Flipped for the Sciences: Course Design

Dr. Maha Zewail-Foote, Southwestern University

Dr. Steven Neshyba, University of Puget Sound

LiF P9 3 15

How it’s done in our classesBefore

classDuring

classAfter class

Completing, reflecting , and preparing materials to be submitted

Grappling with complex problems, collaborative hands-on work, clickers

Videos can be recorded lectures or narrated slides

Step 1: What to flip?Select a topic and learning goals

Step 2: Choose your toolsChoose the technology

Posting videos or other materialOn-line quizzesElectronically submit answers

Step 3: What to do in the classroom?

Can still lectureActive-learning activities

◦Worksheets◦Clicker questions

Example: Colligative propertiesStep 1 : Learning goals

◦Explain how the amount of solute added alters the vapor pressure, boiling point and freezing point

Example: Colligative propertiesStep 2: Tools

◦Create video◦On-line quiz

Exam: Colligative propertiesStep 3: What to do in the

classroom?◦Worksheet

◦Clicker questions

Describe the effect a solute has on vapor pressure at the molecular level. Modify the picture to demonstrate that change.

Assume you add 1 mol sucrose or 1 mol of NaCl to water. Would the freezing point depression be the same?

Which will have the highest boiling point?a) 0.200 m HOCH2CH2OH b) 0.0750 m NaI c) 0.125 m K3PO4 d) 0.200 m Ba(NO3)2 e) 0.12 m C2H6O2

Exam: Colligative propertiesStep 3: What to do in the

classroom?◦Worksheet

Adapted from Chemistry, The Central Science, 10th editionTheodore L. Brown; H. Eugene LeMay, Jr.; and Bruce E. Bursten

Example: Decay kineticsStep 1 : Learning goals

◦Gain insight into connections between kinetics-related concepts: k, t1/2, and integrated rate laws

◦Grow accustomed to the idea of theoretical modeling of experimental data

◦Develop expertise in using a spreadsheet

Example: Decay kineticsConventional approach: Students look at graphs, decide whether a reaction is 1st or 2nd order based on whether it’s a straight line … doesn’t lead to much intuition about the meaning of k.

From http://textbook.s-anand.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/4_4.png

Example: Decay kineticsFlipped approach: Get students to construct graphs of experimental and modeled concentrations, vary k, and see what happens!

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 7000.00E+00

2.00E-03

4.00E-03

6.00E-03

8.00E-03

1.00E-02

1.20E-02

1st order

Experiment

2nd order

time (sec)

[A]

Example: Decay kineticsMake a handout

Decay kineticsMake a voice-over screen capture video

showing how

Decay kineticsMaybe a blackboard video of the theory

Decay kineticsAnd ask for some kind of analysis

Example: Protein structureStep 1 : Learning goals

◦Learn to recognize amide planes within a polypeptide

◦Learn to identify N- and C-termini◦Learn to identify residues within a

polypeptide◦Develop skill in constructing

molecules in SpartanTM (Wavefunction, Inc.)

Protein structureConventional approach: Students look at images of polypeptides and proteins, try to identify sequence and geometrical relationships.

Jakubowski. BC Online: 2C - Understanding Protein Conformation. at <http://employees.csbsju.edu/hjakubowski/classes/ch331/protstructure/olunderstandconfo.html>

Protein structureFlipped approach: Get students to build polypeptides (on a computer) from residues, using handouts, lectures, and videos, and manipulate those images to learn about proteins

From http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXYunrarRg8

Lessons LearnedGroup workStudent participationStudent reflectionsIndividualized learningKeep students on point

with taskTimeOur learning curve