Abstract:

’Flipped Stat Class’ is an educational innovation project of the IMEQ network. When the innovation was designed, it was considered as a first step to coordinate the implementation of the flipped-class methodology in one lesson of the compulsory econometrics course (taught to 660 students in 7 different degrees). With the massive disruption of COVID19 pandemic in the beginning of 2020, the pilot experience forcibly and rapidly evolved to a deployment of a complete flipped course during the second semester (February to May 2020).

The ‘flipped’ methodology takes on a renewed leading role. On the one hand, there is an explicit effort from teachers to transform the traditional lecture class-format into collaborative learning experiences which could be more effective (such matter is currently under debate). On the other, students have proven to manage themselves progressively better in virtual environments (virtual classroom, video tutorials, social networks, etc.). Both elements create the enabling environment where the progressive and planned implementation of this methodology would succeed. In this context, the project Flipped Stat Class was designed and implemented in the first semester of 2019-20. The massive disruption of COVID19 pandemic affected the project during the second semester.

The paper provides evidence on the results of both, the experience as planned that was implemented from September 2019 to January 2020 and the experience during the outbreak and spread of the COVID19 pandemic from February to May 2020, describing how the initial project was adapted.

In the experience as planned, results are organized following the ‘design-implementation-results’ scheme both from qualitative and quantitative approaches. The COVID19 disruption, on its hand, is assessed, mainly, by the description of the deviations from the original design. Additionally, we compare the different adaptations of the original experience that teachers did. Finally, some pointers and ’food for thought’ on the impact of COVID19 are provided, as some changes may be here to stay.

Keywords:

Statistics, econometrics, teaching innovation, online teaching, COVID19.