Teachers’ development in a flipped classroom for applied mathematics: A use case in a transdisciplinary engineering study

In this paper, we discuss how the flipped classroom approach promoted teacher
reflection and development. We look at the teaching cycle from a flipped instruction model perspective and we adjust it to cater for the reflection loops teachers are involved when designing, implementing and re-designing a flipped classroom. Interview and observational data showed that the flipped classroom design and implementation forced the teachers to reflect on their own practice, and reconsider the learning objectives of specific activities and the course in general. Another aspect that promotes teacher reflection was the production of video lectures. The teachers reported that they got valuable feedback on their own style of teaching, which they were able to improve during the loop video capture – watching – improving – recapture. Moreover, they got insight on student problems and misconceptions, so they reflected on each flipped session (out-of-class, in-class) and adjusted the next one throughout the semester. At the end of the semester they reflected on this experience as a whole. These reflections promoted the redesign of their flipped classroom approach for the next year. In this paper, we propos the use of the Cowan’s modified reflection model in order to include incidental and “small” reflections that take place between the planned reflections (reflection-for, -in, and -on action) and we exemplify all types of reflections by using interview and observational data. We believe that this reflection model may be employed not only to observe teacher development in flipped classrooms, but also to guide teachers throughout design and implementation of such classrooms.