Poster presentations as an approach to implementing a ‘flipped learning’ pedagogy in introductory physics

Abstract

‘Flipped learning’ or ‘flipped classroom’ pedagogies are gaining prominence in undergraduate science learning [1]. With the growing access to information through the internet, the traditional model of the teacher as the only facilitator of knowledge has become inadequate [2]. Lage et al. [3] consider the key purpose of the flipped classroom to be to shift the focus from rote learning to the students’ application of conceptual understanding. This presentation reports on a class group activity using poster presentations as a flipped classroom teaching medium. Poster presentations, a popular technique of displaying research at conferences, are being used increasingly as a teaching method [4]. In their teaching of mathematics, Denson [5] suggests that poster sessions are beneficial in that the preparation thereof promotes learning, it is an excellent alternative medium for developing communication skills, it encourages students to investigate a topic thoroughly, it provides opportunities for peer-learning and promotes a positive attitude in students. In this work, prior to making the posters, each student would submit a chapter summary before the topic was discussed in class. For the execution of the poster presentations, students were placed in smaller groups of three to four students to make group posters. When they presented their poster, it was in a smaller venue with another group of three to four students who would serve as their audience and a facilitator who would record the presentation. Hereafter the audience would present their poster, and the previous group who had presented would become the audience. The video recordings of the presentations were then embedded onto the University online learning facility via Google drive with the restriction that only those six to eight students were allowed to view, and review for peer assessment. To conclude the activity and to assess their understanding of the material students’ were required to complete an online multiple choice quiz. Nichols et al. [6] in their paper on using video in nursing education says that, depending upon the use intended by the instructor, a video may be able to tap all three domains of learning: cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. The purpose of the video recording of the presentation in this work is to provide the students with the opportunity to reflect on their presentation skills and to possibly use the video recording as a useful study aid. This presentation will discuss the extent to which this poster presentation intervention served as a means to assist students in improving their presentation skills, understanding the course content and becoming better, skilled communicators of course-related material/physics concepts.