A Flipped Classroom Experiment: The implementation of Semi-Synchronous Learning

Abstract

With semi-synchronous learning, students are provided with online learning material, and allowed a window of time within which they study the material. This allows the students to employ mastery-based progression and just-in-time learning approaches. Furthermore, this also frees lecturers' time, allowing them to focus on helping students lagging behind. This article describes the process of converting a ten-week university course to a semi-synchronous teaching format. Student grades and video viewing statistics were used to evaluate the new approach. Results show that some students had an initial resistance to the new format and leaned towards traditional teaching methods. However, video viewing statistics show that students remained engaged in learning the theory throughout the course duration. The new approach did not result in a significant difference in student grades.