the flipped classroom (Table 1). For example, only three students agreed or strongly agreed that they would
prefer having lectures in class. In contrast, all but two agreed or strongly agreed that they would prefer taking
another class using the flipped classroom approach. In addition, all students agreed or strongly agreed that they
would recommend other students to take a class using the flipped classroom method. Student responses suggested
that they preferred this method because it kept them actively engaged through various activities instead of passively
listening to a lecture in class. One student suggested, “Lectures make me sleepy and I tend to zone out. It is much
harder to zone out when I'm actively participating versus ‘listening’ to someone talk.”
With no direct instruction occurring in class, students were asked their perception of the in-class activities.
All students agreed or strongly agreed that the given practice sets and assignments were beneficial to their learning,
and all but one student agreed or strongly agreed that student collaboration was helpful. Student responses
suggested that the in-class time spent applying the concepts had a significantly positive influence on their
understanding of the content. One student stated, “I liked that we used our class time to apply the materials learned
on the lecture. The hands on experience in the classroom gave me a better understanding of the material.” Another
student suggested that the classroom assignments helped personalize the learning. “I really enjoyed the more
interactive problems and exercises through the online surveys because it brought a more personal touch to the
problems, and thus increased [my] interest in the problem itself.” This method also helped students with different
learning styles, as one student suggested, “I am a hands-on learner so working in class with other people and being
able to do work during class was very helpful.”
On the two open-ended responses, students were asked what was liked most and least about the flipped
class. Responses were limited about the least favorite aspect of the flipped classroom. The majority of students
suggested the class length and the time of day were their least favorite aspects. However, one student stated
displeasure in working with partners and another wanted the lectures to occur in class. A third student specifically
critiqued the videos, stating, “I would have liked it if the lecture videos were longer, going over more details a little
deeper through more problems.”
In contrast, there was a significant amount of responses for what was liked most about the flipped
classroom. These responses suggested that the flipped classroom improved the students’ perception of their
mathematical abilities. One student stated, “This has been the easiest class for me, and I attribute it to your video
method and practice time in class.” Another student commented, “I always struggled with math prior to this class. I
think the flipped class method should be used as much as possible, especially within the math and sciences.”
Responses also suggested the flipped classroom increased students’ interest in math. “I am so excited and pleased to
say that I have renewed confidence in my math skill set and overall interest in math.”
Question
Mean
Standard Deviation
I would have preferred having the lecture during class time
I appreciated having the lecture videos readily available
I appreciated having the lecture notes readily available
I found the practice problems completed in class helpful in
learning concepts
I found the class assignments/activities to be helpful in learning
concepts
I found the opportunity to work with other students during class
to be helpful
If I were to take another math class, I would prefer it to use the
"flipped lecture video" method
I would recommend other students to take a class using the
"flipped lecture video" method
1.7
3.5
3.9
3.8
0.86
0.83
0.31
0.41
3.7
0.49
3.6
0.60
3.6
0.69
3.6
0.50
Table 1: Student Perception Survey Results for the Flipped Statistics I Classroom
Discussion
This study focused on how students perceived the opportunity to learn in an Introduction to Statistics
flipped classroom environment. Student results, both on Likert scaled questions and open-ended responses,
suggested that they enjoyed and preferred the flipped classroom method of instruction. Student responses suggested
that having lecture videos readily available in and out of class allowed them the time needed to process content so
that it could be applied in a student-centered activity-based in-class setting.
One could argue that the overall positive assessment by the students reflected more on the opportunities
and activities created in the classroom. However, that is the very essence of the flipped classroom method. Had inclass lectures been necessary, the amount of practice and hands-on activities completed by the students would have
been significantly less. Removing lectures provided the only viable means for such activities to occur that students
enjoyed. In addition, it provide students the time to practice, explore, and ask questions of the instructor, something
that cannot be done as effectively when the majority of practice is completed outside the classroom as homework.
This study does have its limitations. For example, this was an evening class at a community college. Many
of the students were working full time jobs during the day while completing classes at night. It is not known how
this unique population influenced the results of this study and whether similar results would be found with any
section of Introduction to Statistics. Also, this class was taught in a computer lab so that technology-based statistical
programs such as Microsoft Excel could be used with the students. While all sections of Introduction to Statistics
were taught in labs at the community college, it is unknown what influence this had on students’ perception of the
course. How would it change the activities that were completed in the class if limited or no technology was
available, and how would it change students’ perceptions of a flipped introductory statistics course?
The flipped classroom provides a unique opportunity that may not have been fully available prior to the
increased use of technology and the internet. While there is little research on the flipped classroom, this study
suggests that students are receptive to taking such classes at the collegiate level and that it can help them feel more
positive about the overall learning experience. As one student summarized:
At first I was really hesitant to take a class where the lectures were videos that we had to watch outside of
class but I actually found it to be more helpful because we were able to practice the concepts during class.
The layout of the class provided me plenty of time to ask questions and get help on all concepts that we
were learning while in class and I was able to grasp the material really well.
References
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