Flipping the Math Classroom for Non-Math Majors to Enrich Their Learning Experience

Abstract

Students’ learning experiences in an introductory statistics course for non-math majors are compared between two different instructional approaches under controlled conditions. Two sections of the course (n = 52) are taught using a flipped classroom approach and one section (n = 30) is taught using a traditional lecture approach. All sections are taught by the same instructor in the same semester. General perceptions as well as students’ understanding and retention of the course material are measured and compared. The flipped classroom students outperform their traditional lecture peers on exams, especially in terms of their mathematical problem-solving skills. The flipped classroom students are also more confident than their traditional lecture peers about their abilities and their understanding of the course material, crediting their understanding primarily to the in-class activities, which are made possible because the flipped classroom design promotes an experiential, active-learning environment without compromising content.

Keywords:

• Flipped classroom
• inverted classroom
• active learning
• experiential learning
• video lectures

Acknowledgment

The author was supported by a course-redesign grant from Marymount University.

Funding

The author was supported by a course redesign grant from Marymount University.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

William J. Heuett

William J. Heuett received his education in applied mathematics from the University of Colorado (BS) and the University of Washington (Ph.D.). His primary area of research is mathematical biology, but he is also interested in mathematics education. He seeks to make his students more confident in their abilities and to find ways to relate mathematics to their passions. He gets his thrills by exploring the world with his wife and two boys.