Abstract:

This paper presents an educational experience based on the use of Flipped Classroom (FC) techniques in the Aerospace Engineering degree, taught at the School of Aeronautics and Space Engineering of the Technical University of Madrid (UPM). FC is a pedagogical model that transfers the work which is associated to certain learning processes outside the classroom. Students learn new content online by watching video lectures, usually at home, and what used to be homework (assigned problems) is now done in class with teacher offering more personalized guidance and interaction with students, instead of lecturing. Therefore, students use the class time, together with the teacher experience, to increase their knowledge acquisition within the classroom. Moreover, as class time is released, students’ participation is focused on active learning, which can be facilitated through questions, discussions and applied activities. It encourages exploration, articulation and application of ideas. This model also allows the teacher to focus the attention on the individual learning needs of each student.

This novel educational technique was applied to the subjects Construction (third year) and Airports Facilities (fourth year). In these subjects, students learn and understand how to apply the appropriate technologies for construction and provision of services at Airports, both for buildings and for the airfield. FC promotes practical and applied learning, which is in line with the technological subjects where we applied it. This has been the first time that FC educational methodologies were introduced in the Aerospace Engineering degree of the UPM.

The objective was twofold:
(i) to encourage autonomous learning and
(ii) to foster the ability of students to analyze, synthesize and extract results and conclusions.

The methodology was used in two specific topics of each of the subjects, so we could have a comparison-pattern between different learning techniques within the same subject. FC was developed through short videos, accompanied by information and activities aimed for reflection. All materials were constantly available for students and hosted on the Moodle platform of the UPM. The face-to-face classes were designed to allow students to solve their doubts and develop a practical application, as real as possible, of the acquired knowledge. Group projects were included to promote collaborative work.

The experience and its benefits were evaluated according to the students’ final grades and the surveys made at the end of the year. We compared the degree of satisfaction between subjects were FC was applied and those taught in the traditional way. Students were also asked about the material provided to them and the methodological differences between teaching techniques. Results are mostly favorable to FC learning model, which encourages the use and further development of this methodology.

Keywords:

e-learning, flipped classroom, autonomous learning, didactical innovation, educational experience.