The Teaching Assistant's Perspective on Flipping an Undergraduate Biomechanics Course

Christa M. Wille; Naomi C. Chesler

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Conference: 2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Tampa, Florida
Publication Date: June 15, 2019
Start Date: June 15, 2019
End Date: June 19, 2019
Conference Session: Innovative Course Structures and Learning Environments
Tagged Division: Biomedical Engineering
Page Count: 16
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--33429
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/33429
Download Count: 463

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Paper Authors

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Christa M. Wille University of Wisconsin, Madison

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Christa Wille is a Biomedical Engineering doctoral student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She received an undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering and went on to get her clinical doctorate in Physical Therapy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She advanced her clinical skills through a Sports Physical Therapy Residency at UW Health. Although continuing to practice Physical Therapy, Christa has returned to academia to continue to pursue research focused on gait analysis and the biomechanics of running related to various injuries including hamstring strains and injuries of the knee.

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Naomi C. Chesler University of Wisconsin, Madison

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Naomi C. Chesler is Professor of Biomedical Engineering with an affiliate appointment in Educational Psychology. Her research interests include vascular biomechanics, hemodynamics and cardiac function as well as the factors that motivate students to pursue and persist in engineering careers, with a focus on women and under-represented minorities.

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Abstract

Applications and outcomes of a flipped classroom in an engineering setting continue to be limited despite recognized advantages including positive gains in problem-solving skills, conceptual understanding, student retention, and student satisfaction. This paper focuses on the implementation of a flipped classroom for an undergraduate biomedical engineering introductory biomechanics course. To flip the classroom, content videos were created by teaching assistants (TAs) to provide a fist exposure to content material. Students were asked to watch videos prior to coming to class while in-class time was dedicated to practice and feedback via problem solving. With content disseminated in videos, valuable in-class time was spent utilizing team-based learning to solve problems in small groups of two to four based on self-selected seating arrangements. A unique aspect of this course was the amount of input, participation, and leadership provided by a team of four graduate student TAs. With the guidance of an experienced faculty member, TAs recorded video lectures, prepared and led in-class and lab-based sessions, and created online homework assessments that could be automatically graded by the online course management system. Successful implementation of a flipped classroom model was achieved and although challenges were encountered, the success of the course was based on course evaluations, student and teaching assistant feedback, and improvements in biomechanics related knowledge as assessed by concept inventory assessments. Knowledge acquisition over the course of the semester was demonstrated by a 38% gain score demonstrating increased knowledge using the Biomechanics Concept Inventory Version 3. Although students reported mixed feedback for instructors and the course as a whole, primarily positive feedback was provided for the evaluation of the TAs participation in this course. Increased participation from TAs provided benefits including: improved participation and communication from students, appropriate integration of course content in regards to prerequisite knowledge and subsequent course follow-up, and efficient use of technology and online course management. In addition, TAs benefited immensely from added responsibilities including increasing their in-depth knowledge in the field of biomechanics and improving their teaching skills applicable to their future careers. The purpose of this paper was to discuss the effectiveness of a flipped course model for both undergraduate students and graduate student instructors. The results may serve as a guide to encourage engineering educators to implement a flipped classroom for the benefit of all, including undergraduate students, graduate students, and the instructor of record.

Citation
Format

Wille, C. M., & Chesler, N. C. (2019, June), The Teaching Assistant's Perspective on Flipping an Undergraduate Biomechanics Course Paper presented at 2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Tampa, Florida. 10.18260/1-2--33429

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - Applications and outcomes of a flipped classroom in an engineering setting continue to be limited despite recognized advantages including positive gains in problem-solving skills, conceptual understanding, student retention, and student satisfaction. This paper focuses on the implementation of a flipped classroom for an undergraduate biomedical engineering introductory biomechanics course. To flip the classroom, content videos were created by teaching assistants (TAs) to provide a fist exposure to content material. Students were asked to watch videos prior to coming to class while in-class time was dedicated to practice and feedback via problem solving. With content disseminated in videos, valuable in-class time was spent utilizing team-based learning to solve problems in small groups of two to four based on self-selected seating arrangements. 
A unique aspect of this course was the amount of input, participation, and leadership provided by a team of four graduate student TAs. With the guidance of an experienced faculty member, TAs recorded video lectures, prepared and led in-class and lab-based sessions, and created online homework assessments that could be automatically graded by the online course management system. 
Successful implementation of a flipped classroom model was achieved and although challenges were encountered, the success of the course was based on course evaluations, student and teaching assistant feedback, and improvements in biomechanics related knowledge as assessed by concept inventory assessments. Knowledge acquisition over the course of the semester was demonstrated by a 38% gain score demonstrating increased knowledge using the Biomechanics Concept Inventory Version 3. 
Although students reported mixed feedback for instructors and the course as a whole, primarily positive feedback was provided for the evaluation of the TAs participation in this course. Increased participation from TAs provided benefits including: improved participation and communication from students, appropriate integration of course content in regards to prerequisite knowledge and subsequent course follow-up, and efficient use of technology and online course management. In addition, TAs benefited immensely from added responsibilities including increasing their in-depth knowledge in the field of biomechanics and improving their teaching skills applicable to their future careers. 
The purpose of this paper was to discuss the effectiveness of a flipped course model for both undergraduate students and graduate student instructors. The results may serve as a guide to encourage engineering educators to implement a flipped classroom for the benefit of all, including undergraduate students, graduate students, and the instructor of record.

AU  - Christa M. Wille
AU  - Naomi C. Chesler
CY  - Tampa, Florida
DA  - 2019/06/15
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - The Teaching Assistant's Perspective on Flipping an Undergraduate Biomechanics Course
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/33429
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--33429
ER  -