To Flip or Not to Flip? An Exploratory Study Comparing Student Performance in Calculus I

Abstract

The purpose of this exploratory, mixed-methods study was to compare student performance in flipped and non-flipped sections of Calculus I. The study also examined students’ perceptions of the flipping pedagogy. Students in the flipped courses reported spending, on average, an additional 1–2 hours per week outside of class on course content. Students enrolled in the flipped sections also performed better than students from the non-flipped sections on the common final exam. A follow-up examination of Calculus II grades revealed a statistically significant difference in course grades between these two groups of students.

Keywords:

• Flipping
• calculus
• video
• effective learning
• inverted instruction

Additional information

Funding

This work is funded in part by the National Science Foundation under grant DUE 1245059. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF.

Notes on contributors

Larissa B. Schroeder

Larissa B. Schroeder is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at the University of Hartford. She received her M.S. from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill and her Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut. Her research focuses on teaching and learning of calculus.

Jean McGivney-Burelle

Jean McGivney-Burelle is an Associate Professor of Mathematics at the University of Hartford. She received her M.S. from Northeastern University and her Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut. Her research interests involve investigating how to use technology to improve the teaching and learning of mathematics.

Fei Xue

Fei Xue is an Associate Professor of Mathematics at University of Hartford. He earned his B.S. degree from South China University of Technology, and Ph.D. from the West Virginia University. His interests are asymptotic analysis of differential and difference systems, time scales, and pedagogical Calculus research.