Online-only statics compared to a flipped classroom

Abstract

Engineering Statics at NC State University (NCSU) in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department (MAE) is taught as a flipped class where lecture materials are online and class time is spent working problems in groups. The flipped format, though effective for most students, is not ideal for every student: a pathway is needed for students where English is a foreign language, where social interactions are difficult or impossible, or where thrice-weekly classes are an obstacle. As an attempt to meet that need, an online-only section was taught (sometimes called distance education) using all the materials from the flipped class to help the population of students who who could not enroll in the flipped class for whatever reason. Students had access to short concept videos, example videos, written notes, and hour-long videos of both the flipped class and old lectures. Online quizzes were required as well as TA-graded homework. Results indicate that student performance did not equal that for the flipped class. Furthermore the differences in results were not explained by differences in the demographics of the the student populations except in the nonresident-alien population. While the online-only format using the flipped materials can be a pathway for some students, online-only Statics does not seem to result in similar student outcomes.