Understanding the Benefits of the Flipped Classroom in the Context of Sustainable Engineering

Abstract

Engineering is a field marked by critical thinking, problem solving, and application of vast amounts of scientific and technical knowledge. College-level engineering courses often focus on learning scientific material and are challenged to provide an opportunity for students to apply this material or develop the above skills necessary for success in the field. Because of this disconnect, a teaching method known as the flipped classroom is gaining consideration and implementation in engineering classes as well as in classrooms of many levels and disciplines. In a flipped classroom, live class lectures are moved out of classroom and replaced with on-line videos, and active, project-based learning activities are done in their place. At the University of Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania State University two sustainable engineering courses focused on residential energy efficiency were flipped, and the impact this method had on the students was investigated.